Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s chilling short-story “The Yellow Wallpaper,” is written as a series of hidden journal entries of a woman who slowly becomes more and more detached from reality as she is consumed by her vivid hallucinations. “The Yellow Wallpaper” is, on its surface, simply about a woman driven into utter madness by post-partum depression and a dangerous treatment. However, upon close examination, it is clear that the literary elements skillfully placed throughout the story reveal it to be a tragedy of imprisonment, restricted expression, and loss of identity. The most important piece of the story is the wallpaper’s intricate pattern. Within each mention of the pattern lies symbolism, personification, and allegory with significant
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In paragraph 35, when first seeing the wallpaper, she describes its pattern as “…dull enough to confuse the eye in the following, pronounced enough to constantly irritate and provoke study, and when you follow the lame uncertain curves for a little distance they suddenly commit suicide—plunge off at outrageous angles, destroy themselves in unheard of contradictions” (35). In this first encounter with the wallpaper, the narrator describes it to be sinister and unpleasant, but even goes so as far to say it is self-destructive and suicidal. She has previously informed the audience that her husband and physician, John, is treating her for “nervous depression.” Although she has not specified as to whether she has attempted to take her own life before, she does express immense frustration with her illness. She writes, “These nervous troubles are dreadfully depressing. John does not know how much I really suffer” (44-45). Based on the narrator’s disturbing description of the pattern, followed by her apprehensive thoughts of her illness, it can be inferred to that her feelings towards the wallpaper are merely a reflection of her feelings towards herself and her mental affliction. As the story progresses, the narrator even …show more content…
Soon, however, it begins to take on a distinctive shape. To confirm this, she writes in her secret journal, “I didn’t realize for a long time what the thing was that showed behind, that dim sub-pattern, but now I am quite sure it is a woman” (180). She does not seem to have any hesitance in her conclusion that the shape on the wall is indeed a woman. Instead of recognizing it as just a general human form, she specifically deems it female. The reason behind this is that the shadow is a projected being of what she is. She describes the woman as being trapped behind the wallpaper, constantly clawing at it in an effort to escape. Restricted from all social contact in her bedroom, the woman’s shadow is the only being that she can identify with. They are both trapped, with no hope of escape. The narrator compares the wallpaper to a prison numerous times. “At night in any kind of light, in twilight, candlelight, lamplight, and worst of all by moonlight, it becomes bars!” She tells the journal. “She takes hold of the bars and shakes them hard” (150 and
In paragraph 35, when first seeing the wallpaper, she describes its pattern as “…dull enough to confuse the eye in the following, pronounced enough to constantly irritate and provoke study, and when you follow the lame uncertain curves for a little distance they suddenly commit suicide—plunge off at outrageous angles, destroy themselves in unheard of contradictions” (35). In this first encounter with the wallpaper, the narrator describes it to be sinister and unpleasant, but even goes so as far to say it is self-destructive and suicidal. She has previously informed the audience that her husband and physician, John, is treating her for “nervous depression.” Although she has not specified as to whether she has attempted to take her own life before, she does express immense frustration with her illness. She writes, “These nervous troubles are dreadfully depressing. John does not know how much I really suffer” (44-45). Based on the narrator’s disturbing description of the pattern, followed by her apprehensive thoughts of her illness, it can be inferred to that her feelings towards the wallpaper are merely a reflection of her feelings towards herself and her mental affliction. As the story progresses, the narrator even …show more content…
Soon, however, it begins to take on a distinctive shape. To confirm this, she writes in her secret journal, “I didn’t realize for a long time what the thing was that showed behind, that dim sub-pattern, but now I am quite sure it is a woman” (180). She does not seem to have any hesitance in her conclusion that the shape on the wall is indeed a woman. Instead of recognizing it as just a general human form, she specifically deems it female. The reason behind this is that the shadow is a projected being of what she is. She describes the woman as being trapped behind the wallpaper, constantly clawing at it in an effort to escape. Restricted from all social contact in her bedroom, the woman’s shadow is the only being that she can identify with. They are both trapped, with no hope of escape. The narrator compares the wallpaper to a prison numerous times. “At night in any kind of light, in twilight, candlelight, lamplight, and worst of all by moonlight, it becomes bars!” She tells the journal. “She takes hold of the bars and shakes them hard” (150 and