Wife essay

1. Does this essay have an explicitly stated thesis? If so, what is it? If you believe the thesis is implied, paraphrase it in your own words.
No. Society has a deformed view on wives.

2. Throughout the essay, Brady repeats the words “I want a wife.” What is the effect of this repetition? To further emphasize her point.

3. Brady never uses the personal pronouns he or she to refer to the wife she defines. Why not?
Brady doesn't want to use gender words. Instead, she wants to emphasize the point that the "wife" stereotype should be redefined.

4. Do you think Brady really wants the kind of wife she describes—does this ideal spouse

actually exist? Explain why you think Brady wrote this essay.

No she doesn't actually want the wife she describes.  The ideal spouse doesn't exist either.  She wrote this essay to try and redefine the meaning of a "wife." 

5. How does Brady define what it means to be a “wife”? How does she organize the many services a wife provides her husband and family? What do you think of Brady’s characterization of a wife and her responsibilities? How do you think she wants her readers to respond to this characterization? Why?
Brady defines the "wife" as being a "do-it-all" in this writing. She organizes the services in order of necessity.  I think that her portrayal of this kind of wife is unrealistic.  I also feel that she wants her readers to change their perspective on wives, because people view wives as "do-it-alls" and as people who should be at a man's every whim.

6. Write a letter to Brady responding to “I Want a Wife.” Let her know what you admire or don’t admire about the essay and the extent to which you consider it effective and/or persuasive.

Dear Brady,

I feel that your persuasive essay, Why I Want a Wife, did an effective job at persuading me to rethink about how we portray wives in our society today. I think that everyone should reconsider how they view women in general. While women have gained many more rights today, they still don't fully get the respect they deserve at times. Wives especially, are viewed as having to be "superwoman" and are expected to be perfect. I just hope those who think this way change their perspective.

Sincerely,
Eric

7. Write your own piece entitled “I Want a/an X.” You can use Brady’s essay as a model, and in the process, imitate some of her stylistic techniques. Or, alternatively, write an essay about the role of a “wife” in the early twenty-first century, explaining how a wife’s responsibilities complement and are complemented by those of a spouse.

The Role of a "Wife"

The role of a wife in today's society has changed since past centuries.  Back then, wives were mostly stay at home moms that took care of the children, cooked, and cleaned, while the men went out and worked. Today, some women are now the ones who go out and work, while the men take the opposite role.  The view of the wife in general, however, has still not changed much. The role of the wife is used in a stereotypical way and the things that pertain to that role are never associated with men, but only to women. Instead, the role of the man and the woman in a marriage should complement each other.  For example, if the wife feels like she needs a night to go out with her friends, the husband could stay at home and baby-sit the children. In conclusion, there needs to be a balance in marriages and each spouse should contribute to the well being of the relationship and of each other.