Women in Literature

I Want a WifeBy Judy Syfers

Presented by: Nor Hanim Bt. Morad

Noor Syazwani Bt.Mohtar

Background of the author

Judy Syfers or Brady

Born in 1937 in San Francisco

took her B.F.A. in 1962 at the University of Iowa.

She is a freelance writer, publishing articles on abortion, education, and women's issues. Brady has worked to support the principles of feminism and of the other contemporary political and social movements to which she is committed. 

In August 1970,  Judy Syfers stood before a crowd gathered in San Francisco and read an essay she wrote entitled "Why I Want a Wife."

The crowd was gathered to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 19th amendment, giving women the right to vote.

Judy was heckled by men in the audience, but the essay had an immediate impact within the strengthening feminist movement. It was published in the first issue of Ms. Magazine in 1971. Today, the essay is read by students around the world as a classic example of feminist humor and satirical prose.

Overview

A witty satirical view of a women’s traditional role as servant to the husbands.

-breaks down the duties of a wife and mother while identifying many stereotypes women fall victim to in society then, and even now.

Wife-round character with many responsibilities and jobs.

Husband-flat character: only concerned with himself and has no depth.

Lists all the characteristics of a wife the writer wants if she is a husband.

Central Themes, Issues & Ideas

Inequalities towards womenMen expect women to do everything ranging from house chores to keeping track on the appointments.

Husband can demand what ever they want from their wife, but the wife cannot do the same to their husband.

Wife’s role to the husbandA wife has to do everything that her husband demands.

Wife are not supposed to complain to the husband about their duties.

Stereotypical male demandsMen demands too many things from women when they are looking for wife.

They expect women to be perfect and obedient without actually thinking whether they are good enough for the women.

Roles of Women

WIFE

• Goes to work to earn money for the family.• Take care of husband’s physical needs

• Eg: Iron the clothes, organize the personal belongings.

• Sensitive to sexual needs of the husband but cannot demand sexual attention from the husband.

• Take full responsibility of birth control.• Faithful to the husband

• Cannot socialize with other people to avoid the husband become jealous.

• Cannot feel jealous if the husband socialize with others.

MOTHER • Make sure children eat properly.

• Wash children’s clothes and keep them mended.

• Take children to the park.

• Make sure children have adequate social life with their peers.

• Take care of the children when they are sick.

• Always be there for them when they need their mother.

GREATCOOK

• Wife must know how to cook.

• They MUST be a GOOD cook.

• Must plan the menus well

• Do the necessary grocery shopping.

• Prepare the meal.

• Serve the meal in a pleasant way.

• Clean up the dishes.

GOODHOSTESS

• Entertain the husband’s guest when he invited them to the house.

• Make sure the guests are comfortable.

• Prepare adequate meal for the guest.

• Make sure that the dinner flow nicely.

PERSONALASSISTANT

• Keep track on the medical appointments of the husband and children.

• Follow the family for vacation just to take care of the children and the husband.

SECRETARY

• Type the husband’s assignments.

• Listen to the husband’s explanation about the difficult points.

Language Style

Simple English-

Intertwines sarcasm and wit

Rhetoric

Repetition

Literary Elements

Setting

-written during the Second Wave of Feminist Movement in 1970s.

Repetition

-constantly describing what she wants in a wife.

- ‘I’ repeated 67 times in the article

Irony

-the title “I want a Wife”-but written by a woman.

The writer has allowed herself to be a wife and is now regretting it, yet wants a wife of her own.

To develop an opinion towards the basic male perspective on gender roles.

Imagery- List the things she would want a wife to

do- to put picture in readers mind

Sarcasm- to show her point of view regarding the selfishness of men towards women.

Tone-Ironic

Author’s Purpose

To persuade the readers to look objectively at a husband’s viewpoint and expectations of what he think a wife is and what she should be

She classifies what a wife is through a man’s eyes.

Being derisive by mocking men and being satirical.

To imply a husband or man’s laziness and selfishness.

Writing Strategy

Rhetorical writing

-uses three main rhetorical styles-ethos, logos and pathos

Ethos- appeal based on the character of the speaker.

Logos-appeal based on logic or reason.

Pathos-appeal based on emotion.

Visual arrangement-single space paragraphs, proper indentation.

Adequate margins

Ethos-Conveys her experience as a wife and a mother.

Pathos-married couples-takes advantage of the opportunity that many people relates to the same condition that she describe.

Makes a wife and a mother feel unappreciated and unimportant.

A husband and a father feel sorry and regretful.

Logos-provide numerous examples and reasons on why even she ,a wife, wants a wife.

Examples are very detailed and realistic.

Persuasive and reckoning for an action or reaction from the readers within their mind.

Readers agree with her

“My God, who wouldn’t want a wife”

Viewpoint

-First person (the author)

Culture and Values

Gender inequalityWomen has to do more work than men as they become wife.

Even though the women are working, they still have to do all chores at home.

The husbands will not help them.

Men’s superiorityMen is superior than women, therefore they expect women to serve them and fulfill their demands.

Expected responsibilities of wifeWife are expected to do all the work to make the life of their husbands easier.

Eg: Sending children to school, keep track of the medical appointments and fulfill their husbands’ sexual need whenever they ask.

Values

Sharing responsibilitiesHusband and wife should share the responsibilities of running the household together rather than having just one person to do it all.

FaithfulnessIf the husband wants his wife to be faithful, he himself must also be faithful.He also must not restrict his wife’s social interaction with others just because he is jealous.

AppreciativeWife is not item than can be easily discard if the husband has bored.

Wife also need to be appreciated for all the hard work she had done while running the household.