Custom «I Want a Wife» Essay Paper Sample

The material reviewed is "I want a wife" written by Judy Brady. Judy Brady's story became a sensation once it was published in the year 1971. The story begins with the narrator who asserts that she is a woman from the description she makes. She the narrator assets that, "I belong to the classification of people known as wives." The story is based on the narrator's friend who has recently divorced and he is looking for a new marriage partner. The narrator friend has one child from the previous marriage. It is paradoxical when for the narrator to say that she is also looking for a "wife." The word "wife" in is used symbolically to refer to the person who will meet the criteria that has been set by the narrator's male friend. The "wife" symbolizes the person who would carry out the responsibility of an ideal wife as described by the narrator's friend.

The narrator's male friends he is selfish as shown indicated by the duties his wife to be is supposed to perform. This assertion can also prove the reason as to why the narrator's friend is divorced. The narrator's friend needs a wife who would send him to school and thus become economically independent to meet his needs and for those who depend on him. This portrays the narrator's friend as illiterate since she need to go to school to be knowledgeable and also to acquire some formal employment and hence get the financial liberations he so much crave for. It is very interesting to note that the narrator's friend want also a wife who would carry out his duties like providing for those who depend on him.

The list of the demands the narrator's friend want to be met by his wife to be is endless. The wife to be would be responsible for financing his education, "I want a wife who will work and send me to school." The narrator's friend also wants a wife who would wholeheartedly dedicate her time in taking care of his children. The narrator's friend is male chauvinist as feels important than his wife. All the responsibilities pertaining taking care of the children are left to the wife. The wife would be responsible in taking the children to hospital when they fall ill. The wife would also be responsible of keeping health records of the narrator's friend and make sure that he visits a doctor in case he is not feeling well. The wife of the narrator's friend would be responsible in ensuring that the children are well fed. The wife would also be responsible of managing cleanings in the house. The wife of the narrator's friend would be responsible in ensuring that the children has a good social life; ensure that the children are taken for a walk around the park and in zoo to see the wild animals.

The narrator's friend is egocentric. He only thinks about his interest without considering the interest of his wife. The narrator's friend asserts that the wife should be ready to take sometime off from her job to attend to his affairs. Despite the fact that the wife would be responsible in providing for the needs of the family, all other chores in the house would be solely hers. The chores that the wife would require to perform include cleaning, mending and ironing her husband's clothes. The narrator's friends also requires that his wife to entertain his friend when he brings them home.

The narrator's friend is both promiscuous and irresponsible. Despite the fact that the wife should satisfy his sexual needs, he also wants to be given the freedom to take other women to bed, "my sexual need may entail more than strict adherence to monogamy." He asserts that the wife should be ready to take care of the children once he gets himself another wife. Once the narrator's completes his study, the wife should quit her job to stay at home. The narrator's friend view women as inferior creatures who should strive to please men.