What symbols do you find in the story ''Barbie-Q''? Is there a commonality to them?

The story "Barbie-Q" reads almost like a prose poem because of the way it throws huge bursts of imagery at the reader, completely immersing them in the moment and putting them in the mind of the excited young girls. Every time a particular barbie ensemble is mentioned, the description of every piece of the outfit is frantically listed afterward. On a surface level, this is symbolic of the girls's obsession with the dolls themselves. On another level, it represents the performative expectation of women in the world. The story mentions several times that the two girls are from families of meager means; there is no doubt that they are already familiar with their perceived economic shortcomings. This leads to a moment of personal triumph when they receive dolls that survived a toy warehouse fire. Despite their wear and damage, the girls still love them.

The symbols in Cisneros's story are the Barbies—both those the characters have originally and those that come from the warehouse fire. The original Barbies are symbols of mid-century American glamor, as they include stiletto heels, an A-line coat dress that comes with a Jackie Kennedy–style pillbox hat, and a glittery black evening dress with formal gloves.
Later, the characters acquire smoke-damaged Barbies at a flea market after a warehouse has burned down. These toys are sooty and soaked with water, and one of the Barbies has a melted foot. These Barbies have a commonality with the more pristine Barbies, but they are secondhand toys that symbolize the breakdown of the American Dream. Poorer children like those in the story, whose families can't afford to buy their children endless Barbies and outfits, must make do with water-stained and smoke-damaged toys. Their Barbies are not pristine but have been victims of danger and poor treatment, just as they likely have been as well.

This Sandra Cisneros story revolves around the Barbie obsession of two young girls, highlighting their love of fashion and dolls as well as the fact that they're unable to afford new Barbies for their collections. The symbols used in the story have common elements of youthful innocence, societal expectations, poverty, and gratitude.
The tale begins with a description of outfits worn by the girls' dolls, including the iconic striped swimsuit of original Barbie, as well as their sole set of spare outfits, consisting of elegant evening-wear choices. The classic, formal styles the girls have chosen for their dolls represents an admiration for glamour, high society, and unattainable status symbols they may never be able to afford. The script the girls use when playing Barbie details a stereotypical love triangle between one man and two women and symbolizes the girls' desire to grow up, gain freedom, and make their own decisions. Insults such as "dumbbell" and "stinky" in the dolls' confrontation demonstrate the naiveté of two young girls excited by the glamour of growing up. The fire in the toy warehouse on Halsted Street symbolizes how quickly one's fortune can change, as they are suddenly presented with the opportunity to purchase slightly damaged Barbies at a low cost. The elation the girls feel at unexpectedly adding brand new, though imperfect, dolls to their collections symbolizes the innocence and resilience of youth and demonstrates how easily contentment can be found when one's expectations are grounded in reality.