The Stepford Wives

by

Ira Levin

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on The Stepford Wives makes teaching easy.
Need another quote?
Need analysis on another quote?
Need analysis for a quote we don't cover?
Need analysis for a quote we don't cover?
Need analysis for a quote we don't cover?
A LitCharts expert can help.
A LitCharts expert can help.
A LitCharts expert can help.
A LitCharts expert can help.
A LitCharts expert can help.
Request it
Request it
Request analysis
Request analysis
Request analysis
Chapter 1 Quotes

She was about to say a time-saving no, but hesitated: a full answer, printed in the local paper, might serve as a signpost to women like herself, potential friends. The women she had met in the past few days, the ones in the nearby houses, were pleasant and helpful enough, but they seemed completely absorbed in their household duties. Maybe when she got to know them better she would find they had farther-reaching thoughts and concerns, yet it might be wise to put up that signpost.

Related Characters: Joanna Eberhart
Page Number: 2
Explanation and Analysis:

“And I’m interested in politics and in the Women’s Liberation movement. Very much so in that. And so is my husband.”

Related Characters: Joanna Eberhart (speaker), Walter Eberhart
Page Number: 2
Explanation and Analysis:

“I’ve changed my mind; I’m joining that Men’s Association.”

She stopped and looked at him.

“Too many important things are centered there to just opt out of it,” he said. “Local politicking, the charity drives and so on…”

She said, “How can you join an outdated, old-fashioned—”

“I spoke to some of the men on the train,” he said. “[…] They agree that the no-women-allowed business is archaic.” He took her arm and they walked on. “But the only way to change it is from inside,” he said.

Related Characters: Joanna Eberhart (speaker), Walter Eberhart (speaker)
Page Number: 6
Explanation and Analysis:

They spent a morning calling on women together, on the theory (Bobbie’s) that the two of them, speaking in planned ambiguities, might create the encouraging suggestion of a phalanx of women with room for one more. It didn’t work.

“Jee-zus!” Bobbie said, ramming her car viciously up Short Ridge Hill. “Something fishy is going on here! We’re in the Town that Time Forgot!”

Related Characters: Bobbie Markowe (speaker), Joanna Eberhart
Page Number: 22-23
Explanation and Analysis:

“Hey,” she said, shifting uncomfortably and smiling, “I’m no Ike Mazzard girl.”

“Every girl’s an Ike Mazzard girl,” Mazzard said, and smiled at her and smiled at his pecking.

She looked to Walter; he smiled embarrassedly and shrugged.

Related Characters: Joanna Eberhart (speaker), Ike Mazzard (speaker), Walter Eberhart
Related Symbols: Ike Mazzard’s Drawings
Page Number: 28
Explanation and Analysis:

“These things came out nice and white, didn’t they?” She put the folded T-shirt into the laundry basket, smiling.

Like an actress in a commercial.

That’s what she was, Joanna felt suddenly. That’s what they all were, all the Stepford wives: actresses in commercials, pleased with detergents and floor wax, with cleaners, shampoos, and deodorants. Pretty actresses, big in the bosom but small in the talent, playing suburban housewives unconvincingly, too nicey-nice to be real.

Related Characters: Kit Sundersen (speaker), Joanna Eberhart
Page Number: 41-42
Explanation and Analysis:

He had radioed a message about her, and then he had stalled her with his questions while the message was acted on, the shades pulled down.

Oh, come on, girl, you’re getting nutty! She looked at the house again. They wouldn’t have a radio up there. And what would he have been afraid she’d photograph? An orgy in progress? Call girls from the city?

Related Characters: Joanna Eberhart (speaker)
Related Symbols: Joanna’s Photography
Page Number: 46-47
Explanation and Analysis:

“I’m not joking,” Charmaine said. “[My husband’s] a pretty wonderful guy, and I’ve been lazy and selfish. I’m through playing tennis, and I’m through reading those astrology books. From now on I’m going to do right by [my husband], and by [my son] too. I’m lucky to have such a wonderful husband and son.”

Related Characters: Charmaine (speaker), Joanna Eberhart
Page Number: 53
Explanation and Analysis:

Walter wasn’t particularly surprised to hear about the change in Charmaine. “[Her husband] must have laid the law down to her,” he said, turning a fork of spaghetti against his spoon. “I don’t think he makes enough money for that kind of a setup. A maid must be at least a hundred a week these days.”

Related Characters: Walter Eberhart (speaker), Joanna Eberhart, Charmaine
Page Number: 55
Explanation and Analysis:

“Joanna,” Bobbie said, “I think there’s something here. In Stepford. It’s possible, isn’t it? All those fancy plants on Route Nine—electronics, computers, aerospace junk, with Stepford Creek running right behind them—who knows what kind of crap they’re dumping into the environment.”

“What do you mean?” Joanna said.

“Just think for a minute,” Bobbie said. She fisted her free hand and stuck out its pinky. “Charmaine’s changed and become a hausfrau,” she said. She stuck out her ring finger. “The woman you spoke to, the one who was president of the club; she changed, didn’t she, from what she must have been before?”

Related Characters: Bobbie Markowe (speaker), Joanna Eberhart, Charmaine , Kit Sundersen
Page Number: 56
Explanation and Analysis:

“Even if I’m wrong,” Bobbie said with her mouth full, “even if there’s no chemical doing anything”—she swallowed—“is this where you really want to live? We’ve each got one friend now, you after two months, me after three. Is that your idea of the ideal community? I went into Norwood to get my hair done for your party; I saw a dozen women who were rushed and sloppy and irritated and alive; I wanted to hug every one of them!”

Related Characters: Bobbie Markowe (speaker), Joanna Eberhart
Page Number: 58
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 2 Quotes

“How was the second honeymoon?” Walter asked.

“Better than the first,” Dave said. “Just shorter, that’s all.” He grinned at Walter.

Joanna looked at Bobbie, expecting her to say something funny. Bobbie smiled at her and looked toward the stairs.

Related Characters: Walter Eberhart (speaker), Dave Markowe (speaker), Joanna Eberhart, Bobbie Markowe
Page Number: 76
Explanation and Analysis:

“Speak to you tomorrow,” Joanna said.

“Sure,” Bobbie said. They smiled at each other. Bobbie moved to Walter at the door and offered her cheek. He hesitated—Joanna wondered why—and pecked it.

Related Characters: Joanna Eberhart (speaker), Bobbie Markowe (speaker), Walter Eberhart, Dave Markowe
Page Number: 77
Explanation and Analysis:

“I spoke to Bobbie tonight,” she said. “She sounded—different, washed out.”

“She’s probably tired from all that running around she’s been doing,” Walter said, emptying his jacket pockets onto the bureau.

“She seemed different Sunday too,” Joanna said. “She didn’t say—”

“She had some make-up on, that’s all,” Walter said. “You’re not going to start in with that chemical business, are you?”

Related Characters: Joanna Eberhart (speaker), Walter Eberhart (speaker), Bobbie Markowe, Dave Markowe
Page Number: 81
Explanation and Analysis:

In her immaculate kitchen she said, “Yes, I’ve changed. I realized I was being awfully sloppy and self-indulgent. It’s no disgrace to be a good homemaker. I’ve decided to do my job conscientiously, the way Dave does his, and to be more careful about my appearance. Are you sure you don’t want a sandwich?”

Related Characters: Bobbie Markowe (speaker), Joanna Eberhart, Dave Markowe, Charmaine
Page Number: 82
Explanation and Analysis:

He came closer to her. “There’s nothing in the water, there’s nothing in the air,” he said. “They changed for exactly the reasons they told you: because they realized they’d been lazy and negligent. If Bobbie’s taking an interest in her appearance, it’s about time. It wouldn’t hurt you to look in the mirror once in a while.”

She looked at him, and he looked away, flushing, and looked back at her. “I mean it,” he said. “You’re a very pretty woman and you don’t do a damn thing with yourself any more unless there’s a party or something.”

Related Characters: Walter Eberhart (speaker), Joanna Eberhart, Bobbie Markowe
Page Number: 86
Explanation and Analysis:

“[…] Now look, I’m trying to see this from your viewpoint and make some kind of fair judgment. You want to move because you’re afraid you’re going to ‘change’; and I think you’re being irrational and—a little hysterical, and that moving at this point would impose an undue hardship on all of us, especially Pete and Kim.”

Related Characters: Walter Eberhart (speaker), Joanna Eberhart, Bobbie Markowe, Kim Eberhart, Pete Eberhart
Page Number: 87
Explanation and Analysis:

“I’ve begun to suspect—” Joanna said. “Oh Jesus, ‘suspect’; that sounds so—” She worked her hands together, looking at them.

Dr. Fancher said, “Begun to suspect what?”

She drew her hands apart and wiped them on her skirt. “I’ve begun to suspect that the men are behind it,” she said.

Related Characters: Joanna Eberhart (speaker), Dr. Margaret Fancher (speaker), Walter Eberhart, Bobbie Markowe, Charmaine
Page Number: 92
Explanation and Analysis:

“It sounds,” Dr. Fancher said, “like the idea of a woman who like many women today, and with good reason, feels a deep resentment and suspicion of men. One who’s pulled two ways by conflicting demands, perhaps more strongly than she’s aware; the old conventions on the one hand, and the new conventions of the liberated woman on the other.”

Related Characters: Dr. Margaret Fancher (speaker), Joanna Eberhart
Page Number: 94
Explanation and Analysis:

“I’m going out,” she said.

He shook his head. “No,” he said. “Not when you’re talking like this. Go upstairs and rest.”

She came down a step. “I’m not going to stay here to be—”

You’re not going out,” he said. “Now go up and rest. When you’ve calmed down we’ll—try to talk sensibly.”

Related Characters: Joanna Eberhart (speaker), Walter Eberhart (speaker)
Page Number: 105
Explanation and Analysis:

“You must think we’re a hell of a lot smarter than we really are,” the man in the middle said. “Robots that can drive cars? And cook meals? And trim kids’ hair?”

“And so real-looking that the kids wouldn’t notice?” the third man said. He was short and wide.

“You must think we’re a townful of geniuses,” the man in the middle said. “Believe me, we’re not.”

“You’re the men who put us on the moon,” she said.

Who is?” he said. “Not me. […]”

Related Characters: Joanna Eberhart, Walter Eberhart
Page Number: 112
Explanation and Analysis:

She was wrong, she knew it. She was wrong and frozen and wet and tired and hungry, and pulled eighteen ways by conflicting demands. Including to pee.

If they were killers, they’d have killed her then. The branch wouldn’t’ have stopped them, three men facing one woman.

[…]

Bobbie would bleed. It was coincidence that Dale Coba had worked on robots at Disneyland, that Claude Axhelm thought he was Henry Higgins, that Ike Mazzard drew his flattering sketches. Coincidence, that she had spun into—into madness. Yes, madness.

Related Characters: Joanna Eberhart, Walter Eberhart, Bobbie Markowe, Dale Coba, Ike Mazzard, Claude Axhelm
Related Symbols: Ike Mazzard’s Drawings
Page Number: 115
Explanation and Analysis:

When had it begun, her distrust of him, the feeling of nothingness between them? Whose fault was it?

His face had grown fuller; why hadn’t she noticed it before today? Had she been too busy taking pictures, working in the darkroom?

Related Characters: Joanna Eberhart, Walter Eberhart
Related Symbols: Joanna’s Photography
Page Number: 116
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 3 Quotes

“Oh no,” Joanna said. “I don’t do much photography any more.”

“You don’t?” Ruthanne said.

“No, Joanna said. “I wasn’t especially talented, and I was wasting a lot of time I really have better uses for.”

Related Characters: Joanna Eberhart (speaker), Ruthanne Henry (speaker), Charmaine
Related Symbols: Joanna’s Photography
Page Number: 121
Explanation and Analysis:

“I want to get it done with,” she said. “Otherwise I won’t enjoy next weekend.”

Related Characters: Ruthanne Henry (speaker), Joanna Eberhart, Bobbie Markowe
Page Number: 123
Explanation and Analysis:
No matches.