“I Want a Wife” Response Questions

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.

I feel like the thesis is very explicitly stated. I think the thesis is obviously the expectations of a wife. For example in the essay they state that

I want a wife who is a good nurturant attendant to my children, who arranges for their schooling, makes sure they have an

adequate social life with their peers, takes them to the park, the zoo, etc. I want a wife who takes

care of the children when they are sick, a wife who arranges to be around when the children need

special care, because, of course, I cannot miss classes at school. My wife must arrange to lose

time at work and not lose the job.

2. Throughout the essay, Brady repeats the words “I want a wife.” What is the effect of this

repetition?

I feel like this has a big effect on this essay. I feel like that is what they were trying to do to point out what they want a wife to do.

3. Brady never uses the personal pronouns he or she to refer to the wife she defines. Why not?

I think Brady never uses the personal pronoun he or she just to keep your mind wondering and it did do that to me.

4. The first and last paragraphs of this essay are quite brief. Why do you think Brady chose to

write such short introductory and concluding paragraphs? What effect does it have on the

reader?

I think the author maybe does this to point out how much a wife does compared to the other person in the story. They explain how much they expect the wife to do and are very brief on their duties.

5. 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.

I actually don't think this is the wife Brady wants. I don't think this spouse does exist. I think Brady wrote this to show that it would be impossible for a wife to be this perfect wife, that all men think they should have.