--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Each suburban wife struggles with it…" description: "\"Each suburban wife struggles with it alone. As she made the beds, shopped for groceries, matched slipcover material, ate peanut butter sandwiches with ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07a/betty-friedan-3185_bed_each-suburban-wife-struggles-with-it-alo_1646119.jpg" --- # Each suburban wife struggles with it alone. As she made… ![“Each suburban wife struggles with it alone. As she made the beds, shopped for groceries, matched slipcover material, ate peanut butter sandwiches with her children, chauffeured Cub Scouts and Brownies, lay beside her husband at night- she was afraid to ask even of herself the silent question-- 'Is…” quote by Betty Friedan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07a/betty-friedan-3185_bed_each-suburban-wife-struggles-with-it-alo_1646119.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07a/betty-friedan-3185_bed_each-suburban-wife-struggles-with-it-alo_1646119.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07a/betty-friedan-3185_bed_each-suburban-wife-struggles-with-it-alo_1646119.jpg) > “Each suburban wife struggles with it alone. As she made the beds, shopped for groceries, matched slipcover material, ate peanut butter sandwiches with her children, chauffeured Cub Scouts and Brownies, lay beside her husband at night- she was afraid to ask even of herself the silent question-- 'Is this all?” [Betty Friedan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-friedan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Women often juggle countless domestic duties alone, leading to existential doubts about fulfillment and purpose. **In simple terms:** Domestic overload can cause self‑questioning. Key Takeaway Seek personal meaning beyond routine chores. Themes gender roles domestic labor identity crisis Mood thoughtful hopeful Type sociological inspirational When to use this quote - career counseling - mental health support - community groups Key Concepts Feminist theory psychology Questions to Reflect On - What gives you a sense of purpose beyond chores? - How can society better support women’s aspirations? A Different Perspective Focusing solely on domestic tasks may limit personal growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Cub scout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cub-scout/) [Existentialism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existentialism/) [Husband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/husband/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Peanut butter sandwiches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peanut-butter-sandwiches/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Struggles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggles/) [Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wife/) ## Related quotes > [“The problem lay buried, unspoken, for many years in the minds of American women. 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We can fight monsters and see Annabeth and make things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/yay-he-said-now-we-can-eat-peanut-butter-sandwiches-and-ride-fish/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [This isn't the Democratic party of our fathers and grandfathers. This is the party of Woodstock hippies. I was at Woodstock--I built the stage.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger-cliff-on-cheers/this-isn-t-the-democratic-party-of-our-fathers-and-grandfathers-this/) John Ratzenberger Cliff on Cheers > [You are okay?" he asked. "Not eaten by monsters?" "Not even a little bit." I showed him that I still had both arms and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/you-are-okay-he-asked-not-eaten-by-monsters-not-even-a-little-bit-i/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [I mostly eat peanut butter sandwiches. Peanut butter and banana, peanut butter and jelly, peanut butter and potato chips, peanut butter and olives, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/i-mostly-eat-peanut-butter-sandwiches-peanut-butter-and-banana-peanut/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [When I was 11 my friend's mom made a peanut butter sandwich. I ate the sandwich and was like, 'I'm never eating anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aasif-mandvi/when-i-was-11-my-friend-s-mom-made-a-peanut-butter-sandwich-i-ate-the/) [Aasif Mandvi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aasif-mandvi/) > [There's nothing like unrequited love to take all the flavor out of a peanut butter sandwich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-schulz/there-s-nothing-like-unrequited-love-to-take-all-the-flavor-out-of-a/) [Charles M. 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After a 12-hour day of shooting 'Chopped,' say, I'm talking stir-fry, spaghetti, heck, peanut-butter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-allen/believe-me-i-understand-the-need-for-easy-and-speedy-after-a-12-hour/) [Ted Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-allen/) > [My high-school papers, my college-application essays, read like Norman Mailer packed in a crunchy-peanut-butter sandwich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/my-high-school-papers-my-college-application-essays-read-like-norman/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [Snacking is important. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are a great example of a perfect snack. They can go a long way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jozy-altidore/snacking-is-important-peanut-butter-and-jelly-sandwiches-are-a-great/) [Jozy Altidore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jozy-altidore/) > [I would like magical palm tree that had a lot of shade with instead of coconuts there's just peanut butter jelly sandwiches with cheetos…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/channing-tatum/i-would-like-magical-palm-tree-that-had-a-lot-of-shade-with-instead/) [Channing Tatum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/channing-tatum/) ## More by Betty Friedan > [It is easier to live life through someone else than to become complete yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-friedan/it-is-easier-to-live-life-through-someone-else-than-to-become/) [Betty Friedan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-friedan/) > [This idea that the employment of women, the movement of women outside the home into the work world, and their demand for equality is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-friedan/this-idea-that-the-employment-of-women-the-movement-of-women-outside/) [Betty Friedan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-friedan/) > [A good woman is one who loves passionately, has guts, seriousness and passionate convictions, takes responsibility, and shapes society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-friedan/a-good-woman-is-one-who-loves-passionately-has-guts-seriousness-and/) [Betty Friedan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-friedan/) > [...women who 'adjust' as housewives, who grow up wanting to be 'just a housewife,' are in as much danger as the millions who walked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-friedan/women-who-adjust-as-housewives-who-grow-up-wanting-to-be-just-a/) [Betty Friedan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-friedan/) > [You can have it all, just not all at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-friedan/you-can-have-it-all-just-not-all-at-the-same-time/) [Betty Friedan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-friedan/) > [It is easier to live through someone else than to complete yourself. 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It was a strange stirring, a sense of dissatisfaction, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-friedan/the-problem-lay-buried-unspoken-for-many-years-in-the-minds-of/) [Betty Friedan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-friedan/) > [The man who is extremely and dangerously hungry has no other interest but food. Capacities not useful for the satisfying of hunger are pushed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-friedan/the-man-who-is-extremely-and-dangerously-hungry-has-no-other-interest/) [Betty Friedan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-friedan/) > [Who knows what women can be when they are finally free to become themselves? 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But I was so aware of the crime, the shame…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-friedan/i-can-t-point-to-any-major-episodes-of-sexual-discrimination-in-my/) [Betty Friedan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-friedan/) > [“The feminine mystique, elevated by Freudian theory into a scientific religion, sounded a single, overprotective, life-restricting, future-denying note for women. Girls who grew up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-friedan/the-feminine-mystique-elevated-by-freudian-theory-into-a-scientific/) [Betty Friedan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-friedan/) [Explore all 137 Betty Friedan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-friedan/) ## More Bed quotes > [When man of slender visits you / Nothing on earth that one can do / In well he’ll hide, or watery hole / And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-goldstein/when-man-of-slender-visits-you-nothing-on-earth-that-one-can-do-in/) [Jack Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-goldstein/) > [Your idea of fidelity is not having more than one man in bed at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-raphael/your-idea-of-fidelity-is-not-having-more-than-one-man-in-bed-at-the/) [Frederic Raphael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-raphael/) > [The beginning of love is all about the butterflies, but the end of it is when you can't get out of bed in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/the-beginning-of-love-is-all-about-the-butterflies-but-the-end-of-it/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wish I had as much in bed as I get in the newspapers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-ronstadt/i-wish-i-had-as-much-in-bed-as-i-get-in-the-newspapers/) [Linda Ronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-ronstadt/) > [ Leave a cavity behind the \[wall\] facings, and on the inside build walls two feet thick, made of red dimension stone or burnt brick… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/leave-a-cavity-behind-the-wall-facings-and-on-the-inside-build-walls/) [Marcus Vitruvius Pollio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/) > [Why couldn't Jesus command us to obsess over everything, to try to control and manipulate people, to try not to breathe at all, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/why-couldn-t-jesus-command-us-to-obsess-over-everything-to-try-to/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“To all the secret writers, late-night painters, would-be singers, lapsed and scared artists of every stripe, dig out your paintbrush, or your flute, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/to-all-the-secret-writers-late-night-painters-would-be-singers-lapsed/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“In the parking lot, she drove and parked in a dark area with no other cars around. She reclined her seat, and listened to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/in-the-parking-lot-she-drove-and-parked-in-a-dark-area-with-no-other/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [It wasn't really touching to be young; it was touching not to be young, because you had less of life left. Touching to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-macaulay/it-wasn-t-really-touching-to-be-young-it-was-touching-not-to-be-young/) [Rose Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-macaulay/) > [I have to meditate before I go to bed, always. I have to let the day go and let the eternal in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bellamy-young/i-have-to-meditate-before-i-go-to-bed-always-i-have-to-let-the-day-go/) [Bellamy Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bellamy-young/) > [Sometimes by a woodland stream he watched the water rush over the pebbled bed, its tiny modulations of bounce and flow. 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