History Literature / TheLonelyDoll

'''''The Lonely Doll''''' is the first of a series of picture books created by writer/photographer Dare Wright and published between 1957 and 1981. The series follows the adventures of Edith, the titular Lonely Doll, who lives by herself in what appears to be [[MouseWorld a well-appointed human-sized highrise apartment]]. [[GildedCage In spite of her luxurious surroundings]], Edith [[IJustWantToHaveFriends longs for a friend]] and is overwhelmed with gratitude when two [[SlidingScaleOfAnthropomorphism anthropomorphic]] [[Toys/TeddyBear teddy bears]]--mischievous Little Bear and his stern papa Mr. Bear--come to live with her. Edith ended up going on many adventures with Little Bear over the course of ten slim books.

The stories themselves are told with minimal text and [[DeliberatelyMonochrome evocative black-and-white photos]] of Edith, the author's real childhood doll, carefully posed to give the impression of a doll come to life as she interacts with a world made for humans. The books have gained a reputation over the years for being [[WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids more sinister than they seem on the surface]], as the climax of many of Edith's adventures is her anxiety over whether she will again be abandoned after angering Mr. Bear, or if she will find herself lost forever, unable to return home. The black-and-white photography (plus the ever-so-slightly CreepyDoll) only contributes to the eeriness.


Edith's appearance was deliberately modeled on that of her author, Dare Wright, with a high blonde ponytail, side-glancing blue eyes, and trademark gold hoop earrings. It's suspected a great deal of Edith's adventures (and her anxieties) are likewise a reflection of the life of [[CuteButTroubled her glamorous, multi-talented, but troubled creator]]. A major motion picture of the life of Dare Wright, ''The Secret Life of the Lonely Doll'' (based on the biography of the same name), is currently in pre-production and is slated to star Creator/NaomiWatts as Wright and Creator/JessicaLange as her mother Edith.

The LonelyDollGirl trope (in which a lonely human turns to dolls for companionship) is unrelated to the ''Lonely Doll'' series (in which the doll herself is lonely).

* CorporalPunishment: When Edith and Little Bear make a mess of the apartment, Mr. Bear gives them a spanking. They get another in ''The Lonely Doll Learns A Lesson'' when, in their enthusiasm to surprise Mr. Bear by cooking dinner, they forget they're not allowed to touch matches.

* PantyShot: Edith is fond of wearing skirts with petticoats and huge white ruffled knickers, which are frequently displayed in the many scenes where she climbs, falls, or (due to her construction) sits down with her legs straight. Considered more acceptable and innocent in the 1950s, the trope is noticeably absent in later books.

'''''The Lonely Doll''''' is the first of a series of picture books created by writer/photographer Dare Wright. First published in 1957, ''The Lonely Doll'' follows the adventures of Edith, the titular Lonely Doll, who lives by herself in what appears to be [[MouseWorld a well-appointed human-sized highrise apartment]]. [[GildedCage In spite of her luxurious surroundings]], Edith [[IJustWantToHaveFriends longs for a friend]] and is overwhelmed with gratitude when two [[SlidingScaleOfAnthropomorphism anthropomorphic]] [[Toys/TeddyBear teddy bears]]--mischievous Little Bear and his stern papa Mr. Bear--come to live with her. Edith ended up going on many adventures with Little Bear over the course of ten slim books.

* ThereAreNoAdults: There are no ''humans!'' Edith and the Bears seem to be the sole occupants of a completely empty world. Occasionally they run into live animals, but never human beings or even, oddly enough, other dolls. The closest is when Edith meets Mr. Bear's cousin, Big Bad Bill.

* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: In ''Edith and the Duckling,'' Edith discovers an orphaned duckling and is allowed to keep it in a pool until it's big enough to live on its own. By that time, Edith has grown very attached to it and wants it to be part of their family forever, but Mr. Bear gently reminds her that the duckling has grown up and needs to be free.