Analyzing Eric Barrett's Article 'My Problem With Her Anger'

Jess Martin
Barrett
In the article titled “My Problem With Her Anger”, by Eric Bartels, he tells us about his life and more importantly, the marriage he holds with his wife that he loves very much. However, she has a bit of a problem with passive-aggressiveness that causes turmoil in their so far, rather successful marriage. He starts off at the beginning of the article by describing his day, after a long work day he finishes up the dishes; only to realize that there are two dishes left in the sink to soak that had been sitting there for several days, untouched. As the fact both his wife and his children are already asleep, the job of cleaning the several days untouched dishes falls to him. He noted that in that moment he realized, this was the “dark heart of the divide between men and women”.
She’s raising two kids, working, and still participates in family chores at home. But Bartels does the same. Since they had children, he recalls having to give up several things, these including drinking beer and ‘guy’s night out. This came with the territory, but what else came with the territory, he was not expecting. His wife begins to take her anger out on him, letting her frustrations of the children out on her husband. With an accusing “your son” or “your daughter” implying she had nothing to do with their behavior, Bartels found himself at his wits’ end. In his eyes, Bartels is up to his eyes in things he can’t seem to do right. When he tries to give his wife a break from the busy hustle and bustle of her every day by cooking for dinner, bathing the kids, or grocery shopping, it seems he never fails to disappoint. His wife comes home, questioning why he made rice instead of pasta with their meal, why the water from the childrens’ baths haven’t been drained, or why he bought that particular thing at the store. Her temper flares and they begin to