The Yellow Wallpaper Critical Analysis Essay Example

The story “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a brilliant literary work that undoubtedly captures the reader by placing them into the mind of the narrator; which enables the reader to undergo the intense, traumatic psychological experience of the main character. The point of view in which the story is told adds to the dramatic impact. Gilman’s story elicits strong emotions by her remarkable writing style and ability to make the reader thoroughly feel what the main character is going through. The author pulls the reader in by her use of explicit details and imagery of the wallpaper through the eyes of the narrator; which clearly identifies the mental state of the main character. The story also brings about several pertinent social issues of feminism and psychology in the nineteenth century. It is a depiction of how a woman’s role was viewed at that time and also of how society viewed mental illness.
The impact of the story is even further conveyed by the author’s use of first person narrative and her unique style of journal writing. Through this point of view the narrator’s distraught mental state becomes even more apparent. Throughout the story as the days unfold, we watch the woman struggle with the conflict of her mental illness and her attempt at recovering. The journal entries of the main character’s every thought and action truly allows the reader to become one with the character. Without this style of writing and point of view, the dramatic impact of the character’s state would be somewhat lost in translation.
Gilman utilizes incredible imagery that vividly depicts every aspect of the narrator’s thoughts throughout the story. This imagery also allows the reader to visualize the events as they occur, which facilitates a personal connection with the narrator. The author’s use of the wallpaper’s imagery enables the reader to delve into the true psyche of the woman’s struggle with her mental illness. “On a pattern like this, by daylight,