... Cespedes1 Professor Wilfert English 101 25 February 2013 “I Want a Wife” By: Judy Brady Judy Brady is a freelance writer, writing topics mainly relating to the roles of women in society. Judy wrote the piece I Want a Wife right after the second wave of the feminist movement in the United States. The purpose of the movement was to have the right to vote and have the same equal rights as male citizens. Judy’s essay appeared in MS. Magazine in 1971. She used feminist humor to persuade her readers to look objectively at a man’s expectations of what a wife is and should be. Brady’s intended audience was women and men of that time period. Not only does she write to married couples, but people in general. I believe she is trying to get out to the public that these stereotypes of roles for women are wrong and should end! Judy writes in her article about the many demands of being a wife. According to Judy, a wife is also a worker, homemaker, mother, provider, and a sexual partner. She stresses that the roles of women are unfair to the roles of men. And she illustrates this by telling you all the roles. I want a wife who will cook, clean, take care of the children, and my sexual needs all while providing for our family so I can selfishly pursue my dreams (442). She is stirring up emotions for the reader in hopes that this will persuade you to take action. She is clearly telling...
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...Judy Brady wrote the Essay ’’ I want a Wife’’. In her essay she writes about the harsh responsibilities of a wife in the 1970’s. She defines what is expected of a wife. She write out a list where she includes taking care of the children, taking care of her, wife must send her back to school to get an education, wife must support her financially while attending school, she must cook, clean, wash, iron, mend, keep up with doctors’ appointments for her and the kids, and also take care of her sexual and emotional needs too. The list continued on and on. In her experience woman were expected to do all the work and not complain. Woman weren’t appreciated at all. Brady communicated her piece by broadcasting it on a woman’s magazine, hoping to get a...
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...he children. They are usually depended on their husbands for physical and monetary needs for the family. In “I Want a Wife” Judy Brady talks about being a wife, and how she would like to have a wife that portrays the role of a husband in the family. She is arguing about expectations that men have towards women and marriage. In addition Brady writher how easy men have it, according to her men’s only responsibility in marriage is to be a provide. One the contrary, Ellen Goodman in “the company Man” argues that it isn’t easy to be a provider in the family. She supports that opinion with an example of a fifty-one year old men called Phil who worked himself to the death. Gender roles have been quite significant and important throughout the history, however now due to the harsh capitalistic society that we live in they are fading away. While Phil was a hard worker for his family, in “I Want a Wife” Judy Brady is portrayed as being a women who wants to become like Phil. She wants a wife that plays the role of a woman, so she can achieve a high education and work on her career. She wants to achieve this by not having to worry about her kids and wants her busy schedule kept organized by her wife. She thinks that the only thing that’s standing in her way towards successful carrier are the kids and all the house chores that she as a women has to deal with. Brady says, “my wife must...
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...is a very hard job, but what about being a wife, or simultaneously being a mother and wife. First published in 1971, the work of Judy Brady discusses the status and work of wives then, and coincidentally, now in the 21st century. Not altogether incidentally, a wife and mother, Judy Brady subtly hints that wives are not appreciated for what they do for their families in her short essay “I Want A Wife”. Brady suggests, through the use of irony, that what is wanted and expected of wives is excessive and unorthodox. While using the words “I want a wife”, repeatedly, Brady satirizes the presumption that wives are desired for everything but being an actual wife, all while assuming an impassive tone in order...
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...Anonymous In the 1970 essay "I Want a Wife", by Judy Brady, The author effectively showed her message, Brady was a women, underappreciated and fed up with it The author wanted to express some resentment in what men expect of women a wife. There is a somewhat humorous tone to the way Brady sends that message in her writing, No person could fit the model of wife she illustrated, Brady shows that she and other wives are somewhat robbed of things, that men take for granted. Brady writes this essay in a first person point of view. She is writing as the man who wants a super wife. She makes a list of the responsibilities that a typical woman from the 1970's would have. According to Brady "If by chance I find more suitable as a wife than the wife I already have, the author states “I want the liberty to replace my current wife with a new one." That is a clear of how Brady feels she and other women are treated unjustly. In the 1970's it was an era that marriages strongly reflected what Brady was trying to say. In that time I think that the essay was calling out, she is a wife and wants to show other wives that they aren't the only ones fed up with the system of marriage. The author states "I belong to that classification of people known as wives. I am a wife. And, not altogether incidentally I am a mother." I think she just wants people to know that she wants to reverse roles. I don't think in today’s society that this is as much an issue as when Brady wrote this essay. While true there...
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...Waite and Maggie Gallagher and “Why I want a wife,” by Judy Brady, speaks about marriage. Though their narratives is about marriage they both speak differently of it. Of the two readings, I preferred "The Case for Marriage" because the essay echoes my beliefs on marriage also, getting married supports my Catholic beliefs. "The Case for Marriage" is a preferred reading than "Why I want a wife" for the reason that, firstly, Waite and Gallagher have effective examples and secondly, the essay is not bias. Every lawyer has to have evidence to prove cases. Just like lawyers Waite and Gallagher used evidence to prove their case. Effective examples enhance the reading and adding examples helps make ones point across. For example, Waite and Gallagher used statistics in their essay to show the readers that they are passionate on what they are speaking about; they did studies to assist their point to be more effective. "According to a study we did, of those men who ever married or are divorced only 60 percent will still be around...90 percent of the married men will survive...90 percent of married women will reach 65, compared to 80 percent of single and divorced men," they write (Waite and Gallagher, 105). I believe that statistics are helpful their essay because it helps convince people why one should get married, it did for me. Even though, “The Case of Marriage” has used effective examples to prove their case, "Why I want a Wife" does not. Brady has no proof that every man thinks the...
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...In her essay, “Why I Want A Wife”, Judy Brady (1993) writes from the perspective that some husbands may expect their wives are to be compliant to their needs without question. By writing this article she is trying to show the way she believes men think about wives and mothers. She describes a situation with a male friend which then generates her ideas, “As I thought about him while I was ironing one evening, it suddenly occurred to me that I, too, would like to have a wife.” (Brady 1993, para. 2) She uses specific language throughout the essay to describe what she wants from her wife. By using specific language, she can take the main topic of her paragraphs and further enhance them through each of her supporting items. Ms. Brady has used this pattern well to flow from one point to the next throughout her narrative. In her essay the quote, “My God, who wouldn't want a wife?” (Brady 1993 para. 10) stands out the most to me. Not only because it’s at the end, but because it summarizes the whole concept she is trying to convey within the essay. The way she laid out the reasons behind why she wanted a wife and what she wants from a wife would cause any person to ask this question. This method of using descriptive writing would not necessarily be my first choice in my own writing, but I can see how it might become helpful when breaking down a topic and trying to support it with further details of the main idea. References Brady, Judy (1993). Why I Want A Wife. Literature for Compostion...
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...Who Wouldn't Want a Wife Marriage is one of the basic institutions of society. It has been researched and analyzed for centuries. Most beliefs have developed and changed, but some have remained as the fundamental basis. They are called marriage stereotypes or tenets being declared as true without giving proper reasoning. . In her essay " I Want a Wife", Judy Brady uses a pathos to describe the duties of a wife in the 1970's while writing in a persona of a husband. She explains why she would like to have a wife. Marriage stereotypes are certain ideas which are held true about marriage and roles of a husband and a wife in it. In Genesis 2:18 God states that it is not good that man is to be alone and He makes a helper suitable, or comparable to him. (Bible) A woman takes on the role of a helper when she marries, along with cooking, cleaning, and meeting the families need, according to society. At the beginning of the essay, Brady mentions that she belongs to that classified group of wives, married and with a child. As Brady is ironing clothes she starts thinking "I want a wife" after she thinks of a friend that ended being divorced and was waiting to find a wife. The author then reflects on her life and starts to write in a persona of a husband narrating all the duties that a wife would perform, as if narrating her own personal life. Not only does she want a wife that works but also attends to children, along with keeping up with their doctors appointment and attend to their...
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...The two essays that I’ve chosen were “I Want a Wife” by Judy Brady” and my other one was “Sister Flowers” by Maya Angelou. I’ve reread the both of these essays twice just to get the feel of these two essays. In the essay of “I Want a Wife” I looked for the key elements that the Authors had used in this essay. In that essay the author’s purpose was that to show women of how the males treat females in a wrong manner. This is something that maybe all women had been gone through some point in time in their lives, but this is going on in today’s world, it is a relatable subject. It is quoted by Judy Brady that she said in her essay that she wanted all females to think in her message (“those women were being underappreciated, and that she is fed up with it)”. When telling this essay the sound of her tone was I would think that she was angry, but hearing how she had write this essay it seems as if she was calm. My other essay “Sister Flowers” is totally different different from my other essay. In this essay Maya Angelou is an American author, a poet with a remarkable voice telling her stories. When you listen to Maya Angelou tell a story, it almost feels like you’re right there with her, this is a good description essay, and a narrative essay. The purpose of this essay is of revelation; it is quoted that to (reveal the catalyst of her own literary experience, a muse who is a social and racial template for goodness). In the both of these two essays I really liked them, because of its life...
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...Compare and Contrast: Sister Flowers versus I Want a Wife Lisa Jackson ENG 121: English Composition I Instructor: Alicia Giffin December 9, 2013 When given the task of comparing two different essays, I read through the list before deciding on Sister Flowers by Maya Angelou and I Want a Wife by Judy Brady. I found both essays to be well-written and each touched me on an emotional level. However, I found the essay Sister Flowers to be the better essay because of the descriptive nature and that it has a deeper meaning by showing how the kindness of one person can make one feel liked and respected, while the essay I Want a Wife was written more for entertainment by showing how little men do and how much women take care of. The essay Sister Flowers is about a little girl named Marguerite who, in the beginning of the essay, compared herself to “an old biscuit, dirty and inedible” (Angelou, M.) until she met Mrs. Bertha Flowers. Marguerite looked up to Mrs. Flowers whom she referred to as graceful, and one of the few gentlewomen she had known. Marguerite states “She was our side’s answer to the richest white woman in town” (Angelou, M.). Marguerite’s reverence of Mrs. Flowers made her ashamed of how uneducated her grandmother appeared. One day Mrs. Flowers invited Marguerite into her house so she could have a talk with her. The fact that she cared enough to invite Marguerite into her house, make cookies for her, and then give her a book to read made Marguerite feel liked and respected...
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...convention in 1851. She uses the repetition of “And ain’t I a woman?”, which is meant to draw attention to her being a woman and black. She uses this to bridge slave rights and womens rights because she is in fact, both a woman and a black slave. She lists off all the things that people say women should have done for them, and then calls it all out because she has not had any of these things done for her, even though she...
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...anymore in today’s day and age. These male stereotypes only single out and amplify societal pressure on men. Not only pressure from other women but on fellow males. Male stereotypes portray males in the wrong light and can hinder the social development and acceptance for one who does not fit into the ideal view of a man. In Judy Brady’s, “I Want a Wife” Brady takes a satirical approach to showcasing how men think when evaluating a wife. She plays the role of a typical male and lists all the attributes this male would love to have for a wife. He wants his wife to cook, clean and take care of the kids. He also wants the wife to listen to him when he wants her to, but doesn’t want to feel obligated to listen to her when she needs to(361 Brady). However, this essay is a dated essay written around 1970, so these views are very old and should be seen as absurd in the present day. Surprisingly, some women still feel this is an accurate portrayal of men’s thoughts on a female partner. One female from Queens, New York says “Guys aren’t going to care about hearing you complain. Hah! I never had a boyfriend who really sat down with me and talked with me about my issues that I wanted to talk about.” Most men aren’t that heartless and do considered the feelings and thoughts of their female partner. Of course there are exceptions, but for the most part, it is appropriate and recommended to...
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...topic, Ehrenreich cites work from feminist psychiatrist Jean Baker Miller, which supports her claim. The psychiatrist describes instances where when women in the workforce are asked to speak of their achievements, they tend to “bury their success in self-depreciation”, by saying things like “I don’t know how it happened…I guess I was just lucky”, whereas male counterparts have no issues with accepting being confident and intelligent. While reading this essay, I found myself taking a neutral position. I can definitely recall moments during my life where I would be smiling on the outside, but upset on the inside, just because I thought it would be too mannish to show anger. I also thought of a time when I had been promoted and had to give a speech. During my speech, I simply said “…thank you for all of the support I received…” rather than mentioning all the long nights I had stayed up studying, or all the hard work and effort I had put toward being promoted. It seemed to me, that if I were to mention my efforts I would seem cocky, not confident. But to counter Ehrenreich’s claim, I can also recall times when keeping “everything nice” helped to calm potentially volatile situations. In short, I think that women are loving nurturers and it might be hard to find a balance...
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...Silent Voices Since the beginning of time women, have taken on many intricate roles. These roles are often unnoticed or are part of an unspoken code. Women have played a major role in the development of greatness, but will often go unrecognized for their input, effort and involvement. Many times the role of a woman asked her to take a back seat to men’s work and not be in the fore front. It was not important for women to be educated, for they were not made to be leaders, creators, commanders or organizers. Sister Flowers by Maya Angelou and I Want a Wife by Judy Brady bring light to the dynamics of a woman and the many facets of a woman. Whether of a high or low class the, fortitude of a woman is astounding. In this ever changing world, women have begun to evolve and smile at the ratification of the positions that they have long held. These essays provide us with a piece of history that shows the growth and development that women are making to get the recognition that is their-due. Sister Flowers by Maya Angelou is a descriptive essay told through the eyes of a young girl named Marguerite who has admiration for a woman in her community that is full of grace. The presence, stature and charisma of this woman was enough to put her in a class with the elite. This woman was different from the others within her community and due to education. Sister Flowers words and language supported that image. As...
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...In E.B. White’s “One More at the Lake” and Judy Brady’s “I want a wife”, both authors write on personal encounters they experienced. The author chooses two different methods of writing styles. E.B. White utilizes a nostalgic reflective descriptive piece, whereas Brady uses a more sarcastic narrative. Arguably both writers do a great job in their story telling skills. Both stories are respected and pleasing, yet similar but different at the same time. The authors’ choice of writing style is what gives one story more of an advantage to the other. Though descriptive and narrative essay have identical intent – to tell the reader a story- narratives are more effective in capturing the audience because the uses of different voices, they bring ideas into perspective and they are relatable. There are special components that both style of writing possesses. Narrative writing usually does not stress adjectives to give the physical details of characters, setting or events in the story. Nothing like descriptive writing, narrative writings are written in the first person in order to convey the author's attitudes, beliefs and memories. Narratives are conventional, while descriptive writings content often emphases on a single event, object or place. Occasionally, writers utilize narrative writing style to tell about the past or the future in broad terms. A narrative often reflects personal experience, clarifying what happened during some sort of incident. Narrative essay topics include...
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