The Yellow Wallpaper Symbolism Essay
Silvia Garcia
English 102
Professor Bauer
16 January 2017
The short story, The Yellow Wallpaper, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is told from a non-reliable first person point of view. The reader is not able to trust the narrator, making symbolism the most important lens to use. The yellow wallpaper symbolizes the importance of self-expression through the paper and its patterns. For example, yellow is mention a lot in the story. Yellow symbolizes the decay, old age, and the approach of death. As to the wall it’s the symbol of barrier between a person such as physically, and mentally. In the case of the wallpaper it's a barrier between the inner and outer self of the narrator. Jane says, “The faint figure behind seems to shake the pattern, just …show more content…
For example, Jane says, “She is a perfect and enthusiastic housekeeper, and hopes for no better profession” (14). In the quote, Jane describes Jenny’s character as a character who follows the basic housewife role. Also, at the beginning of the story Jenny mentions that her husband and her brother are both physician. She says, “If a Physician of high standing, and one’s own husband, assures friend and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one...-what is one to do?” (4). In the quote, Jane shows to the readers that doctors(physician) were seen to be right and they were respected by everyone. Jane’s brother and husband have a high standing profession meaning males were the ones with the important jobs. The last words in the quote show that whatever her husband would say she didn’t have to question it or disagree with him. Reading the story through the lenses of feminism reveals that women back then didn’t have much of a say and they were limited on their capability. Females were treated like children; the narrator was placed in a nursery room. Women were not able to disagree with their husband because they would be seen ungrateful. However, the creeping and the tearing of the wallpaper at the end of the story represents women's freedom. When she was tearing the wallpaper, she was tearing away the specific gender roles, the judgement, and oppression women
English 102
Professor Bauer
16 January 2017
The short story, The Yellow Wallpaper, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is told from a non-reliable first person point of view. The reader is not able to trust the narrator, making symbolism the most important lens to use. The yellow wallpaper symbolizes the importance of self-expression through the paper and its patterns. For example, yellow is mention a lot in the story. Yellow symbolizes the decay, old age, and the approach of death. As to the wall it’s the symbol of barrier between a person such as physically, and mentally. In the case of the wallpaper it's a barrier between the inner and outer self of the narrator. Jane says, “The faint figure behind seems to shake the pattern, just …show more content…
For example, Jane says, “She is a perfect and enthusiastic housekeeper, and hopes for no better profession” (14). In the quote, Jane describes Jenny’s character as a character who follows the basic housewife role. Also, at the beginning of the story Jenny mentions that her husband and her brother are both physician. She says, “If a Physician of high standing, and one’s own husband, assures friend and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one...-what is one to do?” (4). In the quote, Jane shows to the readers that doctors(physician) were seen to be right and they were respected by everyone. Jane’s brother and husband have a high standing profession meaning males were the ones with the important jobs. The last words in the quote show that whatever her husband would say she didn’t have to question it or disagree with him. Reading the story through the lenses of feminism reveals that women back then didn’t have much of a say and they were limited on their capability. Females were treated like children; the narrator was placed in a nursery room. Women were not able to disagree with their husband because they would be seen ungrateful. However, the creeping and the tearing of the wallpaper at the end of the story represents women's freedom. When she was tearing the wallpaper, she was tearing away the specific gender roles, the judgement, and oppression women