What it means to be a "Stepford" Wife

What, exactly, does is involved in being a “Stepford” Wife? If I’m supposed to behave like one, how should I conduct myself? While reading Ira Levin’s book, “The Stepford Wives,” I took notes on the behavior and attitudes of the women featured in the book and made myself a little list of how I should try to behave during my experiment. Here’s what I came up with:

• Lots of cleaning, home maintenance – “Stepford” houses are immaculate.
• Wives always look perfect, shapely and attractive.
• The women are subservient to their husbands.
• There is no time for outside interests/work.
• Conversations with others consist of trite pleasantries and discussion on housework/cleaning supplies.
• Shopping at the grocery store is done slowly and methodically. Items are placed in the cart in a neat and orderly fashion.
• The women are essentially actresses; they seem to be eternally pleased with their home lives and cleaning products.
• Always be nice, polite and cheerful.
• All meals, including breakfast, should be hot and prepared from scratch (as close to scratch as possible, anyway).
• Make no demands on your husband.

Another list of characteristics I will try to follow is one I found on the Stepford Wives Community Bulletin website:

Stepford Cardinal Rules:

• Don’t complain about the day you have had. If he asks you about your day and you had a bad one, just say "It is much better thank heavens now that you are here!"
• Don’t list the problems that you need him to take care of until after dinner.
• Don’t push for details about his day. Keep it short and sweet. A man needs silence and peace in his home after a day’s work. We are meant to be seen, not heard!
• Make minimum fuss, especially if he seems short.
• Never ask why he is acting the way he is acting.
• If he wants you to be a listener and asks you to sit. Stop what you are doing and sit down immediately. Whatever you were doing can wait.
• Always keep your ears on alert the moment you leave the room. Keep your ears tune for your name to be called, a finger snapped, or a sign that he needs you to get or do something for him.

Let me just say this: it goes against my nature to follow some of these rules. I struggle to believe there really are women out there who live this way. However, this wouldn’t be much of an experiment if I didn’t try something that made me a little (or a lot) uncomfortable. I’ve lived a certain way forever and now I’d like to try something new. Maybe I’m missing something by insisting on an equal partnership with my husband. Maybe I’ll end up being happy that I handed over the pants to Bob. Only time will tell… I really am looking forward to giving this a shot!