Another instance where John proves to be insensitive to his wife would be when she builds up the courage to speak to him about her fears and leaving their “vacation home”. John answers her by saying “What is it, little girl?”(Gilman 93) this is not how the modern husband would respond to his wife considering they would be about the same age. In continuation, the narrator says “John laughs at me, of course, but one expects that in marriage” (Gilman 85). In the average marriage a husband would not belittle his wife by laughing at her and the fact that the narrator was so at home with these actions just shows that this is not the first time it has happened. The narrator is submissive to her oppressive husband John and it becomes evident even to
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Gilman makes this statement valid when she allows the narrator to talk about her husband’s profession.
John is a physician, and perhaps — (I would not say it to a living soul, of course, but this is dead paper and a great relief to my mind) — perhaps that is one reason I do not get well faster…If a physician of high standing, and one’s own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression — a slight hysterical tendency — what is one to do? (85)
From this excerpt alone John becomes the enemy. John, as a physician of high standing, has credentials that make other’s trust in his opinion more than his wife even though only his wife would really know if she is feeling ill. However, the narrator listens to her husband’s advice to stay in her room, clear her mind, and not to think of her condition even though this supposed “cure” is what was driving her insane. The narrator knows this form of treatment is not helping and believes John is the reason she is not getting well faster. This is the subtle way that Gilman informs us of the hidden cause of the narrator’s condition. The narrator does not think she can go against Johns wishes and becomes defenseless against him. At one point she even asks “what is one to do?” (Gilman 85) because she cannot figure out how to bring herself to deny John’s
Gilman makes this statement valid when she allows the narrator to talk about her husband’s profession.
John is a physician, and perhaps — (I would not say it to a living soul, of course, but this is dead paper and a great relief to my mind) — perhaps that is one reason I do not get well faster…If a physician of high standing, and one’s own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression — a slight hysterical tendency — what is one to do? (85)
From this excerpt alone John becomes the enemy. John, as a physician of high standing, has credentials that make other’s trust in his opinion more than his wife even though only his wife would really know if she is feeling ill. However, the narrator listens to her husband’s advice to stay in her room, clear her mind, and not to think of her condition even though this supposed “cure” is what was driving her insane. The narrator knows this form of treatment is not helping and believes John is the reason she is not getting well faster. This is the subtle way that Gilman informs us of the hidden cause of the narrator’s condition. The narrator does not think she can go against Johns wishes and becomes defenseless against him. At one point she even asks “what is one to do?” (Gilman 85) because she cannot figure out how to bring herself to deny John’s