Wyland’s “The Ocean Stirs the Heart, Inspires The imagination and Brings Eternal Joy to the Soul” quote is a great example of this. This was because I saw women the “ocean” instead of the men. This essay could be based on this quote. Because the women in these households inspire their husbands to be their best and bring them joy. Brady is the focus of this essay, which focuses on Brady’s expectations and responsibilities for married women in their marriages. This essay is primarily about Brady. Brady states that she wants a wife to make her independent. She is also trying to convey that she wants the husband’s role. Brady’s essay states that women have different roles than men in marriages, where they take care of all the family’s responsibilities. Her intention is to make women aware of their rights and change the perception that women take over all the household responsibilities. “I Want a Wife” outlines evidence that women are treated badly and unjustly compared to men. Some men would say that’s fine and that it is their job. Others will argue that it isn’t. They are simply following the society’s example. Both explanations were based on evidence, language and intended audience. I can understand them all.
This article was published by New York Magazine on December 21, 1971. This essay was originally written in 1970 for a San Francisco rally. My target audience was women who wanted to be shown how cruelly they were treated in society. I believe the women weren’t willing to speak up for themselves because they didn’t agree with what other people were saying. But they wanted to be receptive as they were tired and want change. The writer should have approached her intended audience in an honest and direct way. This could include a skit that shows how men treat women every day, as well as providing authority figures who can help to break down stereotypes. The essay was also intended to be used by men to demonstrate how their wives are treated. Brady has clearly defined the roles and responsibilities of men to their wives through most of the examples. This shows that women were treated unfairly in recent times. However, women had to be responsible for all the children and men’s needs during the 70s. Researching to determine if women could do it, I found that it was not allowed until the early 70s. It is likely that many of these women are still housewives. This gives us confidence that her evidence supports and is appropriate for the topic.
To determine whether or not an essay will be good, it is important to consider the importance of structure and method. She used both narration and description in her essay. In the beginning of the essay she shared a story about becoming a wife, and then went on to describe how she wanted one. The descriptive portion followed, where she detailed all the duties and responsibilities that a woman was expected to fulfill in the 70s. Brady did not say that she only wants her wife to care for her children. She outlines every responsibility men expect of women around their home and for their families. She organizes her points in a very organized way. So she begins with Brady’s wife as the primary caregiver. Next, she discusses Brady’s physical and mental needs. In her conclusion, she asks readers a rhetorical query to make them wonder if they wouldn’t like a wife. This is to highlight the importance of wives in marriages. Because Brady’s points are well-supported, the essay’s order and modes have made her point more truthful. She chose the best mode of development to help the reader understand her point of view. Women are not treated equally to men. They do all the work, and men often get noticed.
Last but not least, the essay’s language plays an important role in developing a great essay. I Want a Wife’s tone is sarcastic and humorous. It feels like a conversation you might have with someone. She describes how she did the same jobs in her previous relationships. This job is not what she likes and she would prefer a spouse to do it. She also wants to be able to care for the family. This is funny because she wants to make the point that women are treated differently than men, but she also wants a wife to help her live an unbothered lifestyle. It is not appropriate to use this tone because you will be talking about a strong subject. There should be humor and sarcasm throughout the essay. To emphasize the roles and responsibilities that a wife must fulfill, “I want to be a wife” is repeated several times. Brady used this phrase to illustrate the selfishness of the husband. He expects women to take care of everything. Irony is another figure in the essay. This is to add humor to a serious topic. It is used to highlight gender-specific roles such as the expression “I want to be a woman who works and sends me to school”. This essay has a funny aspect that I find amusing. The only device I could find in this essay was hyperbole. Brady exaggerates every responsibility and duty a wife has. She does this to make the point clear to her readers. The line “A wife who will take care of my children, and a wife who takes care of me” shows how Brady exaggerates the responsibilities of a wife. This is a clear indication that women in marriages are considered slaves to their husbands and families. “My God, who wouldn’t want a woman?” emphasizes the fact that they don’t want a spouse or someone who can take on all their responsibilities.
This essay shows the evolution of women since the 70s. Women are no longer forced to stay home to care for the family, but have the opportunity to work. The family’s responsibilities are now shared by husbands and wives. Gender equality is possible because of Judy Brady and other women who stood up for it. “I Want a Wife” made a serious situation hilarious with humor and irony. It kept me interested from the beginning to the end, and I think it also kept readers engaged. It was very enjoyable.
Works citées
Brady, Judy. “The ’70S Feminist manifesto that’s still a must-read today” The Cut, 2017, https://www.thecut.com/2017/11/i-want-a-wife-by-judy-brady-syfers-new-york-mag-1971.html. Accessed 13 March 2019.
Kennedy, X. J et al. The Concise Bedford Compendium. 13th ed., pp. 460-461.
