In the critically acclaimed short story, The Yellow Wallpaper(1982), Charles Stetson explores the theme of mental health throughout the story using the narrator’s character. He portrays the change of Jane’s mental health by employing the aspects of symbolism, perspective and traditional gender roles. Jane’s temperament in the beginning is very calm and she is happy to be married. Through the course of the story, during the rest cure treatment, her mental condition deteriorates as she becomes insane. Her increasing paranoia of her surroundings makes her start imagining figures, leading to a disastrous consequence.
Stetson utilizes symbolism to portray the poor mental condition of Jane. Through the progress of each of her diary entries, it is possible to notice Jane’s increasing madness and her weird relationship with the Yellow Wallpaper. As the plot progresses, the narrator begins to imagine a figure that only formed under certain light within the wallpaper. She considers it as mysterious, as she doesn’t know why it is there. This thought is kept hidden from Jane’s husband, John. She believes that the figure is ‘strangled’ by the different layers of patterns within the wallpaper. Near the end of the plot, Jane seeks to release the figure by tearing down the wallpaper. Once Jane believes the figure is free, she starts thinking as if she were the figure herself, and that no one can ‘put her back’. This supernatural reference is a great tool to synergize with the mounting paranoia that Jane experiences. Ironically, the figure itself is a great representation of the narrator, as it represents Jane’s own sense of confinement within the room and how she feels oppressed. By symbolizing the mysterious figure in the wallpaper, the author describes the degradation of Jane’s mental health throughout the story. Through the use of perspective of John and Jane as well as the dialogue between the two, Stetson demonstrates the theme of mental health. …show more content…
During the story, Jane utilizes a diary as an outlet for such thoughts that may disturb John. She constantly wants a way to express her emotions, and keeping a journal is a ‘relief’ to her. Since she is not allowed to write, Jane feels better in producing a restrained self thought. The fact that she is hiding the diary also shows her rebellion against John. Conversations between the two characters, make it easy for the reader to understand that John does not care about Jane’s worsening condition. He is blinded by his practical thoughts on the rest cure and believes he is helping her spouse. Due to this, Jane is indirectly forced to conceal her fears of the wallpaper to ensure the deceptive appearance of a ‘happy’ marriage. The gradual insanity that Jane achieves is more of a suppression of her imagination, not her expression of it. This also results in situational irony, where John’s treatment, instead of helping his wife from hysteria, backfires and worsens the depression she had already. Through the application of traditional gender roles and setting, Stetson describes the mental health of Jane and her independence. Her husband John is very rational-minded and is the more dominant in the couple. In many parts of the story, it is possible to note that he pictures his wife as an infant, calling her a ‘little girl’ and ignoring her childish complaints. John believes his wife is fragile and very self -indulgent.
Stetson utilizes symbolism to portray the poor mental condition of Jane. Through the progress of each of her diary entries, it is possible to notice Jane’s increasing madness and her weird relationship with the Yellow Wallpaper. As the plot progresses, the narrator begins to imagine a figure that only formed under certain light within the wallpaper. She considers it as mysterious, as she doesn’t know why it is there. This thought is kept hidden from Jane’s husband, John. She believes that the figure is ‘strangled’ by the different layers of patterns within the wallpaper. Near the end of the plot, Jane seeks to release the figure by tearing down the wallpaper. Once Jane believes the figure is free, she starts thinking as if she were the figure herself, and that no one can ‘put her back’. This supernatural reference is a great tool to synergize with the mounting paranoia that Jane experiences. Ironically, the figure itself is a great representation of the narrator, as it represents Jane’s own sense of confinement within the room and how she feels oppressed. By symbolizing the mysterious figure in the wallpaper, the author describes the degradation of Jane’s mental health throughout the story. Through the use of perspective of John and Jane as well as the dialogue between the two, Stetson demonstrates the theme of mental health. …show more content…
During the story, Jane utilizes a diary as an outlet for such thoughts that may disturb John. She constantly wants a way to express her emotions, and keeping a journal is a ‘relief’ to her. Since she is not allowed to write, Jane feels better in producing a restrained self thought. The fact that she is hiding the diary also shows her rebellion against John. Conversations between the two characters, make it easy for the reader to understand that John does not care about Jane’s worsening condition. He is blinded by his practical thoughts on the rest cure and believes he is helping her spouse. Due to this, Jane is indirectly forced to conceal her fears of the wallpaper to ensure the deceptive appearance of a ‘happy’ marriage. The gradual insanity that Jane achieves is more of a suppression of her imagination, not her expression of it. This also results in situational irony, where John’s treatment, instead of helping his wife from hysteria, backfires and worsens the depression she had already. Through the application of traditional gender roles and setting, Stetson describes the mental health of Jane and her independence. Her husband John is very rational-minded and is the more dominant in the couple. In many parts of the story, it is possible to note that he pictures his wife as an infant, calling her a ‘little girl’ and ignoring her childish complaints. John believes his wife is fragile and very self -indulgent.