Women rights, still a controversial issue in todays equal partnership world, are the thesis of both essays. Both essay state a women role in the society, "My Mother Never Worked" also states if a women's work is recognized or not. Donna Smith-Yakel, who wrote, "My mother never worked", describes her mother's as strong woman, housewife, mother and then a grandmother. "I want a wife" written Judy Brady, also describes women's role towards the household compared to man, and the opportunities they are presented with in life.
             In "My Mother Never worked", a daughter remembering her mother's past, files for her mother's death benefit check. Yakel is asked for details of her mother, which she proudly states was a housewife. Yakel writes this essay in slouched but indignant tone, because her mother's work, as a housewife, is not recognized as Work by the Social Security office, as it denies her request. She writes this essay in protest of how society devalues "women's work".
             Yakel uses a lot of dialogue, when talking to the operator at Social Security Office; this is done to bring a sense a reality to the text and appeal to readers. Yakel also takes full paragraphs (Para 12) out of her mother's diary, to make an emotional connection between the reader and Yakel's mother. This also helps the readers directly relate to Yakel's mother by including dialogue that show exactly how her mother is feeling.
             Yakel also describes her mother's work in details, " My town bred mother learned t set hens and raise chickens, feed pigs, milk cows..." (Para 13), to make the readers recognize, appreciates and even relate to her mothers work as Yakel does. And not discard years of service and hardship towards her family, as Social Security did. For the same reason she describes the most smallest of the details from her diary, "She raised
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