Edgar Allan Poe and Charlotte Perkins Gilman have both been recognized for their successful use of personification in their short stories. Both the "The Yellow Wallpaper”, and "The Tell-Tale Heart," include non human objects forming identities, even points of perspective and reason through the means of their point of view, personification and syntax. Similarly, Edgar Allan Poe and Charlotte Perkins Gilman both chose to use first person narrators in their short stories. Much like other short stories, the use of a limited first person narrator gives audience a reason a not consider this narration completely reliable. Information received through first person must be taken with a grain of salt. However, first person narrators have a specific
…show more content…
Madmen know nothing. But you should have seen me" (Poe 193). The use of first person narration allows audiences to feel the intense emotions that are being felt by the main character. ”Never before that night had I felt the extent of my own powers- of my sagacity. I could scarcely contain my feelings of triumph" (195). As the story progresses, the characters narration allows the audience to experience the rapid increase of paranoia, ”They heard! -They suspected! -They knew! -They were making a mockery of my horror! -this I thought, and this I think" …show more content…
As the diary entries continue, it is clear to the audience that her thoughts are becoming more disillusioned and the decline in her mental health is well document through her own words. Comparing the latter entries to the earlier, this decline is evident. In previous entries, it was clear that the character was suffering from some confusion but generally seemed to be a pretty reliable character. "I take phosphates or phosphates; whichever it is- and tonics, and air and exercise, and journeys, and am absolutely forbidden to 'work' until I am well again" (470). But when the diary proves that she is definitely not a reliable narrator, the audience is required to go back to earlier parts of the story and look at it through the lens of a reader who may not be getting the entire
Madmen know nothing. But you should have seen me" (Poe 193). The use of first person narration allows audiences to feel the intense emotions that are being felt by the main character. ”Never before that night had I felt the extent of my own powers- of my sagacity. I could scarcely contain my feelings of triumph" (195). As the story progresses, the characters narration allows the audience to experience the rapid increase of paranoia, ”They heard! -They suspected! -They knew! -They were making a mockery of my horror! -this I thought, and this I think" …show more content…
As the diary entries continue, it is clear to the audience that her thoughts are becoming more disillusioned and the decline in her mental health is well document through her own words. Comparing the latter entries to the earlier, this decline is evident. In previous entries, it was clear that the character was suffering from some confusion but generally seemed to be a pretty reliable character. "I take phosphates or phosphates; whichever it is- and tonics, and air and exercise, and journeys, and am absolutely forbidden to 'work' until I am well again" (470). But when the diary proves that she is definitely not a reliable narrator, the audience is required to go back to earlier parts of the story and look at it through the lens of a reader who may not be getting the entire