As for the book itself, it is divided into three sections that each outline the three feminine roles that this hardship-filled lifestyle prescribes: wife, mother, and daughter. Anything outside these roles is regarded as a sinful lifestyle. Part One: Wives is a harrowing look inside the largely dismal existence of a "perfect" (read: submissive; unquestioning) Quiverfull wife. In chapters 1-10, Joyce looks deep inside Quiverfull marriage and the drudgery, sadness, and loneliness that such an arrangement entails. In this first installment (there will be three altogether) of my book review series, I will outline Joyce's research and observations about Quiverfull wives and then provide my own opinions and commentary. (Warning: The following description is not for the squeamish.)
In the first chapter, "Massachusetts Hope," Joyce discusses a gathering of strident Quiverfullers that took place near Plymouth Rock a couple years ago. The location of this event is no accident, for adherents want to turn America back to its colonial state, meaning that if these post-modern Puritans got their way, the U.S. Constitution would become null and void, and the institution of slavery would once again be legal. And it only gets scarier from there. Chapters 2 ("The Church Comes Home"), 3 ("The Men Who Would Be Kings"), and 4 ("The New Reformation") outline the various aspects and mandates of patriarchy. In short, women have zero rights within this movement. For example, these chapters tell horror stories of how Quiverfull family patriarchs forbid wives from driving, working, and using any form of contraception. In addition, children must absolutely be homeschooled, and public schools are deemed as "evil institutions." Chapters 5 and 6 ("Titus 2: Submission and War" and "Titus 2 in Tennessee," respectively) are perhaps the most disturbing in this entire section. Here, Joyce spends some quality time at an extreme Christian women's retreat at which participants follow the guidelines of Biblical womanhood that they believe are set forth by the text of Titus 2. In one part, Joyce discusses emotional church services in which women, many of whom already have several children, ball about not being able to conceive more. Y'know, I would be thrilled if my God blessed me with one healthy, well-adjusted, and basically happy child, but that's just me. (Note to self: If ever driving through rural Tennessee, don't stop at any remote cabins in heavily wooded areas.) One thing that really freaked me out is the fact that women with fertility and/or health problems are basically viewed as ungodly, and movement matriarchs tell young women that if they're too sick have babies, then they should remain single for life. (Don't even get me started about what they think of feminists, lesbians, and women who are childless by choice!) In both my and Joyce's opinion, the most frightening thing of all is that these women offer up no real reason for being part of this movement other than literal interpretation of scripture that is most likely born out of fear and gullibility. Chapter 7, entitled "No Greater Joy," details the movement's ideology regarding childbearing. The main idea here is that the more you breed, the closer you are to God. While I love children and want them someday, I view them as tiny human beings as opposed to trophies. Next, Chapter 8, "Submission and Abuse," details the really dark side of the movement. Women who have rebelled in the form of getting jobs, using birth control, and/or being unfaithful are punished severely, either through spousal abuse, ostracism from their churches, and often a combination of the two. I was horrified by Chapter 9-- "The Small World of Vision Forum"-- a reference to the national headquarters of Quiverfull thought and political policy. And what a small world it is! Vision Forum, a sort-of Vatican of Reformed Protestantism, dictates that women of the movement should not pursue careers or college educations (something I can't even begin to fathom!), publicly speak ill of their husbands, and, worst of all, associate with women living in the "material world." Finally, Chapter 10, "Life in the Garden," outlines the way in which females, according to patriarchs, are chaste, pristine beings and are to remain that way-- or else! Of course, there's an explicit reference to the Adam and Eve story here. Believers argue that when Eve ate the apple from the Tree of Knowledge and Good and Evil (after being tempted by Satan-- a male entity-- in the form of a serpent, mind you), sin entered the world. (Apparently, in the minds of these folks, attaining knowledge is the worst sin a woman can commit.) Also, Quiverfullers see women as offshoots of men, not fully formed beings in their own right. Ultimately, Joyce just feels sorry for these women, as do I. How tragic to be told from a young age that there is only one way to live life, and if you question that, you're evil! Overall, Joyce strives to be compassionate and unbiased toward these gals, and her tone throughout the book is anything but contemptuous. More importantly, Joyce really did her homework while writing this book, and it is arguably one of the most well-researched pieces of social commentary I've ever read.
If Part One is terrifying, it is nothing compared to Part Two: Mothers. This section expounds upon "Wives" in a number of ways. Accordingly, I will discuss it in tomorrow's post.
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