“ Why I Want a Wife”, written by Judy Syfers Brady, leaves the audience thinking about a wife’s role in society and raises awareness on the traditional household dynamics. The author challenges husbands and children to reevaluate norms regarding women and discern the burden that is constantly placed on them, while igniting a desire for change in wives who relate to the piece.
Reframing terms acts as one of the most effective persuasive strategies Brady utilizes. Her ability to transform the word “wife” from partner to an object serves a great reason for the success of the essay. The last line, “ My God, who wouldn’t want a wife?” (21). illustrates how “wife” is being described as something not someone.The way in which Brady discusses a wife’s job closely resembles what one could imagine a robot to do. Altering the meaning completely creates a powerful impact because the reader feels empathy towards women who are treated in this manner. For women …show more content…
Because each new paragraph names a multitude of piling items on the list of tasks for a wife, it has an impact. The exact same start to each sentence allows there to be a commonality between all the different themes the author raises. For example, the lines “ I want a wife who will take care of my physical needs” (14). and “ I want a wife who will take care of the details of my social life” (14). are two different ideas, but with the reiteration of the phrase it creates a constant reminder of a wife’s everyday expectations; the dehumanizing of the word connects to pathos as it induces the audience’s empathy. The repetition succeeds because of its ability to enable the reader to ponder on how it is inhumane to expect one sole individual to do the work of many. The author restating the same phrase as the start of each sentence leaves no room for the reader to forget her thoughts and message, therefore being immensely
Reframing terms acts as one of the most effective persuasive strategies Brady utilizes. Her ability to transform the word “wife” from partner to an object serves a great reason for the success of the essay. The last line, “ My God, who wouldn’t want a wife?” (21). illustrates how “wife” is being described as something not someone.The way in which Brady discusses a wife’s job closely resembles what one could imagine a robot to do. Altering the meaning completely creates a powerful impact because the reader feels empathy towards women who are treated in this manner. For women …show more content…
Because each new paragraph names a multitude of piling items on the list of tasks for a wife, it has an impact. The exact same start to each sentence allows there to be a commonality between all the different themes the author raises. For example, the lines “ I want a wife who will take care of my physical needs” (14). and “ I want a wife who will take care of the details of my social life” (14). are two different ideas, but with the reiteration of the phrase it creates a constant reminder of a wife’s everyday expectations; the dehumanizing of the word connects to pathos as it induces the audience’s empathy. The repetition succeeds because of its ability to enable the reader to ponder on how it is inhumane to expect one sole individual to do the work of many. The author restating the same phrase as the start of each sentence leaves no room for the reader to forget her thoughts and message, therefore being immensely