I want a Wife Judy Brady

 I want a Wife

Judy Brady

Brady refers to a wife who is dutiful. In her essay, she defines a wife as a person who does all the household things being very responsible and content about everything at home with her husband and children. Brady describes a woman who makes sacrifices for her husband in order to keep him happy. This ideal does not exist; managing all of the tasks and responsibilities that Brady mentions would be next to impossible.

She explains the specific duties of the wife. That covers a whole range of household works and managing other needs sacrificing owns. The general categories she arranges duties are:

 childcare,

 housework, 

sexual availability, 

appointment/event organization, 

and putting her career aside.

 

Brady complains about her the life she leads. She complains about the dynamic role she is expected to play as a wife. Being a wife she is assumed to be a multitasker who manages the whole life disregarding her wishes and wants. She actually wants to study but she is a wife and lacks one who does wifely duties in her life. This is why she can’t go to school 

The most obvious reason for "wanting a wife" is her desire to go back to school; she doesn't currently have the means to do. Her other complaints seem to stem from the smaller obligations she has in her daily life that husbands are generally not expected to have to worry about in the same way what wives are. She feels overwhelmed by how she is expected to stay on top of housework, arrange appointments for the entire family, plan and cook meals, and put her own career aside for the sake of her husband's. She seems to attribute this problem to the unjust distribution of household-centric labor between husbands and wives.

She mentions a circumstance when he would leave her when she finds another a more suitable person as a wife than the wife she already has. She seeks the freedom that's why the wife naturally understands she is starting new life hence take care of the children and their responsibility solely. 

This essay is very appropriate for a feminist publication because it serves as a criticism of the expectations that many men have for their wives. It focuses on the immense amount of labor that women must stay on top of in their daily lives, much of which goes unappreciated or completely unnoticed by their husbands. This essay could also be appropriate for the opinion section of a newspaper.

This essay's thesis, which is implied, is that the traditional, selfish expectations that men often have for their wives are unfair.

Brady does not actually want the type of wife she is describing; her description is an exaggeration intended to be interpreted as criticism toward such expectations. The author is intending to point out how selfish it is to expect anyone to adhere to the standards she describes. What Brady really wants is a marriage in which everyone's needs and desires are treated with equal respect.

This repetition is a way for Brady to emphasize just how many men there are that want a wife like the one she describes. Brady is trying to point out how unfair and selfish it is to want someone in your life who lives only to help you meet your own needs.

The briefness of these paragraphs is not an issue. They provide just enough context to frame the main body of the essay, which holds all the important information.

In addition to "arrange", Brady also makes frequent use of the verbs "care," and "make sure". These verbs all relate to organization and caregiving, which are generally tasks delegated to women. Her frequent use of these words is a way to emphasize all the different ways that women are expected to provide care and to "arrange" things.

The "wife" she defines is not an actual person but a concept. The "wife" in her essay is a representation of the role that women are traditionally expected to fit into in a marriage.

These phrases serve as reminders that the tasks Brady is listening are often taken for granted and simply expected to be done. She is trying to point out how ingrained these roles are in society. Women are often brought up being taught how to do household chores, how to be a good hostess, etc, while such skills are far less often passed on to men. This leads to women taking on these burdens out of habit. Conversely, men who have not been made to take on such skills are unable to understand the time and energy such tasks require.

Vocabulary

proper: expected

pleasantly: cheerfully, with food arranged to look appetizing

bother: interact with

necessary: expected by the guests/by Brady

demand: ask for

clutter up: to have any distractions relating to someone else's needs

suitable: fitting into the traditional role of a wife

free: without worry of her previous life/relationships

All of these terms are used sarcastically. This language is meant to highlight the selfishness of husbands who hold these expectations. These terms are also quite vague and imply that the writer expects the wife to simply know what others want without asking. For example, Brady talks about wanting a wife who puts things in their "proper" place. The proper place for an item is subjective, and a couple might have different ideas on where something might go. By "proper place", Brady means that she wants a wife who will know exactly where Brady expects to find things and to store them according to that expectation.

Journal Entry

1.

Brady's characterization is still quite accurate; many still believe that men and women should adhere to traditional roles in marriages. These beliefs are prevalent throughout society in ways that many of us don't realize, so it is difficult to imagine such beliefs being completely quashed.

Women today have much more freedom to pursue the career of their choice; they are more often working in well-respected, high-salaried jobs today than they were in the 1970s, often out-earning their husbands. Despite this, women are still often expected to put their careers on hold when it comes to childcare. Not only are men often denied parental leave, but when a child is sick the burden of missing work often falls on the woman.

Society signals women's place as caregivers in other ways, too. Changing tables are often absent in men's restrooms, men are called "babysitters" when simply taking care of their own children, and advertisements for cleaning and childcare products are most often targeted at women.

Though these sexist expectations have evolved, they are still very present in society today.