The Yellow Wallpaper
The Yellow Wallpaper
Lyric Stembridge
English 1101
188
Questions for Engagement #3
F 10/24 – due on M 11/3
Dr.Corley
John Spends more time trying to be his wife’s doctor instead of being her husband. By treating her as a “case” or a “wife” and not as a person with a will of her own he helps destroy her, which is the last thing he wants. “I get unreasonably angry with John sometimes. I'm sure I never used to be so sensitive. I think it is due to this nervous condition. But John says if I feel so, I shall neglect proper self-control; so I take pains to control myself—before him, at least, and that makes me very tired” (Gilman 275). Although he thinks there is nothing wrong with her, he just keeps her in this room with “The Yellow Wallpaper”. “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. You see he does not believe I am sick!”(Gilman 275). Even though John’s treatment for the narrator’s depression goes terribly wrong, I believe he was trying to help her, not make her worse. The genuine issue with John is the inclusive power he has in his consolidated part as the narrator's spouse and doctor. “I did write for a while in spite of them; but it does exhaust me a good deal having to be so sly about it, or else meet with heavy opposition. I sometimes fancy that in my condition if I had less opposition and more society and stimulus, but John says the very worst thing I can do is to think about my condition, and I confess it always makes me feel bad”. (Gilman 275). John is positive that he knows what is best for his wife that he disregards her own opinion of the matter, forcing her to hide her true feelings. He consistently patronizes her. He calls her “a blessed little goose” and vetoes her smallest wishes, such as when he refuses to switch bedrooms so as not to overindulge her “fancies”. She constantly states her
Lyric Stembridge
English 1101
188
Questions for Engagement #3
F 10/24 – due on M 11/3
Dr.Corley
John Spends more time trying to be his wife’s doctor instead of being her husband. By treating her as a “case” or a “wife” and not as a person with a will of her own he helps destroy her, which is the last thing he wants. “I get unreasonably angry with John sometimes. I'm sure I never used to be so sensitive. I think it is due to this nervous condition. But John says if I feel so, I shall neglect proper self-control; so I take pains to control myself—before him, at least, and that makes me very tired” (Gilman 275). Although he thinks there is nothing wrong with her, he just keeps her in this room with “The Yellow Wallpaper”. “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. You see he does not believe I am sick!”(Gilman 275). Even though John’s treatment for the narrator’s depression goes terribly wrong, I believe he was trying to help her, not make her worse. The genuine issue with John is the inclusive power he has in his consolidated part as the narrator's spouse and doctor. “I did write for a while in spite of them; but it does exhaust me a good deal having to be so sly about it, or else meet with heavy opposition. I sometimes fancy that in my condition if I had less opposition and more society and stimulus, but John says the very worst thing I can do is to think about my condition, and I confess it always makes me feel bad”. (Gilman 275). John is positive that he knows what is best for his wife that he disregards her own opinion of the matter, forcing her to hide her true feelings. He consistently patronizes her. He calls her “a blessed little goose” and vetoes her smallest wishes, such as when he refuses to switch bedrooms so as not to overindulge her “fancies”. She constantly states her