Page 104 - The Language of Composition 4e Teacher Edition Sample.indd

I want a wife who will take care of the details
4
of my social life. When my wife and I are invited
DIFFERENTIATION Identity out by my friends, I want a wife who will take
care of the babysitting arrangements. When I
Connections to Text meet people at school that I like and want to
What are some of the other articles fea- entertain, I want a wife who will have the house
tured on the cover of this issue of Ms. mag- clean, will prepare a special meal, serve it to me
mag-
azine? How do these relate to Brady’s and my friends, and not interrupt when I talk
argument? If students have read Woolf’s about things that interest me and my friends.
Copyright (c) 2023 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Uncorrected proofs have been used for this sample chapter.
“Professions for Women,” you might also I want a wife who will have arranged that the
ask them to compar e Brady’ s depiction of a children are fed and ready for bed before my
ask them to compare Brady’s depiction of a
wife to Woolf’s depiction of the “Angel of guests arrive so that the children do not bother
the House.” us. I want a wife who takes care of the needs of
my guests so that they feel comfortable, who
makes sure that they have an ashtray, that they
Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Strictly for use with its products. Not for redistribution.
CLOSE READING are passed the hors d’oeuvres, that they are
offered a second helping of the food, that their
Brady bookends her essay with references wine glasses are replenished when necessary,
to ex-wives taking the children. What is the that their coffee is served to them as they like it.
rhetorical effect of this approach? Have And I want a wife who knows that sometimes
students reread and discuss the state- I need a night out by myself.
ments Brady is making about child care I want a wife who is sensitive to my sexual What do the various images on this 1972
and about a wife’s responsibilities vs. those needs, a wife who makes love passionately and cover of Ms. magazine represent? How might
they illustrate the idea of “The Housewife’s
of her spouse. What is Brady’s tone and eagerly when I feel like it, a wife who makes sure Moment of Truth”? Where do you see that
how does she establish it? Then, you could that I am satisfied. And, of course, I want a wife “moment of truth” represented in Brady’s
have students rewrite paragraphs 2 and 8 who will not demand sexual attention when essay?
by replacing “wife” with “husband” and I am not in the mood for it. I want a wife who
switching the gender of the pronouns to assumes the complete responsibility for birth
see how doing so affects the message. control, because I do not want more children. I want the liberty to replace my present wife with
I want a wife who will remain sexually faithful to another one. Naturally, I will expect a fresh new
me so that I do not have to clutter up my intel- life; my wife will take the children and be solely
lectual life with jealousies. And I want a wife responsible for them so that I am left free.
who understands that my sexual needs may When I am through with school and have a
entail more than just strict adherence to monog- job, I want my wife to quit working and remain
amy. I must, after all, be able to relate to people at home so that my wife can more fully and com-
as fully as possible. pletely take care of a wife’s duties.
If, by chance, I find another person more My God, who wouldn’t want a wife? 10
suitable as a wife than the wife I already have, 1972

Understanding and Interpreting

TRM Suggested Responses 1. Claims and Evidence. Although Judy Brady never uses the term sexism (or feminism), what
Suggested responses to the questions for gender inequities does she catalog in this essay?
this reading can be found in the Teacher’s 210
Resource Materials.

05_sheatlc4e_40925_ch04_170_315.indd 210 do they find Brady’s position having done 12/10/22 2:35 PM
DIFFERENTIATION their own writing? Did the exercise bring them
Collaborative Learning closer to Brady’s position, or do they find her
position less convincing? Teachers may find
Brady’s tone will be seen as quite negative that students will write in a manner that is
from the male perspective and may incite overly sarcastic; this may be a good moment
some defensive discussion from some male to talk about the power of restraint in writing.
students in the class. Writing satires called “I How much is too much? “Less is more,”
Want a Husband” from the male perspective some say.
is an assignment that is sure to promote lively
banter, and writing these satires in small,
mixed-gender or homogeneous groups will
put a fun spin on the task. Afterward, stu-
dents should go back to Brady’s piece. Have
their impressions changed? How reasonable

210 chapter 4 / Identity

05_sheatlcte4e_46921_ch04_170a_315_2pp.indd 210 1/20/23 7:46 PM