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Ruthanne Henry
Charmaine is one of the only women in Stepford who’s uninterested in housework and the usual trappings of a domestic lifestyle. For this reason, Bobbie and Joanna are thrilled to meet her, and Joanna starts playing tennis on Charmaine’s court on a regular basis. Charmaine isn’t necessarily a dedicated feminist, but she has no interest in becoming like all the other women in Stepford—instead, she likes to spend her time thinking about astrology and playing tennis, leaving the housework to a hired cleaner. She’s extraordinarily attractive, and her husband is enamored of her, but she doesn’t seem to like him very much—until, that is, she undergoes an abrupt transformation and suddenly becomes obsessed with housework and pleasing her husband. This change is what first alerts Bobbie and Joanna to the possibility that there’s actually something happening in Stepford that changes free-thinking women into passive, subservient housewives.
Charmaine Quotes in The Stepford Wives
The The Stepford Wives quotes below are all either spoken by Charmaine or refer to Charmaine . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 1
Quotes
“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.”
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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.”
“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?”
Chapter 2
Quotes
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?”
“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.
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.”
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Charmaine Quotes in The Stepford Wives
The The Stepford Wives quotes below are all either spoken by Charmaine or refer to Charmaine . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 1
Quotes
“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:
Page Number and Citation:
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.”
“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?”
Chapter 2
Quotes
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?”
“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.
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.”
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
