The Good Wife's Guide

Identify the representation of women:

• Inferior
• Shallow/Fake

Identify how this is constructed:

Inferior - The Good Wife's Guide represents women as inferior because they undermine their capability and instead they tell the women about how they should help their 'superior' (aka their husband.) The last point in the guide says "A good wife always knows her place." This is demonstrating to us that a woman should always be in line and understand where she stands in the relationship. "Remember his topics of conversation are more important than yours," is another example of the way that women are represented as inferior.

Shallow/Fake - The fact that there is a guide on how to be a wife epitomises the fact that women are portrayed as shallow and fake in the text. "Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking." This makes the women seem shallow and that they need to change for their husband. "Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him."