MaganChang Ms.

Effinger Humanities1/2 10/08/13

TheYellowWallpaperAnalysis Imaginesittinginalargeatticalone,anuneasyfeelingengulfingyouasaghastlyauratauntsand mockssilently.Ahideouscollectionofyellowshadessmoulderonthewalls,asilhouetteslithering aroundintheshadowsthatsnakeupthepeelingwallpaper.TheYellowWallpaperbyCharlotte PerkinsGilmanisanunforgettablestoryduetoitsincredibledescriptionsandabilitytocreateimages insideyourmind.Thesettingenrichesthemoodandhelpssculpttheprotagonist,whiletheplotmakes severalunexpectedturnsasitbuildsup.Thecharacterisationispaintedstrokebystrokeasthethoughts andactionsbloom,whileGilmansuniquestyleofwritinggracefullyanimatesthestory,strikingalong lastingimprintonyourmind.TheYellowWallpaperpresentsitselfinashockingyetcharmingway, startingatthebeginning. Thestorytakesplaceinthelate1800s,andthistimeperiodissignificantbecausewomenhad lessrightsandfreedomthanmendid.Prettymuchanythingthewomenwentthroughandthemendidn't wasclassifiedasaphasethesekindsofphasescouldsupposedlybefixed.Ournamelessspeakeris sufferingfrompostpartumdepression,astagewomenmayafterdeliveringachild.Shehasbeenputin asummerhomeofisolationbyherhusbandJohnhopingforarecoveryfromPPD.Astheplot develops,wefindthatourprotagoniststartstoslipintoinsanity,andthemoodstartstobecomemore sombre.Theauthorwritesinfirstpersonsothatthereadercanputthemselvesintheprotagonist's

placeeasily,theemotionsgraduallybuildinguponeontopoftheother. Indirectcharacterisationtakesplaceinthisstory,asthemaincharacterspersonalityisshown throughthoughtsandactionsratherthandescription."IgetunreasonablyangrywithJohnsometimes.I'm sureIneverusedtobesosensitive.Ithinkitisduetothisnervouscondition."(Gilman)Eventsare vividlydescribedinTheYellowWallpaper,givingheravoicetobeheard.Herslowprogressing obsessionwiththewallpaperoftheroomshe'sconfinedineventuallydrivesherofftheedge.The wallpaperisthemainabstractconflictastheprotagonistspiesawomantrappedinthewallpaperand sneakingoutintheday."Itisthesamewoman,Iknow,forsheisalwayscreeping,andmostwomendo notcreepbydaylight."Gilmanstatesthissymboliseshowwomenareoppressedandkeptquietduring theperiodoftime.Ontheotherhand,themainphysicalconflictisthedepression.Herstateofmindis alreadyfragileandtheisolationthatissupposedtohelpher"heal"ismakingherworseoffmentally.To her,thewallpaperseemstobealiveandGilmancleverlyroundsitupasanactualcharacter. AsIstated,thewallpapercanbeseenasacharacter.Thepersonificationofitgivesadarker undertonetotheoverallmoodofthestory.Thereadermaybefeelsashiverortwouptheirspineasa shadowlikecharacterleadstheprotagonistdownaroadofdarkcoilingmadness.Theuglyshadesof thepapermayrepresentthevariousthoughtsandendlesspathstheyspiralthroughdepression,asour protagonistisconsumedbythetrainofthoughthatrunsthroughherhead."Youthinkyouhave masteredit,butjustasyougetwellunderwayinfollowing,itturnsabacksomersaultandthereyouare. Itslapsyouintheface,knocksyoudown,andtramplesuponyou.Itislikeabaddream."(Gilman). Theimageryinthestoryisdescribedwithfittingandmeaningfulwordsthatcreatethishauntingstory. Afterreading,Thereadercanbeleftwithanarrayofemotionsasthestoryconcludesandquestions aboutthehumanlikewallpaper.

Bringingitbacktowherewestarted,TheYellowWallpaperiscertainlyadistinguishedstory withitsbrilliantattentiontodetails.Theauthorpouredheremotionsintothewordsandwoveanimage ofuneditedlunacy.Gilmanistryingtoshowhowharditwasforawomantosurviveinsociety.Think ofyourpetdogdying.Ratherthangivingtheircondolences,everybodykeepsonsayingthingslike'I'll helpyoulookforit.'and'Oh,thosekindsofdogsrunawayoften.'insteadofseeingthatyourdogis dead.Nobodylistenstowhatyouhavetosayandeventhoughyouaretheonewhohasthe"problem", othersignoreyou.Ourprotagonisthasthisproblem:"YouseehedoesnotbelieveIamsick!Andwhat canonedo?"Theauthorwrites.Thatlineshowshowthemaincharactertriedtoconvinceherhusband thatthisstateshewasinwasnotsimplyaphase,failingintheend.Thevoicesofthewomeninthistime wereunheardandfellondeafearstoeverybodyaroundthem.However,stopandwonderfora second,whatifJohnhadlistenedtoherandhadtakenheroutofthesummerhome?Whatifthe wallpaperhadbeenplainanddecentlycoloured?WouldtheendresultsforJanebethesame?