Lizbeth Vizcarrondo

Dr. Newcomb

ENG 170: Writing and Rhetoric

15 March 2024

Stuffed Animals

Childhood is a time of playful innocence before the sudden shift to adulthood occurs. Stuffed animals are one of the most effective artifacts throughout the development of a child. It comes in many colors, shapes, and sizes. The typical stuffed animal is a teddy bear, which is usually kept within the four walls of a child’s room. They are fluffy, often have a scent, and release oxytocin. Oxytocin is “one of the feel-good hormones that promote relaxation and reduce stress” (Tollsen, 2023). Apart from so many other benefits, they encourage a child’s social and emotional skills, promote a sense of security, and stimulate imagination and creativity. According to Much Loved Photographs, they shared characteristics of “silent witnesses, constant companions, and defenders of innocence.” “Photographs” represent the theme of this article’s concept pertaining to stuffed animals. It is a significant addition to revealing how a child’s teddy bear can have a lasting impact on their adulthood. The positives of owning one can be demonstrated through the actions or outcomes of the adult. Given this, it isn’t concerning why Nixon’s idea of photographing teddy bears appealed more to adults. Many were still physically and emotionally attached to their childhood teddies. The goal of creating stuffed animals was to foster the idea of imagination and creativity in children. Budsies Blog states, “children are usually not bothered by the appearance of these toys; give them roles based on the game they are playing.”. They go on with using examples such as the child assuming the role of a teacher while the stuffed animals are impersonating students in a classroom. Other examples include the child assigning a stuffed animal the identity of a princess, fairy, doctor, and so on. The concept of giving an inhumane object a psychical identity speaks to the child’s ability to understand and grasp the world. “Kids also love to imitate adults in everything they do. In this pursuit, they become their stuffed animal’s caregiver” (Solomon, 2023). A child’s understanding of caregiving can be carried forward into adulthood. A stuffed animal allows a child to become more comfortable expressing their own emotions while also developing empathy for people around them. Stuffed animals can define childhood through lovable and huggable companionship. The meaning of companion refers to one who serves as a friend or partner in something. Since this object/artifact represents a feeling of togetherness, this definition aligns with how it defines childhood. From this “lovable companion,”  empathy for future friendships and/or relationships can be built. Based on Mark Nixon’s approach regarding stuffed animals, it makes sense why his social experiment appeals more to adults. Stuffed animals reintroduce a time of emotional and physical warmth while developing into young adults and the current version of themselves. Mark Nixon defines his own remembrance of his childhood stuffed animal through watching how his son plays with his. He mentions his similar childhood feelings about his own stuffed panda. This portrays a relationship between the two. The process of maturing into adulthood has demonstrated that individuals nevertheless maintain an emotional connection to inanimate objects. In fact, this attachment enables them to openly discuss past events associated with owning a stuffed animal or fostering a sense of comfort. Emotion is an important component that influences the statement, “Childhood is a time for…”. An article posted in Medium by Satanjay Kumar in 2023 proposes that emotional comfort and attachment are factors that also define childhood. For example, the idea that “these cuddly companions provide emotional comfort and reduce anxiety” (Kumar, 2023). This demonstrates the use of pathos. Furthermore, Mark Nixon’s poem Much Loved highlights the emotions that most younger children experienced from stuffed animals. The depiction of such feelings demonstrates how they linger throughout adulthood in the form of nostalgia. This is yet another example of pathos. Although stuffed animals are normally introduced to toddlers for adorable gift-giving purposes, childhood is a time for fun and interactive development. It, however, isn’t a time for replacing human interaction with that of an inanimate object. Throughout the process of transitioning to adulthood, one should reflect on those childhood memories to feel a sense of nostalgia, and to regain the feeling of a less chaotic lifestyle. In this case, the nostalgic feeling pertains to a longing for the comfortability and warmth of a home or loving household where a child is not yet exposed to real-world hardships. Much Love Photographs portray a stuffed animal as a “transitional object.” This is described as a soft toy (in this case, a teddy bear) that is being used as a kind of steppingstone in the separation of a baby and its mother. Later in the child’s life, it realizes that just as it needs to let go of his/her mother, they become independent and no longer need the comfort of a stuffed animal. Furthermore, it is a learned habit that they can always come back to it but never get so attached again.

Work cited

Kumar, Satanjay. “How Do Stuffed Animals Help with Development.” Medium, Medium, 11 Oct. 2023

“Much Loved.” Google Books, Google, books.google.com/books?

Solomon, Niki. Budsies Marketing Communications Specialist and mommy of one. “Educational Benefits of Stuffed Animals for Children.” Budsies Custom Gifts Blog, 24 Apr. 2023