Thesis: Shannon Hayes uses passionate strategies to support her argument that Americans should return to the old ways of homemaking in order to improve our ecological footprint and create a better life for everyone.
I. Hayes creates a strong ethos throughout the argument.
A. She grew up on a farm and received her Ph.D. in sustainable agriculture. Then she realized that she was contradicting herself by working instead of being sustainable in her own home.
1. "We'd require two cars, professional wardrobes, convenience foods to make up for lost time in the kitchen ... and we'd have to buy, rather than produce, harvest, and store, our own food" (291).
a. This paragraph shows the audience that she means well with her words. By saying this, she points out her concern for sustainability and her ecological footprint. Her tone informs us of her passion for the subject therefore allowing us to see her as a credible source for the argument.
B. She is very knowledgeable on the subject of homemaking.
1. Originally both sexes equally divided up the housework. Then the Industrial Revolution sprung about and "men left the household to work for wages, which were then used to purchase goods and services that they were no longer home to provide" (292).
a. She clearly has an understanding of the "origins of homemaking."
II. The pathos appeals are supported by relatable anecdotes.
A. Hayes informs us of her monetary situations before deciding to become a homemaker.
1. She mentions that her family's costs of living were too high.
a. This can relate to most all of American families today. Considering the current economic situations, many families are probably struggling to pay bills and support their families.
B. She defines Housewife's Syndrome to appeal specifically to women.
1. Defined as "where American girls grew up fantasizing about finding their husbands, buying their dream homes and appliances, popping out babies, and living happily ever after" (292).
C. Radical Homemakers
1. Hayes also appeals to a wide audience.
a. She mentions that she visits single parents, divorcees, widows, married couples, etc. Also people that live in rural, urban, and suburban areas.
III. Tone
A. Hayes uses an inviting and innocent tone to appeal to her audience.
1. "what, exactly, would be the repercussions for taking a pro-homemaker stand and seeking out others?" (291).
IV. Her audience is American families "suited to more than just women in married couples" (293).
A. At some point she has specific appeals to women.
1. "Homemaking, like eating organic foods, seemed a luxury to be enjoyed only by those wives whose husbands garnered substantial earnings..." (292).
B. She also appeals to more than just women.
1. "see what homemaking could look like when men and women shared both power and responsibility" (293).
2. "I visited with single parents, stay-at-home dads, widows and divorcees. I spent time in families with and without children" (293).
V. Her argument is presented in three contexts.
A. Social
1. women could leave the home and start a profession
B. Historical
1. "origins of homemaking"
a. evolution of homemaking throughout the years. "The household was no longer a unit of production. It was a unit of consumption" (292).
C. Cultural
1. Different from "conventional American culture"
Conclusion: Hayes proposes a very valid argument towards her subject of "radical homemakers." She strongly approaches a variety of people and has a surplus of knowledge on the issue to support it well. Her tone and style are not forceful or extremely opinionated. Hayes claims are reasonable and I think she will have persuaded her audience. Although this is well written and supported, I'm not entirely sure that people will actually resort to this type of living even though it sounds like a wonderful way to help out families and society.
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