The Yellow Wallpaper Essay
The Yellow Wallpaper written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman explores the oppression of women in the nineteenth century and how this led to the limitation of freedom, leading to confinement of many women during this time. It illustrates the male superiority over the female and the elimination of a voice and a say for these women regarding their own lives. The short story is structured to appear a bit creepy and horrific, but within this method the author created a strong female character who, even though is slowly deteriorating psychologically, is trying to fight the pressure that society in the nineteenth century is placing on her and also the pressure of her own husband. The style that the author was trying to create is clear through her use
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of supernatural things to hide away the true meaning of this piece. The Yellow Wallpaper explores the theme of freedom and confinement and how that relates to the gender roles in the 19th century. However, through the use of imagery the reader can see that the narrator is living within a higher social class, so even though the author is trying to create a universal voice for all women that have been in the same situation it would not be possible. The author created a specific style for the story which was a bit creepy and horrific, while doing this she also seemed to be give the message that related back to women and how they were not only restricted by society in the 19th century, but also within their own families. In the last scene of the story the narrator appears to have been freed from the wallpaper, “I wonder if they all come out of that wallpaper as I did?” This moment in the story illustrates the confinement of the women during this time and how the narrator in the story has finally been freed. However, even though at this point of the story the readers understand that the narrator has deteriorated, it is difficult to understand whether the narrator is actually freed or not. After so much time of being looked in a room with no freedom to explore and go out, this woman has become ill, but at the end this “freedom” is not clarified. In this last scene we get this sense of “freedom” but in reality we do not understand the true meaning behind it because even though she might be free, mentally, she is not freed from her life and the strain that the society in 19th century has placed upon her for being a female. In the last paragraph of the story beginning with “Now why should that man have fainted? But he did…” the author makes it clear that she is trying to create that creepy tone but at the same time is a bit comical to think the narrator’s reasoning over her husband fainting. This last scene is very important because it concludes the idea of “freedom” by providing to the narrator, but in reality the reader does not know if she is actually freed or if this whole idea is just inside her head. After feeling trapped in this room she is finally out and tell her husband that she will never go back. Throughout the story the author used imagery to vividly describe her home and her many privileges. With the descriptions of her home came the idea that she came from a wealthy or middle to high class family and therefore had much more privilege compared to other women during this time. “The most beautiful place! It is quite alone, standing well back from the road, quite three miles…” this line from the story helps create an image of their home which appears to be in a wealthy environment. It is important to note that the narrator is never assigned a name so therefore it can be assumed that this story is speaking for all the women who have been stripped from their freedom during the 19th century. In the line “Sometimes I think there are a great many women behind…” the idea of this “voice” speaking for other women is present. The setting is significant because even though the author is trying to speak for a group of women, it cannot be interpreted the same way throughout different social-economic classes.
The Yellow Wallpaper uses imagery not only to describe the home of the narrator but also gives the reader a clear image of how the wallpaper looks and what is the meaning behind the color that has been chosen.
It is a bit ironic that the author chose a color so bright and usually defined as being a happy and joyful color. However, this story is not at all joyful, but is instead is very depressing and sad. The wallpaper is described in such great detail that it is very easy for the reader to picture exactly what the author is trying to say. “It is dull enough to confuse the eye in following, pronounced enough constantly to irritate and provoke study…” within this description of the the wallpaper it is obvious that the narrator is unhappy with the wallpaper and as the story goes on the wallpaper begins to play a vital role in her psychological deterioration (156). The wallpaper appears to be a border that keeps the women trapped within the shadows of the men. As the narrator begins to rip the paper off this is the symbol of freedom and the struggle to be release from the constant stereotypes and gender differences. It is interesting to see that even though the wallpaper was what was causing the narrator to deteriorate at the end of the story, the wallpaper is what finally frees
her.
The Yellow Wallpaper has become an illustration of the gender roles in the 19th century and how this led to the stripping of the women’s freedom and voice regarding their own lives. Many times women were told what to do by the male partner. Gilman created a horrific tone that helped explore the idea of freedom and confinement within a certain place. The structure of the story is created to follow the situation of the narrator and how slowly she begins to deteriorate psychologically due to the wallpaper, but at the end we are confused with what role the wallpaper plays in her life, if it appears that without it she is finally freed. The narrator is never assigned a name, therefore it can be assumed that the story is suppose to be a voice for those women who have been in a similar situation and have lost their freedom and say on their own lives. However, the narrator appears to come from a wealthy family with privilege so there cannot be this idea that all women who have been through this form of depression and gender role differences experienced it in same way. Through the use of imagery the reader was able to understand and clearly visualize the situation in which the narrator is and see how she has slowly deteriorated, even though she is finally freed in the ending of the story, or at least that is what is assumed. The Yellow Wallpaper is indeed a very profound image of what it was to be a female during the 19th century and it explores the themes of freedom and confinement, while illustrating the impact confinement can have on a person.
of supernatural things to hide away the true meaning of this piece. The Yellow Wallpaper explores the theme of freedom and confinement and how that relates to the gender roles in the 19th century. However, through the use of imagery the reader can see that the narrator is living within a higher social class, so even though the author is trying to create a universal voice for all women that have been in the same situation it would not be possible. The author created a specific style for the story which was a bit creepy and horrific, while doing this she also seemed to be give the message that related back to women and how they were not only restricted by society in the 19th century, but also within their own families. In the last scene of the story the narrator appears to have been freed from the wallpaper, “I wonder if they all come out of that wallpaper as I did?” This moment in the story illustrates the confinement of the women during this time and how the narrator in the story has finally been freed. However, even though at this point of the story the readers understand that the narrator has deteriorated, it is difficult to understand whether the narrator is actually freed or not. After so much time of being looked in a room with no freedom to explore and go out, this woman has become ill, but at the end this “freedom” is not clarified. In this last scene we get this sense of “freedom” but in reality we do not understand the true meaning behind it because even though she might be free, mentally, she is not freed from her life and the strain that the society in 19th century has placed upon her for being a female. In the last paragraph of the story beginning with “Now why should that man have fainted? But he did…” the author makes it clear that she is trying to create that creepy tone but at the same time is a bit comical to think the narrator’s reasoning over her husband fainting. This last scene is very important because it concludes the idea of “freedom” by providing to the narrator, but in reality the reader does not know if she is actually freed or if this whole idea is just inside her head. After feeling trapped in this room she is finally out and tell her husband that she will never go back. Throughout the story the author used imagery to vividly describe her home and her many privileges. With the descriptions of her home came the idea that she came from a wealthy or middle to high class family and therefore had much more privilege compared to other women during this time. “The most beautiful place! It is quite alone, standing well back from the road, quite three miles…” this line from the story helps create an image of their home which appears to be in a wealthy environment. It is important to note that the narrator is never assigned a name so therefore it can be assumed that this story is speaking for all the women who have been stripped from their freedom during the 19th century. In the line “Sometimes I think there are a great many women behind…” the idea of this “voice” speaking for other women is present. The setting is significant because even though the author is trying to speak for a group of women, it cannot be interpreted the same way throughout different social-economic classes.
The Yellow Wallpaper uses imagery not only to describe the home of the narrator but also gives the reader a clear image of how the wallpaper looks and what is the meaning behind the color that has been chosen.
It is a bit ironic that the author chose a color so bright and usually defined as being a happy and joyful color. However, this story is not at all joyful, but is instead is very depressing and sad. The wallpaper is described in such great detail that it is very easy for the reader to picture exactly what the author is trying to say. “It is dull enough to confuse the eye in following, pronounced enough constantly to irritate and provoke study…” within this description of the the wallpaper it is obvious that the narrator is unhappy with the wallpaper and as the story goes on the wallpaper begins to play a vital role in her psychological deterioration (156). The wallpaper appears to be a border that keeps the women trapped within the shadows of the men. As the narrator begins to rip the paper off this is the symbol of freedom and the struggle to be release from the constant stereotypes and gender differences. It is interesting to see that even though the wallpaper was what was causing the narrator to deteriorate at the end of the story, the wallpaper is what finally frees
her.
The Yellow Wallpaper has become an illustration of the gender roles in the 19th century and how this led to the stripping of the women’s freedom and voice regarding their own lives. Many times women were told what to do by the male partner. Gilman created a horrific tone that helped explore the idea of freedom and confinement within a certain place. The structure of the story is created to follow the situation of the narrator and how slowly she begins to deteriorate psychologically due to the wallpaper, but at the end we are confused with what role the wallpaper plays in her life, if it appears that without it she is finally freed. The narrator is never assigned a name, therefore it can be assumed that the story is suppose to be a voice for those women who have been in a similar situation and have lost their freedom and say on their own lives. However, the narrator appears to come from a wealthy family with privilege so there cannot be this idea that all women who have been through this form of depression and gender role differences experienced it in same way. Through the use of imagery the reader was able to understand and clearly visualize the situation in which the narrator is and see how she has slowly deteriorated, even though she is finally freed in the ending of the story, or at least that is what is assumed. The Yellow Wallpaper is indeed a very profound image of what it was to be a female during the 19th century and it explores the themes of freedom and confinement, while illustrating the impact confinement can have on a person.