Comparison and contrast essay based on two articles (provided)

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Article Comparison
Issues of men and women, their relationships, inherent and culturally influenced behavior and nature, and the complex interactions in public and private situations are as widespread as they are complex. These two articles explore subjects many people consider either nondescript or inappropriate to bring up. Deborah Tannen’s Sex, Lies and Conversation begins by describing an insightful scene in a gathering she once lectured, where although the man spoke more in public, he reportedly admitted to his wife being the talker in the family, much to the amusement of others. This introductory passage relaxes the reader, and catches their attention, before she starts throwing in the heavy stuff; the reasons why American men and women do not talk to each other, and how it impacts marriages.
She quotes famous sociologist Catherine Riesman who in the seventies wrote about the subject of Divorce talk, and the fact that one of the most popular reasons for divorce for women was the fact that their husbands did not listen to them (Riessman, 1990). Many complaints by women are not tangible, material things. Instead, they complain about communication. She goes on to explain the differences in men and women that shape their approach and understanding of the process of talking to one another. Many relationships have men, on one hand, looking at conversation as a chance to state the opposite side of the story. Women, on the other hand, view conversation as a way to establish rapport and build relationships.

For her, finding common ground is much more than understanding the subject of the conversation, it is about the understanding of the different place conversation occupies in men and women (Tannen, 1990).
While Deborah Tannen’s argument is balanced, albeit understandably tilted, Judy Brady’s presentation uses humor, sarcasm and wit to put across her point. She starts with the classic stating of the facts in the first line, then goes on to list her reasons for wanting a wife and how she came to the decision. The brainstorming comes after an encounter with a male friend, fresh from a divorce and looking for another wife.
The article is filled with sarcastic insinuation, straight from the first line when she contrasts the role of the wife and the mother. Her approach might be confusing and biased, one would think, against the men. A closer look at the issues she addresses, however, reveals a much deeper-seated problem. Like Deborah Tanner, she addresses the stereotypes and society influenced role definitions and task division between the woman and man. When describing her male friend, she says that the child is, ‘of course’, with his friend’s ex-wife. This is a suggestion that the friend, and perhaps men, in general, are not as responsible as they think. She states the folly in male thinking, the subjective thought processes that result in them assuming the role of the wife is to be so submissive that she seems servant-like, with her wishes not being taken into consideration. She says she wants a wife who will always want to listen and not complain. Her use of the word complaint is interesting, suggesting the fact that men do not really understand.
While she raises the important point, her one-sided argument might be seen as hostile and this might risk alienating the male audience or anyone with a contrary opinion.
Works Cited
Riessman, C. K. (1990). Divorce Talk. Rutgers University Press.
Tannen, D. (1990, June 24). Sex, Lies and Conversation; Why Is It So Hard for Men and Women to Talk to Each Other? Retrieved from The Washington Post: http://faculty.georgetown.edu/tannend/sexlies.htm