Gender Roles In Desperate Housewives

1228 Words5 Pages
Modern views of what a woman's day should consist of do not greatly differ from the pre-feminist ages as much as one would think. Society places stereotypes and gender roles against women. They are expected to work full time, raise a family, maintain a marriage, do house chores, and somehow still find time for themselves. Making gender roles undoubtedly more unclear than ever before. The ABC hit drama Desperate Housewives confirms a "perfect" woman, does not exist. The four main characters Lynette Scavo, Susan Mayer, Gabrielle Solis, and Bree Van de Kamp live on Wisteria Lane, a Cul-de-sac in the suburbs. They spend their days gossiping, talking about their lives, and drinking wine, which negatively stereotypes them in to the "housewife" category.…show more content…
She is a exceptional host, cook, wife, Christian, and mother. Her desire for perfection controls her life, from a perfect family to a perfect house. However, Bree's life differs completely from what she tries to convey in copious instances, from her son accidently striking and killing Carlos's mom with his car, to finding her husband cheating with a prostitute. A perfect example of how Bree presents herself comes from her husband Rex's narration: "It means I'm sick of you being so damn perfect all the time. I'm sick of the bizarre way your hair doesn't move. I'm sick of you making our bed in the morning before I've used the bathroom. You're this, this plastic suburban housewife, with her pearls and her spatula, who says things like, "we owe the Hendersons a dinner" (pilot) Although Rex criticizes Bree about her need for perfection, he wouldn't survive without Bree cooking, cleaning, doing his wash, and all other chores she enjoys performing. Bree never lets her polished facade down in front of other people but she recognizes her disheveled behaviors and family life. After many instances of failure such as Rex dying, her daughter getting pregnant, alcoholism, and almost committing suicide, she concludes that she cannot maintain her traditionally perfect disguise. Towards the end of the series one will see that Bree came far from being awfully anal to calm and
Show More
Related

  • America's Roles During Ww2

    2374 Words  | 10 Pages

    Essay What roles did the United States of America’s government expect women to play during World War Two and what impact did these roles have on women in society at the time? Introduction Before World War Two (WW2) in the United States of America (U.S.A.) women were mostly expected to take care of the home and raise their children while the men worked to earn a living; in fact the amount of women being paid in the workforce only “increased from 25% to 30%” (Source I) during WW2. This increase

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Spirituality In Mental Health

    3343 Words  | 14 Pages

    the importance of spirituality in mental illness. Spirituality may help you feel connected to something bigger than yourself. It may help you to make sense of your experiences (Culliford & Johnson, 2003). Also, Spirituality/religion serves important roles in coping, survival and maintaining overall wellbeing within African cultures and communities, especially when diagnosed with a chronic disease (Array et al 2016). Many of the Kenyan communities believe in the power of God as a source of hope and hence

    Read More

More about Gender Roles In Desperate Housewives

Open Document