"Why I Want A Wife"

     "Why I Want a Wife" (1972) , by Judy Brady, is a short essay that gives a list of what an ideal "wife" does and she says that she would love to have a "wife" if the wife does all these things. The author explains why she wants a "wife" by listing all the things a "wife" does from physical needs to the children. The author wrote this in order to tell what society said was an ideal "wife". The intended audience is most likely men as it shows what a "wife" is supposed to be and how partners should share equal responsibility.

     Personally, I loved this essay. When I was reading everything that a "wife" is to do I could easily understand what Brady was trying to say. Being in a relationship and raising a family requires a lot of work and all the responsibility shouldn't be placed on one person. Such things should be shared equally between the two people. If the concept of a "wife" that Brady described existed I'm sure everyone would want a "wife".

     The essay is written in a way that describes an ideal "wife" and finishes by saying "My God, who wouldn't want a wife?". In this essay, the "wife" isn't an actual person but an idea. This assumptions is confirmed by the fact that no pronouns are used whatsoever. The idea of a person who does all the things she talked about is wonderful in theory but in practice is ridiculous. Only one person taking care of the responsibilities of the relationship is unfair and she is indirectly saying that both people in the relationship should share responsibility.

"The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society"

                In this story “The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society” from the book Illiterate America written by Jonathan Kozol (1985) suggests that the number of illiterate adults exceeds 16 million in 1980.  Kozol provides lots of facts and real life situations to support his opinion of what people who are illiterate go through on a daily basis. 

            I enjoyed reading this story because I never thought of what people who are illiterate might go through on a daily basis.  The little things that I take for granted are the things they struggle with.  In the story Kozol uses the example of being able to recognize simple words like ambulance, police, and fire in case of emergencies.  Of course I understand the importance of being literate but to the ones who are illiterate everyday life is difficult.  Even in his example about the lady and the Crisco.  I laughed when I first read that she thought she was buying chicken to make a meal for her daughter.  I thought where her common sense is but once I let the information settle I had another thought of maybe she wasn’t from this country.  It’s amazing of how many immigrants come to this country everyday and don’t understand the simplest things.   

            One of the things I will that from this story is to make myself approachable for people who need help can ask for it.  I know it’s not my responsibility but if I can help then I will.  I think us as people should be open to people asking for help whether it be directions or to get a clear understanding something means.

The Deer at Providencia

         Annie Dillard the author of "The Deer of  Providencia" (1982) explores in the her narrative the suffering that takes place in both cultures of developed and under developed countries and the different reactions to these sufferings.The narrative depicts village life in the Amazon jungle seen through the eyes of city travellers on some sort of a pleasure tour.The travelling party comprised of mostly men with one young woman among them enjoying the food and tropical delights that the villagers of Providencia provided. A suffering deer was  the focal point of the story, which suggests that its struggles and suffering is a part of the preparatory ritual of venison in the village. In a carnivorous society, the methods of harnessing meat for eating have long been traditionally staged. The hunter seeks his prey with traps and weapons to kill. Some of these inflict and causes great suffering on the animal before death arrives. This action for some presents a very cruel picture, for others its just a part of the cycle of life. Where there is life, there is suffering. They both walk side by side.

I could not help feeling sad at the examples of suffering in this story, the deer in the village and the man burnt badly laying in the hospital. What is puzzling about this narrative is the strong contrast posed by the author between the unflinching reaction to suffering by all, yet some eyes were on this one woman expecting her to react differently from the others. Of course some women are extremely sensitive to the suffering of animals and humans alike and would have reacted differently as one of the visitor suggested about his wife.

The purpose of this narrative was to sensitize the reader that suffering does exist in our world today that has been accepted as a must without any feelings for the sufferer. I think having seen so much of it around us, in the press, sometime causes us to lose that concern, that care, that compassion. The question of what is going on is posed by the writer to create a kind of cause and effect twist to the writings. Animals must suffer in order to die and be a part of the delightful meals in the food chain. On the other hand suffering from severe burns for the second time in thirteen years was a good enough story to draw the media's attention to the sufferer's question of "Why does God hate me". Sad to say his query did not ease the pain nor solve the mysteries in a world filled with suffering and pain.