...Lack of Creativity and Isolation in “The Yellow Wallpaper” In “The Yellow Wallpaper,” Charlotte Perkins Gilman presents an unnamed woman who gradually spirals into a state of mental psychosis. Gilman sought to bring attention to the unfair treatment of women in the nineteenth century. She uses this story to reveal to the audience that the narrator’s insanity stems from her isolation from society, and her inability to be expressive and creative through writing. Throughout “The Yellow Wallpaper,” the narrator is locked away in an isolated room, which was supposed to cure her mental disorder but instead it makes her worse. With the windows barred and the doors locked she is secluded from society. She wishes to go visit her cousin Henry and Julia, but John forbids her by telling his wife that “[she] wasn’t able to go, nor able to stand it after [she] got there; and [she] did not make out a very good case for [herself], for [she] was crying before [she] had even finished” (Gilman 92). The constant isolation causes her to focus only on the room in which she is living in, and more specifically the yellow wallpaper. She becomes obsessed with analyzing and examining the wallpaper and it causes her to become further insane. She says, “On a pattern like this, by daylight, there is a lack of sequence, a defiance of law, that is a constant irritant to a normal mind” (Gilman 93). The narrator realizes that the wallpaper is an annoyance to someone with a normal mind. However, for her, she...
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...When Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” was first published in January of 1892 in the New England Magazine, it was considered a dark chronicle that was protested by a Boston physician (name unknown) in “The Evening Transcript”, a popular newspaper in Boston between 1830 and 1941. This doctor wrote; “such a story ought not to be written, he said; it was enough to drive anyone mad to read it.” It wasn’t until later that the story was realized for the depiction of societal values in an age when women were making their mark in society, both intellectually and politically. The character Gilman portrays is caught between her own artistic expression and that of expected wifehood and motherhood being regarded as the sole role of women. The time was ripe for such a story with women making their way towards equality and the Suffrage Movement. Here was a woman propelled into a stereotypical role of the time who could not conform to the servile and ancillary qualities of how a marriage was supposed to be. A woman listened to her husband, held her hanky properly and carried a tussie-mussie. The convergence of Gillman’s character as being sequestered by her physician husband as a cure for her illness in a room with yellow wallpaper lays the foundation for what becomes an obsession with the Yellow Wallpaper. It is often said that artists and writers are touched by unusual qualities of the mind, perhaps even a bit of madness. The wallpaper in the story is representative of a creative...
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...The short story “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, shows the slow progression of insanity the narrator/Jane experiences through the fixation of the yellow wallpaper. In the beginning the narrator seems to be stable, she expresses her shock and pleasure of vacationing at the Estate. We go on to learn the true reason and intent her husband John meant for the stay. John felt it to be necessary for a break, to her cure her nervous condition. By hindering her creativity and imagination, with the stifling role of mother and wife, lead her to become more and more unreliable. We question on several occasions whether if it is truly her illness causing the paranoia, or if it is John’s treatment causing her loss of sanity. As soon as...
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...the plot of the story, The Cask of Amontillado. Art can be defined as a physical expression of creativity and imagination. This can often be seen in works of literature such as The Yellow Wallpaper. In this story, Jane, is a mentally ill woman with post-partum depression. They reside in a home where Jane is imprisoned in her bedroom with damaged yellow wallpaper. After continuously staring at the wallpaper, it becomes and obsession and it is all she can fixate on. She writes about this in her forbidden journal. In this journal she channels her creativity because it is the only way she is free, in the written expression of her emotions. Jane confides in her writing, that she believes someone is lurking in the wallpaper and trying to escape. She begins to believe this is a trapped woman. This trapped woman, to the reader, seems to be a reflection of Jane. At the end of the story, her husband finds her having torn down the yellow wallpaper and releasing the woman claiming she is now free. This journal is how Jane physically expresses her imagination and is a coping mechanism for her to survive the post-partum. She uses this written expression of art to help her withstand imprisonment by her husband. The use of the journal and creativity helped advance the plot line because the reader could easily see Jane’s descent into madness. Without this use of art, The Yellow Wallpaper, would have just been a narrative tale of a crazy woman told from third person perspective. ...
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...Carolyn A. Holley English 227 27 June 2010 The Yellow Wallpaper: Analyzing Literary Madness A short story about a new mother, happily married to a doting husband-who also happens to be a well respected doctor- relaxing at a manor in the countryside does not sounds like the beginnings to a tale of paranoia and psychosis; but in Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper it is exactly that. The setting in this story is what gives it its depth and gives relevancy to the plot. The Yellow Wallpaper gives insight into the deranged mind of woman whose obsession and delusions about particularly hideous wallpaper that causes her mental and physical state to creep into darkness. Gilman, herself, suffered from postpartum depression and had a history of mental illness which is the reason the story reads so convincingly. The author’s views on feminism and women’s roles in society in her own life and setting also come into play repeatedly throughout the story in the interactions with the main character. Imagine a sprawling colonial mansion surrounded by lush gardens, filled with airy rooms and rich furniture is what you find yourself calling home. Jane’s loving husband, John, takes care of all the finances, there is a nanny, Mary, to take care of your child, and your precious sister-in-law, Jennie, to keep the house in order fills the mansion with life. Does this scenario sound bad in any way to the? From the perspective of the main character this is absolute torture. The setting...
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...Kimberly Powers Analysis and Theory on “The Yellow Wallpaper” March 25, 2014 Professor Langston The Yellow Wallpaper was published in 1892 by Charlotte Perkins is a short story of one woman’s decline into madness. It can also be viewed as an accusation of shrewdness over creativity or the horrifying inequality in marriage back in the 1890’s, it depicts that back in the 1890’s the societal pressures were placed on women. Charlotte writes this short story so that the reader can see the dangers of rest as a form of cure. She is trying to prove that the method does damage to a person. A woman suffering from post-partum depression is driven mad by her over baring husband who allows her to do nothing more than to merrily exist. Her husband treats her like a child and confines her to a house in the country. Her husband doesn’t think there is anything wrong with her and that it’s all in her mind, she tries to write but it exhausts her to hide it from everyone, she is forbidden to “work”.( pg 1 The Yellow Wallpaper) Her husband is a physician and leaves her alone so often to “work difficult cases in town”. They chose a bedroom that is at the top of the stairs and takes up most of the floor and the wallpaper that was hideous. She keeps starring at it day in and day out until it looks as if there is someone was moving behind it, the wallpaper drives her insane and she finally tears it down. Unfortunately her husband does not give her any support. Also she isn’t allowed to go visit...
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...Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper, I didn’t know a great deal about its social and historical context. I read it as a story about a woman’s descent into madness, and knew enough to know that in the Victorian period women were often denied their freedom and independence. As a result I was able to sympathise with the woman in the story. However, after detailed research into the context of the novella, my appreciation of many aspects of the story was enhanced in several ways. My sympathy for the unnamed narrator was greatly intensified because I became aware of the ways in which she was victimised and controlled in the name of ‘love’ by her husband and medical supervisor, John. Knowledge of context enabled me to appreciate different complexities of meaning in particular details of the story including the symbolism of the yellow wallpaper, the bedroom, and references to writing. Finally, my knowledge of context enhanced my appreciation of how the story is written. As a first person narrative the novella encouraged me to have some sympathy for the unnamed woman. However, my knowledge of context allowed me to appreciate the importance of point of view at another level, namely its significance in giving the female victim a voice. I have thus gained an appreciation of the political dimension of the story – the way it raises issues of power, which I might otherwise have not understood. One of the things that has helped me appreciate The Yellow Wallpaper more is my extended knowledge...
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...Name: Course: College: Lecturer: Date: The Yellow Wallpaper Paper: A Story Charlotte Perkins Gilman was born in 1860 and was a prominent American social reform lecturer and writer of short stories, novels and poetry. She was an ideal feminist in a time when her achievements were exceptional for women. For this reason, she acted as a role model for future generations of feminists owing to her nonconformist concepts and lifestyle. This means she was an activist for women’s rights. She is today remembered for her semi-nonfictional short story, The Yellow Wall Paper, which she wrote after a difficult period of post-partum depression. She wrote the book in early 19th century when feminism was rather revolutionary. The book is a true impression of a strong woman reacting to adversity. The Yellow Wall Paper is a short story that describes the suffering of a woman confined to her home after subjection to post-partum depression. She appears as a woman who is totally submissive to her husband. While suffering from acute depression, she has to spend her days restricted to her house. However, there is a frightful wall paper in her bedroom that she keeps staring at day in day out. This yellow paper drives her totally insane, and she eventually tears it down. She feels alone in her little world. Unfortunately, her husband does not give her any support despite her sickness and does not want her to write. She also cannot visit or interact with family and friends and is confined...
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...The Yellow Wallpaper was written by the prominent American feminist, Charlotte Gilman. It was published on January of 1892 and has been read by millions of people over the years. This story attempts to give a man perspective so he can further understand the struggles of being a woman. Gilman uses Syntax, Diction, and Figurative Language to develop her theme, which is that women want to have the same rights as men and to be as highly portrayed. Gilman uses excellent structure throughout her story, and the sentence functionality is used correlate to the story in a very interesting way while proving her point that women deserve more respect. Later, as the character begins to 'fall apart', you can notice that the Syntax creativity does as well. The story begins a little more playfully with the punctuation and long clauses: "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" (Gilman, 1). This is a reference to her feministic points of view, stating...
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... In the short story “The Yellow Wallpaper,” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, the narrators instability was not taken seriously by her husband. She was trapped in a house, in one small room, which was no where near beneficial to her health, and given the rest cure. In the article that Charlotte Perkins Gilman wrote, “Why I Wrote The Yellow Wallpaper,” she explains her true experience behind the text. She shows how the rest cure and being treated like you’re helpless may just cause someone to become more crazy and lose touch with reality. The narrator is confined in a room which she believes is a nursery and slowly seems to be getting driven more insane as the days go by trapped in this room. She’s originally put in this room on account of her not being mentally healthy, but she only becomes worse. Once she entered the room she assumed it used to be a nursery for a few reasons. She explains, “It was a nursery first and then playroom and gymnasium, I should judge; for the windows are barred for little children, and there are rings and things in the walls” (Gilman, 1899). She truly wasn’t sure what the room was but was using her creativity to try to figure it out and imagine what this mysterious room she was confined to used to be. Some details hint to the room truly being some sort of mental institution or asylum. She was talking to her husband, John, about getting rid of the wallpaper which was driving her crazy, “He said that after the wallpaper changed it would be the heavy...
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...With over 200 written works, Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s career as a writer is a force to be reckoned with. Many of her works, such as the ever popular The Yellow Wallpaper, are considered classics and remain relevant in today’s society. Gilman is most popular for her work deciphering women’s roles and treatment in society in the past and during her life. Gilman’s works are relatable to all women who have experienced or are experiencing oppression by society. Gilman’s feminist outlook is clearly seen in her academic works as well as her short stories. Especially in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, feminism was starting to accumulate among women of all ages. Gilman has been compared to other great feminist writers such as Simone de Beauvoir and Betty Friedan and they all share a common theme: their personal life correlates with their writing. Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s personal struggles with oppression contribute to her success as a feminist writer, as exemplified in her works Women and Economics, Herland and The Yellow Wallpaper; Gilman’s controversial opinions on male dominated societies and women's rights label her as an icon for implementing social change in the 18th/19th century because she steers away from traditional Victorian gender roles. Born in Hartford, Connecticut on July 3rd, 1860, growing up was difficult for Gilman and her brother as her parents split due to their different views on women’s rights. Her father’s family was very liberal and believed in freedom...
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...In the late Victorian era when The Yellow Wallpaper was written, men essentially had complete power over their domestic space, even though women were in charge of running it. The Yellow Wallpaper clearly exemplifies the domesticity from the Victorian era and the roles women were placed in. However, the story shows a more extreme side through a treatment the narrator is placed under called “The Rest Cure”, which was a typical mental disorder-related treatment in the Victorian Era. In the short story, this is shown through the treatment of the narrator like a prisoner by her husband, John, in what is supposed to be her own domestic sphere, her being not allowed to perform even the domestic duties expected from women in that time period, making...
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...influence. From a feminist perspective, Jane Austens emphasis on female personal space implies that intelligent women must secure privacy in order to remain independent, freethinking individuals within a patriarchal society. By linking privacy with mental growth, Austen takes part in a larger network of feminist literature in which private space is equated with female creativity and freedom from domestic duties. Therefore, Austens examination of privacy serves as a critique of limitations on female intellectual growth. The issue of female privacy is perhaps most associated with feminist works published long after Pride and Prejudice, but Austens depiction of the matter can be seen as a precursor to these later arguments. Both Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Virginia Woolf published works pertaining to the physical and mental privacy needed for women. A Room of Ones Own, for instance, clearly establishes a link between female creativity and physical privacy. In fact, Woolf directly states that without a private room, a woman cannot effectively engage in the mental task of writing (Woolf 52). Gilmans The Yellow Wallpaper presents a similar argument about mental privacy by depicting a protagonist whose mental functioning is handicapped by an abrasive, belittling male character, to the...
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...“Women's liberation” When my parents were still married I saw first hand how repressing, nonfunctional and dissatisfying patriarchal marriages can be, specifically for the women involved. I often saw how my dad would try to control my mother and tell her how things should be run inside our home as well as outside. He would restrict her in every possible way to the point where she would have little to no say in the decisions taken at home. He would restrict her from hanging out or even talking to certain friends because he though they were a bad influence on her and they would end up filling her head with “nonsense”. It extended to the point where she wasn't even allowed to speak with any male outside of her family. Since my mom was a stay at home mom and didn't have a job outside of our house she would depend on my dad economically and this meant he was often the one who took the economic decisions of our family and often most of the decisions. My dad believed a women should not work and should stay at home to take care of her children and her husband. This would often make my mom dissatisfied with her marriage because he would treat her more like a maid than his wife. She would never be in the same level in the relationship as him, she would always be below him. She would always have to be the one making sacrifices for the sake of our family and her marriage. This type of marriage was very common in Mexico where we lived at the time. Since Mexico has a patriarchal society...
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...relate. Becoming immersed in a storyline is the most satisfying thing that happens to me while reading. I believe that the ultimate achievement of an author is to have the reader—as a result of anticipation— excited to turn the next page; whilst, at the same time leaving the reader with sadness knowing the story will be ending in a few short pages. In the short story “Sonny’s Blues”, when Sonny’s brother is about to see Sonny play for the time states, “All I know about music is not many people ever really hear it.” At that moment of the story I felt myself there, in the room with Sonny waiting for him to play. A great plot can facilitate such immersion; take one there, let one feel and experience the story. In contrast, I found “The Yellow Wall Paper” had no such engulfing qualities. Rather than being immersed by the storyline, I was begging for the final page. To make matters worse, when the ending arrived, it provided no closure and only added to the disappointment of the story. Reading the story was a laborious chore rather than an enjoyable experience. When I find a character believable I will relate to that character on many levels, making the story more satisfying. In “Sonny’s Blues,” Sonny finds himself wanting to escape his home in Harlem in hope of finding a successful career in music. I was able to feel Sonny’s pain as he was “at that piano playing for his life.” I felt Sonny’s anger when he felt that his brother did not take his musical ambition seriously...
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