初看标题，以为作者为男士，但接触正文，便知作者为女士。可她为何需要一个妻子呢？这就是文章抓住读者的技巧。文章以质朴的语言，排比的结构，讽刺的基调，从男人的角度，层层剥析了大男子主义的思想，不失为一篇优秀小品文。
By Judy Syfers from Ms. Magazine, Spring 1971
I belong to that classification of people known as wives. I am a Wife. And, not altogether incidentally, I am a mother.
Not too long ago a male friend of mine appeared on the scene fresh from a recent divorce. He had one child, who is, of course, with his ex-wife. He is looking for another wife. As I thought about him while I was ironing one evening, it suddenly occurred to me that I, too, would like to have a wife. Why do I want a wife?
I would like to go back to school so that I can become economically independent, support myself, and if need be, support those dependent upon me, I want a wife who will work and send me to school. And while I am going to school I want a wife to take care of my children. I want a wife to keep track of the children's doctor and dentist appointments. And to keep track of mine, too. I want a wife who will wash the children's clothes and keep them mended. I want a wife who is a good nurturant attendant to my children, who arranges for their schooling, makes sure that 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 cause, I cannot miss classes at school. My wife must arrange to lose time at work and not lose the job. It may mean a small cut in my wife's income from time to time, but I guess I can tolerate that. Needless to say, my wife will arrange and pay for the care of the children while my wife is working.
I want a wife who will take care of my physical needs. I want a wife who will keep my house clean. A wife who will pick up after my children, a wife who will pick up after me. I want a wife who will keep my clothes clean, ironed, mended, replaced when need be, and who will see to it that my personal things are kept in their proper place so that I can find what I need the minute I need it. I want a wife who cooks the meals, a wife who is a good cook. I want a wife who will plan the menus, do the necessary grocery shopping, prepare the meals, serve them pleasantly, and then do the cleaning up while I do my studying. I want a wife who will care for me when I am sick and sympathize with my pain and loss of time from school. I want a wife to go along when our family takes a vacation so that someone can continue to care for me and my children when I need a rest and change of scene.
I want a wife who will not bother me with rambling complaints about a wife's duties. But I want a wife who will listen to me when I feel the need to explain a rather difficult point I have come across in my course of studies. And I want a wife who type my papers for me when I have written them.
I want a wife who will take care of the details of my social life. When my wife and I are invited out by my friends, I want a wife who will take care of the babysitting arrangements. When I meet people at school that I like 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. I want a wife who will have arranged that the children are fed and ready for bed before my guests arrive so that the children do not bother us. I want a wife who takes care of the needs of my guests so that they feel comfortable, who makes sure that they have an ashtray, that they are offered a second helping of the food, that their wine glasses are replenished when necessary, that their coffee is served to them as they like it. And I want a wife who knows that sometimes I need a night out by myself.
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 that I am satisfied. And, of course, I want a wife who will not demand sexual attention when I am not in the mood for it. I want a wife who assumes the complete responsibility for birth control, because I do not want more children. I want a wife who will remain sexually faithful to me so that I do not have to clutter up my intellectual life with jealousies. And I want a wife who understands that my sexual needs may entail more than strict adherence to monogamy. I must, after all, be able to relate to people as fully as possible.
If, by chance, I find another person more suitable as a wife than the wife I already have, I have the liberty to replace my present wife with another one. Naturally, I will expect a fresh, new life; my wife will take the children and be solely responsible for them so that I am left free.
When I am through with school and have a job, I want my wife to quit working and remain at home so that my wife can more fully and completely take care of a wife's duties.
My God, who wouldn't want a wife?
1937出生于旧金山的朱迪·赛菲丝（Judy Syfers）认为美国妻子的根本问题是"美国社会的主流价值观看重利益而不尊重人们的需要。只要我们继续容忍这种社会制度，我们就会继续被当作劳工和妻子遭受剥削。"赛菲丝夫人于1960年获爱荷华州立大学美术学绘画专业学士学位。她想继续深造获取更高学位，希望一边画画一边在大学教书。她的（男）同事建议，作为一个女人，最好是在中等教育水平的学校执教。但她根本不听，很快就结婚、生子。本文发表于《女士》1972年春季预览版，是赛菲丝根据亲身体会创作的。
塞菲丝在她的文章《我想要个妻子》里，阐述了当今社会强加给"妻子"这个角色的含义。她认为，现今社会游戏规则里，所有妻子都必须完全地为丈夫付出，心甘情愿满足丈夫的一切需要，在自己努力工作的同时让丈夫完全满意，并且还得当好一个好母亲，并保持自身的美貌和魅力以吸引丈夫。赛菲丝用非常讽刺的，近乎沮丧的笔调诠释了她心目中"妻子"的定义，全文具有非常强的讽刺意味。"我的老天啊，如果妻子有这么好，谁不想要一个啊？"她用这句话作为结尾，好象在向全社会呐喊："为什么妻子必须这样？"
p.s.贴出此篇buddy_HJ推荐的经典小品文仅以纪念11.16英语课前演讲....
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