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Brady Vs. Barry: A Comparison of Two Authors The two authors, Judy Brady and Dave Barry have a considerably different outlook on men and women. The difference in sex of the two writers portrays unique writing styles, along with diverse views about men and women. The two essays, "I Want a Wife" by Brady, and "From Now On, Let Women Kill Their Own Spiders" by Barry can be compared and contrasted through their audience, humor, and purpose. Both Brady and Barry are targeting different audiences through their essays. Brady is ironically sympathizing with wives everywhere who want the privileges and abilities that history and culture have given to their husbands. Many times throughout her essay she mentions wanting a wife. One time she said, " I want a wife who will take care of the details of my social life"(Brady 413). She further explained by saying "I want a wife who will have the house clean, will prepare a special meal, serve it to me and my friends, and not interrupt when I talk about things that interest me and my friends"(Brady 413). Attempting to reach the more sensitive female audience, she exclaimed, "I want a wife who is sensitive to my sexual needs, a wife who makes love passionately and eagerly when I feel like it, a wife who makes sure I am satisfied"(Brady 413). She also mentions "[wanting] a wife who will not demand sexual attention when [she is] not in the mood for it"(Brady 413). Barry is speaking to the male audience, by responding snidely to negative stereotypes, and proving that we are lucky to have men. It is a commonly known fact that women think men cannot find anything in the kitchen. Many women believe, "that a man can open a refrigerator containing 463 pounds of assorted meats, poultry, cold cuts, co... ... middle of paper ... ...hese solutions, in time, they will find them. Unless they are in the refrigerator"(Barry 430). Both Brady's and Barry's diversity allows their distinctive views and attitudes towards men and women to flow. Both writers have relevant satirical points of view. The differences in the authors and their writing prove that men and women have many discrepancies. Though their audience, humor, and purpose differentiate, they are still able to get their points across. Works Cited Barry, Dave. "From Now On, Let Women Kill Their Own Spiders." The Bedford Guide for College Writers. Sixth Edition. Ed. X.J. Kennedy. Dorothy Kennedy. Sylvia Holiday. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2002. Brady, Judy. "I Want a Wife." The Bedford Guide for College Writers. Sixth Edition. Ed. X.J. Kennedy. Dorothy Kennedy. Sylvia Holiday. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2002.
Writing with Readings and Handbook. 3rd ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2013. 52-57. Print.
Kort, Carol. A to Z of American Women Writers. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2007. Print.
An Anthology For Readers and Writers. 5th ed. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2012. 1283-1296. Print.
Sexism is a highly talked about issue read about online, seen in the news, and experienced in the day to day lives of many. The importance of this issue can be found in many writings. Authors such as Sandra Cisneros, Linda Hasselstrom, and Judy Brady have all discussed the topic of sexism in writings and how they affected their lives. Although each writer addresses the issue of sexism, each author confronts a different type of sexism; the kind we are born into, the kind we learn growing up, and the kind that is accepted by society at the end of the day.
In all of these pieces of literature, the behavioral norms that are considered appropriate for men and women are tested. In The Yellow Wallpaper, a wife is pushed to insanity, in A Doll’s House, a housewife goes against expectation, in The Great Gatsby, male dominance is pushed to the extreme. Gender roles dictate men and women’s lives. The concept that you must live up to society’s expectations controls men and women’s thoughts and actions, and it must come to an end. All these authors captured a vital lesson to be learned: Men and woman should be treated equally.
Barry uses this example to suggest that his comparison extends further than to just human males. And although the author is relating people to dogs, women readers will be able to relate and still feel superior since the male dog is constantly in trouble or doing something wrong. Barry mixes colloquial language with humor to make his essay easy to relate to and understand. By using common language, he becomes more understanding. It would not be humorous to use an extensive vocabulary along with jokes. He appeals to a wider audience by using simple, common knowledge words. He then uses italics to emphasize the jokes he is making. Often in writing, it is more difficult to make out what is meant to be sarcastic or verbal irony, but Barry overcomes this and is able to make his funny texts
Kennedy, X. J., and X. J. Kennedy. The Bedford Guide for College Writers: With Reader,
The 1970’s were a time for movements and change, Brady’s I Want a Wife takes inspiration from the feminist movement as she takes the stand of a male and gives a perfect example of the imbalance of power and rights between the sexes. By using a male’s point of view on the definition of a traditional wife she is able to create tension, and with her heavy use of sarcasm is able to make valid points on some serious matters and lighten it with humor. By remaining consistent on her point and maintaining fluidity through her use of sarcasm each and every claim that is made is validated and linked. “I want a wife to go along when our family takes a vacation so that someone can continue care for me and my when I need a rest and change of scene.” Is directly linked to; “I want a wife who is sensitive to my sexual needs, a wife who makes love p...
Hacker, Diana and Sommers, Nancy. A Writer’s Reference. Seventh Edition. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2011.
Jane Austin, author of Pride and Prejudice, is critical of the gender injustices and portrays that through her character. The women in Pride and Prejudice are dependent on men for social status and financial security. The women either needed to be born into the social high class or they have to get married to have social status and wealth. Men vi...
Jacobus, Lee A. A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers, 5th ed. Boston: Bedford Books, 1999.
These women authors have served as an eye-opener for the readers, both men and women alike, in the past, and hopefully still in the present. (There are still cultures in the world today, where women are treated as unfairly as women were treated in the prior centuries). These women authors have impacted a male dominated society into reflecting on of the unfairness imposed upon women. Through their writings, each of these women authors who existed during that masochistic Victorian era, risked criticism and retribution. Each author ignored convention a...
There is no doubt that the literary written by men and women is different. One source of difference is the sex. A woman is born a woman in the same sense as a man is born a man. Certainly one source of difference is biological, by virtue of which we are male and female. “A woman´s writing is always femenine” says Virginia Woolf
Frey, Darcy. “The Last Shot.” Reading and Writing the College Experience. Huron Valley Publishing: Ypsilanti, 2003. 171 – 192.
Meyer, Michael. The Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading, Thinking, Writing. 10th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s. 2013. Print.