the yellow wallpaper sparknotes-gradesaver

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The Yellow Wallpaper

SparkNotes Editors. “SparkNote on The Yellow Wallpaper.” SparkNotes.com. SparkNotesLLC. 2006. We. !" #ct. 20!2.

Context

Charlotte $erkins %ilman was est known in her time as a cr&sadin' (o&rnalist and)eminist intellect&al* a )ollower o) s&ch pioneerin' women+s ri'hts ad,ocates as S&san -. nthon/* Eliaeth Cad/ Stanton* and 1arriet -eecher Stowe* %ilman+s 'reata&nt. %ilmanwas concerned with political ine3&alit/ and social (&stice in 'eneral* &t the primar/ )oc&so) her writin' was the &ne3&al stat&s o) women within the instit&tion o) marria'e. 4n s&chworks as Concerning Children 5!007* The Home 5!087* and Human Work 5!087* %ilmanar'&ed that women+s oli'ation to remain in the domestic sphere roed them o) thee9pression o) their )&ll powers o) creati,it/ and intelli'ence* while sim&ltaneo&sl/ roin'

societ/ o) women whose ailities s&ited them )or pro)essional and p&lic li)e. n essentialpart o) her anal/sis was that the traditional power str&ct&re o) the )amil/ made no onehapp/:not the woman who was made into an &npaid ser,ant* not the h&sand who wasmade into a master* and not the children who were s&(ect to oth. 1er most amitio&swork* Women and Economics 5!;;7* anal/ed the hidden ,al&e o) women+s laor withinthe capitalist econom/ and ar'&ed* as %ilman did thro&'ho&t her works* that )inancialindependence )or women co&ld onl/ ene)it societ/ as a whole.

Toda/* %ilman is primaril/ known )or one remarkale stor/* “The Yellow Wallpaper*” whichwas considered almost &nprintal/ shockin' in its time and which &nner,es readers to thisda/. This short work o) )iction* which deals with an &ne3&al marria'e and a woman

destro/ed / her &n)&l)illed desire )or sel)e9pression* deals with the same concerns andideas as %ilman+s non)iction &t in a m&ch more personal mode. 4ndeed* “The YellowWallpaper” draws hea,il/ on a partic&larl/ pain)&l episode in %ilman+s own li)e.

4n !;;6* earl/ in her )irst marria'e and not lon' a)ter the irth o) her da&'hter* Charlotte$erkins Stetson 5as she was then known7 was stricken with a se,ere case o) depression.4n her !<" a&toio'raph/* The Living of Charlotte Perkins Gilman* she descries her“&tter prostration” / “&nearale inner miser/” and “ceaseless tears*” a condition onl/made worse / the presence o) her h&sand and her a/. She was re)erred to =r. S.Weir >itchell* then the co&ntr/+s leadin' specialist in ner,o&s disorders* whose treatmentin s&ch cases was a “rest c&re” o) )orced inacti,it/. Especiall/ in the case o) his )emale

patients* >itchell elie,ed that depression was ro&'ht on / too m&ch mental acti,it/ andnot eno&'h attention to domestic a))airs. ?or %ilman* this co&rse o) treatment was adisaster. $re,ented )rom workin'* she soon had a ner,o&s reakdown. t her worst* shewas red&ced to crawlin' into closets and &nder eds* cl&tchin' a ra' doll.

#nce she aandoned >itchell+s rest c&re* %ilman+s condition impro,ed* tho&'h sheclaimed to )eel the e))ects o) the ordeal )or the rest o) her li)e. Lea,in' ehind her h&sandand child* a scandalo&s decision* Charlotte $erkins Stetson 5she took the name %ilmana)ter a second marria'e* to her co&sin7 emarked on a s&ccess)&l career as a (o&rnalist*lect&rer* and p&lisher. She wrote “The Yellow Wallpaper” soon a)ter her mo,e toCali)ornia* and in it she &ses her personal e9perience to create a tale that is oth a chillin'description o) one woman+s )all into madness and a potent s/molic narrati,e o) the )ate o)

creati,e women sti)led / a paternalistic c&lt&re.

4n p&rel/ literar/ terms* “The Yellow Wallpaper” looks ack to the tradition o) the



ps/cholo'ical horror tale as practiced / Ed'ar llan $oe. ?or e9ample* $oe+s “The TellTale 1eart” is also told )rom the point o) ,iew o) an insane narrator. %oin' )&rther ack*%ilman also draws on the tradition o) the %othic romances o) the late ei'hteenth cent&r/*which o)ten )eat&red spook/ old mansions and /o&n' heroines determined to &nco,er theirsecrets. %ilman+s stor/ is also )orwardlookin'* howe,er* and her moment/momentreportin' o) the narrator+s tho&'hts is clearl/ a mo,e in the direction o) the sort o) stream

o)conscio&sness narration &sed / s&ch twentiethcent&r/ writers as @ir'inia Wool)*Aames Ao/ce* and William ?a&lkner.

Plot Overview

The narrator e'ins her (o&rnal / mar,elin' at the 'rande&r o) the ho&se and 'ro&nds herh&sand has taken )or their s&mmer ,acation. She descries it in romantic terms as anaristocratic estate or e,en a ha&nted ho&se and wonders how the/ were ale to a))ord it*and wh/ the ho&se had een empt/ )or so lon'. 1er )eelin' that there is “somethin' 3&eer”ao&t the sit&ation leads her into a disc&ssion o) her illness:she is s&))erin' )rom“ner,o&s depression”:and o) her marria'e. She complains that her h&sand Aohn* who is

also her doctor* elittles oth her illness and her tho&'hts and concerns in 'eneral. Shecontrasts his practical* rationalistic manner with her own ima'inati,e* sensiti,e wa/s. 1ertreatment re3&ires that she do almost nothin' acti,e* and she is especiall/ )oridden )romworkin' and writin'. She )eels that acti,it/* )reedom* and interestin' work wo&ld help hercondition and re,eals that she has e'&n her secret (o&rnal in order to “relie,e her mind.”4n an attempt to do so* the narrator e'ins descriin' the ho&se. 1er description is mostl/positi,e* &t dist&rin' elements s&ch as the “rin's and thin's” in the edroom walls* andthe ars on the windows* keep showin' &p. She is partic&larl/ dist&red / the /ellowwallpaper in the edroom* with its stran'e* )ormless pattern* and descries it as “re,oltin'.”Soon* howe,er* her tho&'hts are interr&pted / Aohn+s approach* and she is )orced to stopwritin'.

s the )irst )ew weeks o) the s&mmer pass* the narrator ecomes 'ood at hidin' her (o&rnal* and th&s hidin' her tr&e tho&'hts )rom Aohn. She contin&es to lon' )or morestim&latin' compan/ and acti,it/* and she complains a'ain ao&t Aohn+s patroniin'*controllin' wa/s:altho&'h she immediatel/ ret&rns to the wallpaper* which e'ins toseem not onl/ &'l/* &t oddl/ menacin'. She mentions that Aohn is worried ao&t herecomin' )i9ated on it* and that he has e,en re)&sed to repaper the room so as not to 'i,ein to her ne&rotic worries. The narrator+s ima'ination* howe,er* has een aro&sed. Shementions that she en(o/s pict&rin' people on the walkwa/s aro&nd the ho&se and thatAohn alwa/s disco&ra'es s&ch )antasies. She also thinks ack to her childhood* when shewas ale to work hersel) into a terror / ima'inin' thin's in the dark. s she descries the

edroom* which she sa/s m&st ha,e een a n&rser/ )or /o&n' children* she points o&t thatthe paper is torn o)) the wall in spots* there are scratches and 'o&'es in the )loor* and the)&rnit&re is hea,/ and )i9ed in place. A&st as she e'ins to see a stran'e s&patternehind the main desi'n o) the wallpaper* her writin' is interr&pted a'ain* this time /Aohn+s sister* Aennie* who is actin' as ho&sekeeper and n&rse )or the narrator.

s the ?o&rth o) A&l/ passes* the narrator reports that her )amil/ has (&st ,isited* lea,in'her more tired than e,er. Aohn threatens to send her to Weir >itchell* the realli)e ph/sician&nder whose care %ilman had a ner,o&s reakdown. The narrator is alone most o) thetime and sa/s that she has ecome almost )ond o) the wallpaper and that attemptin' to)i'&re o&t its pattern has ecome her primar/ entertainment. s her osession 'rows* the

s&pattern o) the wallpaper ecomes clearer. 4t e'ins to resemle a woman “stoopin'down and creepin'” ehind the main pattern* which looks like the ars o) a ca'e.Whene,er the narrator tries to disc&ss lea,in' the ho&se* Aohn makes li'ht o) her



concerns* e))ecti,el/ silencin' her. Each time he does so* her dis'&sted )ascination withthe paper 'rows.

Soon the wallpaper dominates the narrator+s ima'ination. She ecomes possessi,e andsecreti,e* hidin' her interest in the paper and makin' s&re no one else e9amines it so thatshe can “)ind it o&t” on her own. t one point* she startles Aennie* who had een to&chin'the wallpaper and who mentions that she had )o&nd /ellow stains on their clothes.

>istakin' the narrator+s )i9ation )or tran3&ilit/* Aohn thinks she is impro,in'. -&t she sleepsless and less and is con,inced that she can smell the paper all o,er the ho&se* e,eno&tside. She disco,ers a stran'e sm&d'e mark on the paper* r&nnin' all aro&nd the room*as i) it had een r&ed / someone crawlin' a'ainst the wall.

The s&pattern now clearl/ resemles a woman who is tr/in' to 'et o&t )rom ehind themain pattern. The narrator sees her shakin' the ars at ni'ht and creepin' aro&nd d&rin'the da/* when the woman is ale to escape rie)l/. The narrator mentions that she* too*creeps aro&nd at times. She s&spects that Aohn and Aennie are aware o) her osession*and she resol,es to destro/ the paper once and )or all* peelin' m&ch o) it o)) d&rin' theni'ht. The ne9t da/ she mana'es to e alone and 'oes into somethin' o) a )ren/* itin'

and tearin' at the paper in order to )ree the trapped woman* whom she sees str&''lin')rom inside the pattern.

-/ the end* the narrator is hopelessl/ insane* con,inced that there are man/ creepin'women aro&nd and that she hersel) has come o&t o) the wallpaper:that she hersel) is thetrapped woman. She creeps endlessl/ aro&nd the room* sm&d'in' the wallpaper as she'oes. When Aohn reaks into the locked room and sees the )&ll horror o) the sit&ation* he)aints in the doorwa/* so that the narrator has “to creep o,er him e,er/ timeB”

Character List

The Narrator - A young, upper-middle-class woman, newly married anda mother, who is undergoing care for depression. The narrator—whose name may or may not be Jane—is highly imaginative and anatural storyteller, though her doctors believe she has a “slighthysterical tendency. The story is told in the form of her secretdiary, in which she records her thoughts as her obsession with thewallpaper grows.

ead an indepth anal/sis o) The Narrator.

John - The narrator!s husband and her physician. John restricts herbehavior as part of her treatment. "nli#e his imaginative wife, Johnis e$tremely practical, preferring facts and figures to “fancy, atwhich he “scoffs openly. %e seems to love his wife, but he doesnot understand the negative effect his treatment has on her.

ead an indepth anal/sis o) Aohn.

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/yellowwallpaper/canalysis.html#The-Narrator

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/yellowwallpaper/canalysis.html#John

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/yellowwallpaper/canalysis.html#John

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/yellowwallpaper/canalysis.html#The-Narrator



Jennie - John!s sister. Jennie acts as house#eeper for the couple. %er presence and her contentment with a domestic role intensify thenarrator!s feelings of guilt over her own inability to act as atraditional wife and mother. Jennie seems, at times, to suspect thatthe narrator is more troubled than she lets on.

Analysis of Major Characters

The Narrator

The narrator o) “The Yellow Wallpaper” is a parado9D as she loses to&ch with the o&terworld* she comes to a 'reater &nderstandin' o) the inner realit/ o) her li)e. This innero&tersplit is cr&cial to &nderstandin' the nat&re o) the narrator+s s&))erin'. t e,er/ point* she is)aced with relationships* o(ects* and sit&ations that seem innocent and nat&ral &t thatare act&all/ 3&ite iarre and e,en oppressi,e. 4n a sense* the plot o) “The YellowWallpaper” is the narrator+s attempt to avoid acknowled'in' the e9tent to which here9ternal sit&ation sti)les her inner imp&lses. ?rom the e'innin'* we see that the narrator isan ima'inati,e* hi'hl/ e9pressi,e woman. She rememers terri)/in' hersel) with ima'inar/ni'httime monsters as a child* and she en(o/s the notion that the ho&se the/ ha,e taken isha&nted. Yet as part o) her “c&re*” her h&sand )orids her to e9ercise her ima'ination inan/ wa/. -oth her reason and her emotions reel at this treatment* and she t&rns herima'ination onto seemin'l/ ne&tral o(ects:the ho&se and the wallpaper:in an attemptto i'nore her 'rowin' )r&stration. 1er ne'ati,e )eelin's color her description o) hers&rro&ndin's* makin' them seem &ncann/ and sinister* and she ecomes )i9ated on thewallpaper.

s the narrator sinks )&rther into her inner )ascination with the wallpaper* she ecomespro'ressi,el/ more dissociated )rom her da/toda/ li)e. This process o) dissociatione'ins when the stor/ does* at the ,er/ moment she decides to keep a secret diar/ as “arelie) to her mind.” ?rom that point* her tr&e tho&'hts are hidden )rom the o&ter world* andthe narrator e'ins to slip into a )antas/ world in which the nat&re o) “her sit&ation” is madeclear in s/molic terms. %ilman shows &s this di,ision in the narrator+s conscio&sness /ha,in' the narrator p&le o,er e))ects in the world that she hersel) has ca&sed. ?ore9ample* the narrator doesn+t immediatel/ &nderstand that the /ellow stains on herclothin' and the lon' “smootch” on the wallpaper are connected. Similarl/* the narrator)i'hts the realiation that the predicament o) the woman in the wallpaper is a s/molic,ersion o) her own sit&ation. t )irst she e,en disappro,es o) the woman+s e))orts to escapeand intends to “tie her &p.”

When the narrator )inall/ identi)ies hersel) with the woman trapped in the wallpaper* she isale to see that other women are )orced to creep and hide ehind the domestic “patterns”o) their li,es* and that she hersel) is the one in need o) resc&e. The horror o) this stor/ isthat the narrator m&st lose hersel) to &nderstand hersel). She has &ntan'led the pattern o)her li)e* &t she has torn hersel) apart in 'ettin' )ree o) it. n odd detail at the end o) thestor/ re,eals how m&ch the narrator has sacri)iced. =&rin' her )inal split )rom realit/* thenarrator sa/s* “4+,e 'ot o&t at last* in spite o) /o& and Aane.” Who is this AaneF Somecritics claim “Aane” is a misprint )or “Aennie*” the sisterinlaw. 4t is more likel/* howe,er*that “Aane” is the name o) the &nnamed narrator* who has een a stran'er to hersel) and

her (ailers. Now she is horril/ “)ree” o) the constraints o) her marria'e* her societ/* andher own e))orts to repress her mind.



John

Tho&'h Aohn seems like the o,io&s ,illain o) “The Yellow Wallpaper*” the stor/ does notallow &s to see him as wholl/ e,il. Aohn+s treatment o) the narrator+s depression 'oesterril/ wron'* &t in all likelihood he was tr/in' to help her* not make her worse. The realprolem with Aohn is the allencompassin' a&thorit/ he has in his comined role as thenarrator+s h&sand and doctor. Aohn is so s&re that he knows what+s est )or his wi)e thathe disre'ards her own opinion o) the matter* )orcin' her to hide her tr&e )eelin's. 1econsistentl/ patronies her. 1e calls her “a lessed little 'oose” and ,etoes her smallestwishes* s&ch as when he re)&ses to switch edrooms so as not to o,erind&l'e her“)ancies.” ?&rther* his dr/* clinical rationalit/ renders him &ni3&el/ &ns&ited to &nderstandhis ima'inati,e wi)e. 1e does not intend to harm her* &t his i'norance ao&t what shereall/ needs &ltimatel/ pro,es dan'ero&s.

Aohn knows his wi)e onl/ s&per)iciall/. 1e sees the “o&ter pattern” &t misses the trapped*str&''lin' woman inside. This i'norance is wh/ Aohn is no mere cardoard ,illain. 1ecares )or his wi)e* &t the &ne3&al relationship in which the/ )ind themsel,es pre,ents him)rom tr&l/ &nderstandin' her and her prolems. -/ treatin' her as a “case” or a “wi)e” and

not as a person with a will o) her own* he helps destro/ her* which is the last thin' hewants. That Aohn has een destro/ed / this imprisonin' relationship is made clear / thestor/+s chillin' )inale. )ter reakin' in on his insane wi)e* Aohn )aints in shock and 'oes&nreco'nied / his wi)e* who calls him “that man” and complains ao&t ha,in' to “creepo,er him” as she makes her wa/ alon' the wall.

Themes, Motifs, and Symbols

Themes

The Subordination of omen in Marria!e

4n “The Yellow Wallpaper*” %ilman &ses the con,entions o) the ps/cholo'ical horror tale tocriti3&e the position o) women within the instit&tion o) marria'e* especiall/ as practiced /the “respectale” classes o) her time. When the stor/ was )irst p&lished* most readerstook it as a scar/ tale ao&t a woman in an e9treme state o) conscio&sness:a 'rippin'*dist&rin' entertainment* &t little more. )ter its redisco,er/ in the twentieth cent&r/*howe,er* readin's o) the stor/ ha,e ecome more comple9. ?or %ilman* the con,entionalnineteenthcent&r/ middleclass marria'e* with its ri'id distinction etween the “domestic”

)&nctions o) the )emale and the “acti,e” work o) the male* ens&red that women remainedsecondclass citiens. The stor/ re,eals that this 'ender di,ision had the e))ect o) keepin'women in a childish state o) i'norance and pre,entin' their )&ll de,elopment. Aohn+sass&mption o) his own s&perior wisdom and mat&rit/ leads him to mis(&d'e* patronie* anddominate his wi)e* all in the name o) “helpin'” her. The narrator is red&ced to actin' like across* pet&lant child* &nale to stand &p )or hersel) witho&t seemin' &nreasonale ordislo/al. The narrator has no sa/ in e,en the smallest details o) her li)e* and she retreatsinto her osessi,e )antas/* the onl/ place she can retain some control and e9ercise thepower o) her mind.

The "m#ortance of Self$%x#ression

The mental constraints placed &pon the narrator* e,en more so than the ph/sical ones* arewhat &ltimatel/ dri,e her insane. She is )orced to hide her an9ieties and )ears in order to



preser,e the )aGade o) a happ/ marria'e and to make it seem as tho&'h she is winnin'the )i'ht a'ainst her depression. ?rom the e'innin'* the most intolerale aspect o) hertreatment is the comp&lsor/ silence and idleness o) the “restin' c&re.” She is )orced toecome completel/ passi,e* )oridden )rom e9ercisin' her mind in an/ wa/. Writin' isespeciall/ o)) limits* and Aohn warns her se,eral times that she m&st &se her sel)control torein in her ima'ination* which he )ears will r&n awa/ with her. #) co&rse* the narrator+s

e,ent&al insanit/ is a prod&ct o) the repression o) her ima'inati,e power* not thee9pression o) it. She is constantl/ lon'in' )or an emotional and intellect&al o&tlet* e,en'oin' so )ar as to keep a secret (o&rnal* which she descries more than once as a “relie)”to her mind. ?or %ilman* a mind that is kept in a state o) )orced inacti,it/ is doomed to sel)destr&ction.

The %vils of the &'estin! Cure(

s someone who almost was destro/ed / S. Weir >itchell+s “restin' c&re” )or depression*it is not s&rprisin' that %ilman str&ct&red her stor/ as an attack on this ine))ecti,e and cr&elco&rse o) treatment. “The Yellow Wallpaper” is an ill&stration o) the wa/ a mind that is

alread/ pla'&ed with an9iet/ can deteriorate and e'in to pre/ on itsel) when it is )orcedinto inacti,it/ and kept )rom health/ work. To his credit* >itchell* who is mentioned /name in the stor/* took %ilman+s criticism to heart and aandoned the “restin' c&re.”-e/ond the speci)ic techni3&e descried in the stor/* %ilman means to criticie an/ )orm o)medical care that i'nores the concerns o) the patient* considerin' her onl/ as a passi,eo(ect o) treatment. The connection etween a woman+s s&ordination in the home andher s&ordination in a doctorpatient relationship is clear:Aohn is* a)ter all* the narrator+sh&sand and doctor. %ilman implies that oth )orms o) a&thorit/ can e easil/ a&sed*e,en when the h&sand or doctor means to help. ll too o)ten* the women who are thesilent s&(ects o) this a&thorit/ are in)antilied* or worse.

&otifs

"rony

lmost e,er/ aspect o) “The Yellow Wallpaper” is ironic in some wa/. Irony is a wa/ o)&sin' words to con,e/ m&ltiple le,els o) meanin' that contrast with or complicate oneanother. 4n verbal irony * words are )re3&entl/ &sed to con,e/ the e9act opposite o) theirliteral meanin'* s&ch as when one person responds to another+s mistake / sa/in' “nicework.” 5Sarcasm:which this e9ample emodies:is a )orm o) ,eral iron/.7 4n her (o&rnal*the narrator &ses ,eral iron/ o)ten* especiall/ in re)erence to her h&sandD “Aohn la&'hs

at me* o) co&rse* &t one e9pects that in marria'e.” #,io&sl/* one e9pects no s&ch thin'*at least not in a health/ marria'e. Later* she sa/s* “4 am 'lad m/ case is not serio&s*” at apoint when it is clear that she is concerned that her case is ,er/ serio&s indeed.

ramatic irony occ&rs when there is a contrast etween the reader+s knowled'e and theknowled'e o) the characters in the work. =ramatic iron/ is &sed e9tensi,el/ in “The YellowWallpaper.” ?or e9ample* when the narrator )irst descries the edroom Aohn has chosen)or them* she attri&tes the room+s iarre )eat&res:the “rin's and thin's” in the walls* thenaileddown )&rnit&re* the ars on the windows* and the torn wallpaper:to the )act that itm&st ha,e once een &sed as a n&rser/. E,en this earl/ in the stor/* the reader sees thatthere is an e3&all/ pla&sile e9planation )or these detailsD the room had een &sed to

ho&se an insane person. nother e9ample is when the narrator ass&mes that Aennieshares her interest in the wallpaper* while it is clear that Aennie is onl/ now noticin' theso&rce o) the /ellow stains on their clothin'. The e))ect intensi)ies toward the end o) thestor/* as the narrator sinks )&rther into her )antas/ and the reader remains ale to see her



actions )rom the “o&tside.” -/ the time the narrator )&ll/ identi)ies with the trapped womanshe sees in the wallpaper* the reader can appreciate the narrator+s e9perience )rom herpoint o) ,iew as well as Aohn+s shock at what he sees when he reaks down the door tothe edroom.

!ituational irony re)ers to moments when a character+s actions ha,e the opposite o) theirintended e))ect. ?or e9ample* Aohn+s co&rse o) treatment ack)ires* worsenin' the

depression he was tr/in' to c&re and act&all/ dri,in' his wi)e insane. Similarl/* there is adeep iron/ in the wa/ the narrator+s )ate de,elops. She 'ains a kind o) power and insi'htonl/ / losin' what we wo&ld call her sel)control and reason.

The )ournal

n “epistolar/” work o) )iction takes the )orm o) letters etween characters. “The YellowWallpaper” is a kind o) epistolar/ stor/* in which the narrator writes to hersel). %ilman &sesthis techni3&e to show the narrator+s descent into madness oth s&(ecti,el/ ando(ecti,el/:that is* )rom oth the inside and the o&tside. 1ad %ilman told her stor/ intraditional )irstperson narration* reportin' e,ents )rom inside the narrator+s head* thereader wo&ld ne,er know e9actl/ what to thinkD a woman inside the wallpaper mi'ht seemto act&all/ e9ist. 1ad %ilman told the stor/ )rom an o(ecti,e* thirdperson point o) ,iew*witho&t re,ealin' the narrator+s tho&'hts* the social and political s/molism o) the stor/wo&ld ha,e een osc&red. s it is* the reader m&st decipher the ami'&it/ o) the stor/* (&st as the narrator m&st attempt to decipher the ewilderin' stor/ o) her li)e and theiarre patterns o) the wallpaper. %ilman also &ses the (o&rnal to 'i,e the stor/ an intenseintimac/ and immediac/* especiall/ in those moments when the narrati,e is interr&pted /the approach o) Aohn or Aennie. These interr&ptions per)ectl/ ill&strate the constraintsplaced on the narrator / a&thorit/ )i'&res who &r'e her not to think ao&t her “condition.”

'ymbols

The all#a#er

“The Yellow Wallpaper” is dri,en / the narrator+s sense that the wallpaper is a te9t shem&st interpret* that it s/molies somethin' that a))ects her directl/. ccordin'l/* thewallpaper de,elops its s/molism thro&'ho&t the stor/. t )irst it seems merel/ &npleasantDit is ripped* soiled* and an “&nclean /ellow.” The worst part is the ostensil/ )ormlesspattern* which )ascinates the narrator as she attempts to )i'&re o&t how it is or'anied. )ter starin' at the paper )or ho&rs* she sees a 'hostl/ s&pattern ehind the mainpattern* ,isile onl/ in certain li'ht. E,ent&all/* the s&pattern comes into )oc&s as a

desperate woman* constantl/ crawlin' and stoopin'* lookin' )or an escape )rom ehindthe main pattern* which has come to resemle the ars o) a ca'e. The narrator sees thisca'e as )estooned with the heads o) man/ women* all o) whom were stran'led as the/tried to escape. Clearl/* the wallpaper represents the str&ct&re o) )amil/* medicine* andtradition in which the narrator )inds hersel) trapped. Wallpaper is domestic and h&mle*and %ilman skill)&ll/ &ses this ni'htmarish* hideo&s paper as a s/mol o) the domestic li)ethat traps so man/ women.



"m#ortant *uotations %x#lained

(. )f a physician of high standing, and one!s own husband, assuresfriends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with onebut temporary nervous depression—a slight hysterical tendency—

what is one to do* . . . 'o ) ta#e phosphates or phosphites—whichever it is, and tonics,and +ourneys, and air, and e$ercise, and am absolutely forbidden to“wor# until ) am well again. ersonally, ) disagree with their ideas . . .

E9planation )or H&otation ! II

4n this passa'e* which appears near the e'innin' o) the stor/* the main elements o) thenarrator+s dilemma are present. The power)&l* a&thoritati,e ,oices o) her h&sand* her)amil/* and the medical estalishment &r'e her to e passi,e. 1er own con,iction*

howe,er* is that what she needs is precisel/ the opposite:acti,it/ and stim&lation. ?romthe o&tset* her opinions carr/ little wei'ht. “$ersonall/*” she disa'rees with her treatment*&t she has no power to chan'e the sit&ation. %ilman also e'ins to characterie thenarrator here. The con)&sion o,er “phosphates or phosphites” is in character )or someonewho is not partic&larl/ interested in )act&al acc&rac/. nd the chopp/ rh/thm o) thesentences* o)ten roken into oneline para'raphs* helps e,oke the h&rried writin' o) thenarrator in her secret (o&rnal* as well as the a'itated state o) her mind.

. ) sometimes fancy that in my condition if ) had less opposition andmore society and stimulus—but John says the very worst thing )

can do is thin# about my condition, and ) confess it always ma#esme feel bad. 'o ) will let it alone and tal# about the house.

E9planation )or H&otation 2 II

This section appears near the e'innin' o) the stor/* and it helps characterie oth thenarrator+s dilemma and the narrator hersel). Notal/* the narrator interr&pts her own traino) tho&'ht / recallin' Aohn+s instr&ctions. %ilman shows how the narrator has internaliedher h&sand+s a&thorit/ to the point that she practicall/ hears his ,oice in her head* tellin'her what to think. E,en so* she cannot help &t )eel the wa/ she does* and so the mo,eshe makes at the end:)oc&sin' on the ho&se instead o) her sit&ation:marks thee'innin' o) her slide into osession and madness. This mental str&''le* this desperate

attempt not to think ao&t her &nhappiness* makes her pro(ect her )eelin's onto hers&rro&ndin's* especiall/ the wallpaper* which ecomes a s/molic ima'e o) “hercondition.” The pla/ on words here is t/pical o) %ilman+s consistent &se o) iron/ thro&'ho&tthe stor/. She )eels ad whene,er she thinks ao&t her “condition*” that is* ao&t oth herdepression and her condition in 'eneral within her oppressi,e marria'e.

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/yellowwallpaper/quotes.html#explanation1






. There are things in that paper which nobody #nows but me, or everwill. /ehind that outside pattern the dim shapes get clearer every day. )t is always the same shape, only very numerous. And it is li#e a woman stooping down and creeping about behind

that pattern. ) don!t li#e it a bit. ) wonder—) begin to thin#—) wishJohn would ta#e me away from here0

E9planation )or H&otation < II

o&t hal)wa/ thro&'h the stor/* the s&pattern o) the wallpaper )inall/ comes into )oc&s.The narrator is ein' drawn )&rther and )&rther into her )antas/* which contains a dist&rin'tr&th ao&t her li)e. %ilman+s iron/ is acti,el/ at work hereD the “thin's” in the paper areoth the 'hostl/ women the narrator sees and the dist&rin' ideas she is comin' to&nderstand. She is sim&ltaneo&sl/ (ealo&s o) the secret 5“nood/ knows &t me”7 and)ri'htened o) what it seems to impl/. 'ain the narrator tries to den/ her 'rowin' insi'ht5“the dim shapes 'et clearer e,er/ da/”7* &t she is powerless to e9tricate hersel). Small

wonder that the woman she sees is alwa/s “stoopin' down and creepin' ao&t.” Like thenarrator hersel)* she is trapped within a s&))ocatin' domestic “pattern” )rom which noescape is possile.

Close

1. 2ife is very much more e$citing now than it used to be.

E9planation )or H&otation 8 II

This comment comes (&st a)ter the scene in which the narrator catches Aennie to&chin'

the paper and resol,es that no one else is allowed to )i'&re o&t the pattern. 4t capt&res oneo) the most distincti,e 3&alities o) “The Yellow Wallpaper”D %ilman+s itter* sarcastic senseo) h&mor. Now that the narrator has ecome hopelessl/ osessed with the pattern*spendin' all da/ and all ni'ht thinkin' ao&t it* li)e has ecome more interestin' and she isno lon'er ored. %ilman mana'es to comine h&mor and dread in s&ch moments. Thecomment is )&nn/* &t the reader knows that someone who wo&ld make s&ch a (oke is notwell. 4ndeed* in the section that )ollows* the narrator cas&all/ mentions that she considered&rnin' the ho&se down in order to eliminate the smell o) the wallpaper.

Close

3. ) don!t li#e to loo# out of the windows even—there are so many ofthose creeping women, and they creep so fast. ) wonder if they allcome out of that wall-paper as ) did*

E9planation )or H&otation " II

4n the stor/+s )inal scene* (&st e)ore Aohn )inall/ reaks into her room* the narrator has)inished tearin' o)) eno&'h o) the wallpaper that the woman she saw inside is now )ree:and the two women ha,e ecome one. This passa'e is the e9act moment o) )&llidenti)ication* when the narrator )inall/ makes the connection she has een a,oidin'* a

connection that the reader has made alread/. The woman ehind the pattern was anima'e o) hersel):she has een the one “stoopin' and creepin'.” ?&rther* she knows thatthere are man/ women (&st like her* so man/ that she is a)raid to look at them. The













3&estion she asks is poi'nant and comple9D did the/ all ha,e to str&''le the wa/ 4 didFWere the/ trapped within homes that were reall/ prisonsF =id the/ all ha,e to tear theirli,es &p at the roots in order to e )reeF The narrator* &nale to answer these 3&estions*lea,es them )or another woman:or the reader:to ponder.

+ey acts

title J “The Yellow Wallpaper”

author J Charlotte $erkins %ilman

ty#e of wor- J Short stor/

!enre J %othic horror taleK character st&d/K sociopolitical alle'or/

lan!ua!e J En'lish

time and #lace written J !;2* Cali)ornia

date of first #ublication J >a/* !;2#ublisher J The New En'land >a'aine

narrator J mentall/ tro&led /o&n' woman* possil/ named Aane

#oint of view J s the main character+s )ictional (o&rnal* the stor/ is told in strict )irstperson narration* )oc&sin' e9cl&si,el/ on her own tho&'hts* )eelin's* and perceptions.E,er/thin' that we learn or see in the stor/ is )iltered thro&'h the narrator+s shi)tin'conscio&sness* and since the narrator 'oes insane o,er the co&rse o) the stor/* herperception o) realit/ is o)ten completel/ at odds with that o) the other characters.

tone J The narrator is in a state o) an9iet/ )or m&ch o) the stor/* with )lashes o) sarcasm*

an'er* and desperation:a tone %ilman wants the reader to share.tense J The stor/ sta/s close to the narrator+s tho&'hts at the moment and is th&s mostl/in the present tense.

settin! .time/ J Late nineteenth cent&r/

settin! .#lace/ J merica* in a lar'e s&mmer home 5or possil/ an old as/l&m7* primaril/in one edroom within the ho&se.

#rota!onist J The narrator* a /o&n' &ppermiddleclass woman who is s&))erin' )rom whatis most likel/ postpart&m depression and whose illness 'i,es her insi'ht into her 5andother women+s7 sit&ation in societ/ and in marria'e* e,en as the treatment she &nder'oes

ros her o) her sanit/.major conflict J The str&''le etween the narrator and her h&sand* who is also herdoctor* o,er the nat&re and treatment o) her illness leads to a con)lict within the narrator+smind etween her 'rowin' &nderstandin' o) her own powerlessness and her desire torepress this awareness.

risin! action J The narrator decides to keep a secret (o&rnal* in which she descries her)orced passi,it/ and e9presses her dislike )or her edroom wallpaper* a dislike that'rad&all/ intensi)ies into osession.

climax J The narrator completel/ identi)ies hersel) with the woman imprisoned in thewallpaper.



fallin! action J The narrator* now completel/ identi)ied with the woman in thewallpaper*spends her time crawlin' on all )o&rs aro&nd the room. 1er h&sand disco,ersher and collapses in shock* and she keeps crawlin'* ri'ht o,er his )allen od/.

themes J The s&ordination o) women in marria'eK the importance o) sel)e9pressionK thee,ils o) the “estin' C&re”

motifs J 4ron/K the (o&rnalsymbols J The wallpaper

foreshadowin! J The disco,er/ o) the teeth marks on the edstead )oreshadows thenarrator+s own insanit/ and s&''ests the narrator is not re,ealin' e,er/thin' ao&t hereha,iorK the )irst &se o) the word “creep/” )oreshadows the increasin' desperation o) thenarrator+s sit&ation and her own e,ent&al “creepin'.”

%rade Sa,er The Yellow Wallpaper

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Character List

Narrator

(odeled a)ter Charlotte erkins Gil!an, the narrator in +The Yellow Wallpaper is a yo-n wi)e

and !other who has recently "ean to s-))er sy!pto!s o) depression and an/iety. ltho-h she

does not "elieve that anythin is wron with her, 1ohn, her physician h-s"and, dianoses her with

ne-rasthenia and prescri"es several !onths o) S. Weir (itchell2s )a!ed +rest c-re. n addition to

"ein con)ined to the n-rsery in their rented s-!!er ho!e, the narrator is e/pressly )or"idden to

write or enae in any creative activity. The narrator desperately wants to please her h-s"and and

ass-!e her role as an ideal !other and wi)e, "-t she is -na"le to "alance her h-s"and2s needs with

her desire to e/press her creativity. While atte!ptin to adhere to 1ohn2s wishes )or the !ost part,

the narrator secretly writes in her 4o-rnal, seekin solace )ro! her e/tre!e loneliness and inactivity.'ver the co-rse o) the story, the narrator also "eins to )ind co!)ort in the hideo-s yellow

wallpaper that covers the walls o) the n-rsery. She rad-ally "eins to see a )e!ale )i-re trapped

"ehind the "ar5like pattern o) the wallpaper and reali6es that "oth she and the )i-re are s-))erin

)ro! oppression and i!prison!ent. s the narrator "eco!es !ore and !ore preocc-pied with the

pattern o) the wallpaper, she )orets her desire to "eco!e the per)ect wi)e and !other and thinks

only o) a way to release the i!prisoned wo!an )ro! the wallpaper. Gil!an2s increasinly choppy

prose and dis4ointed strea!5o)5conscio-sness e/press the narrator2s rowin insanity with each

passin day. 7y the end o) the story, the narrator has lost all sense o) reality, and 1ohn discovers her

creepin aro-nd the peri!eter o) the n-rsery, )ollowin the endless pattern o) the wallpaper. While

she discards her d-ty as a wi)e and !other, as well as her sanity, the narrator -lti!ately tri-!phs in

her personal 8-est to release the wo!an in the wallpaper 5 and th-s li"erates hersel).

n so!e editions o) the story, the narrator declares her li"eration )ro! the wallpaper and the rational

world "y proclai!in, 9:ve ot o-t at last...in spite o) yo- and 1ane.9 So!e scholars ar-e that



91ane9 is si!ply a !isprint )or 91ennie,9 1ohn:s sister and ho-sekeeper. Yet, it is also possi"le that

91ane9 is the act-al na!e o) the narrator, a character who re!ains a na!eless stereotype o) )e!ale

social oppression )or the entirely o) the story. ) this 91ane9 is, in )act, the narrator, then Gil!an

s-ests that the narrator:s li"eration )ro! sanity and the "ars o) the wallpaper also !eans an

9escape9 )ro! her own sense o) sel).

John

The h-s"and o) the narrator, 1ohn is a practical physician who "elieves that his wi)e is s-))erin

)ro! nothin !ore than a +sliht hysterical tendency. ;e prescri"es the +rest c-re, con)inin the

narrator to the n-rsery and )or"iddin her to e/ercise her creative i!aination in any way. ;is

antaonis! toward her i!aination ste!s )ro! his own rationality and personal an/iety a"o-t

creativity< he sco))s openly at the narrator2s )ancies and is incapa"le o) -nderstandin her tr-e

nat-re. Thro-ho-t the story, he treats her in an in)antile !anner, re)errin to her as his +"lessed

little oose and +little irl. (oreover, when the narrator atte!pts to disc-ss her -nhappiness with

the sit-ation in a !at-re !anner, he re)-ses to accept her as an e8-al and si!ply carries her "ack -p

to the n-rsery )or !ore "ed rest. ;e is )i/ed in his a-thoritative position as h-s"and and doctor and

cannot adapt his stratey to acco-nt )or her opinion on the !atter. ;e "elieves in a strict, paternalistic divide "etween !en and wo!en< !en work o-tside o) the ho!e, as he does, while

wo!en like 1ennie, his sister, and (ary, the nanny, tend to the ho-se.

ltho-h 1ohn is set -p as the villain o) the story, he can also "e seen as a !ore sy!pathetic

character. ;e clearly loves his wi)e and relies on her )or his own happiness. Yet he is -na"le to

reconcile her creative desires with his own rationality or the cha-vinistic e/pectations o) the ti!e

period. ;is wi)e is -na"le or -nwillin to adhere to the ideal !odel o) do!esticity e/pressed "y the

%=th5cent-ry society, and 1ohn is at a loss as to what to do. ;is sol-tion is to -se Weir (itchell2s

rest c-re to +)i/ his wi)e, and he does not reali6e that his own actions p-sh her over the ede o)

insanity.

4oman in the wallpaper

ltho-h the narrator event-ally "elieves that she sees !any wo!en in the yellow wallpaper, she

centers on one in partic-lar. The wo!an appears to "e trapped within the "ar5like pattern o) the

wallpaper, and she shakes the pattern as she tries to "reak o-t. The wo!an is !ost active "y

!oonliht, a sy!"ol o) )e!ininity and a sin that 1ohn2s strict dayti!e rei!en is no loner

applica"le to the narrator.

'ver ti!e, as the narrator2s insanity deepens, she identi)ies co!pletely with this wo!an and

"elieves that she, too, is trapped within the wallpaper. s a hostly co-nterpart o) the narrator, the

wo!an in the wallpaper also sy!"oli6es )e!ale i!prison!ent within the do!estic sphere. >na"le

to "reak )ree )ro! the roo!, like the narrator, the wo!an in the wallpaper has only the sy!"olicoption o) tendin to the ho-se as a wi)e or !other. The wo!an2s ha"it o) +creepin s-ests that

she !-st still "e secretive a)ter she has achieved her li"eration. Social nor!s will not accept her

)reedo! )ro! the do!estic sphere, and so she !-st creep )-rtively and lie in wait in the shadows o)

the wallpaper.

Jennie

1ennie is the narrator2s sister5in5law and takes care o) the ho-se d-rin the narrator2s illness.

ltho-h she does not play an active role in the narrative, she is a constant re!inder o) the

narrator:s ina"ility to ass-!e her proper role as 1ohn:s wi)e and ho-sekeeper. lways !aintainin a

passive position -nder 1ohn:s s-pervision, 1ennie sy!"oli6es the happily do!esticated wo!an who

does not )ind anythin wron with her do!estic prison. ;owever, Gil!an also s-ests that there

!ay "e !ore to 1ennie than !eets the eye? the narrator acknowledes that 1ennie is aware o) the



narrator:s rowin interest in the wallpaper and even disc-sses her )-t-re with 1ohn.

&ary

(ary takes care o) the narrator and 1ohn:s "a"y. With her na!e a possi"le all-sion to the Virin

(ary, (ary is the per)ect !other5s-rroate )or the narrator, an ideali6ed !aternal )i-re whose only

concern is her child. Like 1ennie, she also sy!"oli6es the happily do!esticated wo!an. ltho-h(ary is even less present in the te/t than 1ennie, she still serves to re!ind the narrator o) her

personal )ailins as a %=th cent-ry wo!an, partic-larly in ter!s o) her own child.

Summary and Analysis

art (

The anony!o-s )e!ale narrator and her physician h-s"and, 1ohn, have rented o-t a colonial

!ansion )or the s-!!er. The narrator is i!!ediately awed "y the !a4estic "ea-ty o) the ho-se andconsiders hersel) l-cky to "e a"le to spend the s-!!er livin there. ;owever, she still )inds

+so!ethin 8-eer a"o-t the ho-se. 1ohn hopes that the chane o) scenery and a"sence )ro! city

li)e will help the narrator recover )ro! a +sliht hysterical tendency. 1ohn, a practical !an, does

not "elieve that the narrator is act-ally sick and decides that the "est c-re )or her nervo-sness is the

+rest c-re, a treat!ent pro!oted "y the )a!o-s physician, S. Weir (itchell.

1ohn ives the narrator tonics and !edicines to help with her recovery, "-t pri!arily directs her to

stop writin. ccordin to Weir (itchell2s theory, any sort o) creative activity will have a

detri!ental e))ect on the patient. The narrator does not aree with this part o) her treat!ent and

hates not "ein allowed to write while she rests< she s-spects that work wo-ld act-ally speed her

recovery. She has "een writin occasionally in a s!all 4o-rnal, "-t it is e/ha-stin to do so in secret.The narrator also "elieves that her condition wo-ld i!prove i) she were allowed to have !ore

co!pany. ;owever, 1ohn tells her that s-ch sti!-lation will only aravate her nervo-sness.

1ohn o-tlines a speci)ic daily rei!en )or the narrator to )ollow, especially when he is in town

seein patients. ;e portions o-t every ho-r o) the day in care)-l precision, ens-rin that she will et

plenty o) rest witho-t the chance to e/ercise her creativity.

The narrator disc-sses the ho-se and its "ea-ti)-l s-rro-ndins. The ho-se is solitary, has hedes

and walls and ates, s!aller ho-ses )or ardeners and other workers, and an eleant arden. Still,

she )eels there is so!ethin strane a"o-t the ho-se. She atte!pts to artic-late these )eelins to

1ohn, "-t he re)-ses to acknowlede her opinion. She )inds hersel) ettin anrier with hi! now,

especially when he tells her to e/ercise sel)5control.n partic-lar, the narrator is -pset a"o-t 1ohn2s choice o) "edroo! )or her. The narrator pre)ers a

lovely roo! downstairs that has nice decorations and a window overlookin the arden. ;owever,

1ohn ar-es that the roo! is too s!all "eca-se it cannot )it two separate "eds. ;e selects instead the

n-rsery roo! @as indicated "y the "ars on the windows )or childrenA. "i roo!, the n-rsery has

windows on all sides and allows plenty o) s-nshine. ;owever, the wallpaper in the roo! 5 stripped

o)) in two places 5 has a hideo-s, chaotic, yellow pattern, and the narrator can "arely stand to look at

it. 1ohn then enters the roo! and the narrator p-ts away her 4o-rnal, as he hates )or her to write.

Analysis

n %$$B, Charlotte erkins Gil!an, s-))erin )or several years )ro! depression and )ati-e went to

see noted physician Silas Weir (itchell. (itchell dianosed her with +ne-rasthenia and prescri"ed

the 9rest c-re9 evident in the story. >na"le to write or see co!pany, Gil!an:s rest drove her to the

http://www.gradesaver.com/character.html?character=16917

http://www.gradesaver.com/author/charlotte-gilman/


http://www.gradesaver.com/author/charlotte-gilman/



"rink o) insanity over the ne/t three !onths. She )inally discarded his advice, !oved to Cali)ornia,

and res-!ed her work o) writin. She soon )elt "etter, and wrote 9The Yellow Wallpaper ,9 an

e/aerated version o) her own e/periences. Tho-h (itchell did not respond when she sent hi! a

copy, she learned later that he had altered his treat!ent o) ne-rasthenia a)ter readin the story.

Gil!an wrote the story not !erely to chane one !an:s view o) ne-rasthenia, "-t to -se the story as

a sy!"ol o) the oppression o) wo!en in a paternalistic society. To "ein with, we know the na!e o)

the narrator:s h-s"and @1ohnA, "-t not her own. She is nearly anony!o-s< her identity is 1ohn:s wi)e.This power i!"alance e/tends to other areas o) their relationship. 1ohn do!inates her, al"eit in an

-lti!ately patroni6in !anner. ;is stron, practical, and stereotypically !asc-line nat-re is

skeptical o) her see!inly weak, 9)e!inine9 disorder @as ne-rasthenia and other !ental illnesses

were o)ten cateori6edA, and he, not she, dianoses her pro"le! and prescri"es the c-re. When he

tells her to e/ercise sel)5control over her irritation with hi!, the e))ect is ironic< he controls nearly

everythin a"o-t her and even !akes her )eel -nrate)-l )or not val-in his help eno-h.

The !a4or )-nction o) 1ohn:s control over her, as with (itchell:s control over Gil!an, is his

inhi"itin her )ro! writin. Tho-h she )eels writin wo-ld help her recover, as Gil!an )o-nd,

1ohn "elieves it only saps her strenth. ;e sti)les her creativity and intellect and )orces her into the

do!esticated position o) a powerless wi)e. The act o) hidin her writin whenever 1ohn is aro-nd issi!ilar to the way literary wo!en in the %$th5cent-ry, and even the late %=th5cent-ry @when 9The

Yellow Wallpaper9 was writtenA, had to hide their work )ro! their )a!ilies< 1ane -sten is )a!o-s

)or havin written her novels while periodically stowin away the !an-scripts in her )a!ily:s

livin5roo!.

The narrator is i!prisoned, -na"le to e/ercise do!inion over her !ind, and the str-ct-re o) the

ho-se and its s-rro-ndins "ears this o-t? 9...there are hedes and walls and ates that lock, and lots

o) separate little ho-ses )or the ardeners and people... never saw s-ch a arden 5 lare and shady,

)-ll o) "o/5"ordered paths...9 verythin is separated and divided, "o/ed in, and locked like a

prison, !-ch as she is held captive in her roo!. n )act, the ho-se itsel) see!s desined )or !en<

larer5than5li)e !ansions are typically sy!"ols o) !asc-line aression and co!petitiveness, whileits "ein a 9hereditary estate9 re!inds -s it was pro"a"ly passed down to !en in the )a!ily.

ota"ly, the narrator wanted the !ore stereotypically )e!inine roo!, one that 9opened on the

pia66a,9 with 9roses all over the window, and s-ch pretty old5)ashioned chint6 haninsD9 Eespite

the airiness o) her shared roo! with 1ohn, the "arred windows sy!"oli6e her i!prison!ent. That

the roo! !ay have "een a )or!er n-rsery is !ore i!portant< she is )orced into a helpless, in)antile

position with 1ohn as her caretaker.

n a !oti) that will ass-!e !ore i!portance later in the story, she )inds so!ethin strane on a

9!oonlit evenin.9 iht is typically viewed in literat-re as an escape )ro! the conscio-s order o)

the dayti!e< at niht the s-"conscio-s r-ns wild with drea!s. (oreover, the !oon )re8-ently

sy!"oli6es )e!ale int-ition and sensitivity. S-nshine do!inates the n-rsery d-rin the day, !-ch as1ohn do!inates the narrator d-rin the day as he ives her 9a sched-le prescription )or each ho-r in

the day.9 Th-s, s-nshine is associated with ordered, !asc-line oppression, while the niht see!s to

li"erate the narrator in so!e )or!.

S-nshine is also e8-ated with the yellow wallpaper, which is 9)aded "y the slow5t-rnin s-nliht.9

The 9sickly s-lph-r tint9 o) wallpaper is also associated with illness. The title o) the story clearly

indicates that the wallpaper will row !ore i!portant, and Gil!an hints that the chaos o) the

wallpaper:s pattern will have so!ethin to do with the story. For now, we can ass-!e that the chaos

has so!e association with the narrator:s see!inly disordered !ind. So )ar she is 8-ite sane, "-t her

narrative style o) short sentences that !ove )ro! topic to topic is si!ilar to the wallpaper:s pattern

o) c-rves that 9pl-ne o)) at o-traeo-s anles, destroy the!selves in -nheard o) contradictions.9

ote, too, that the wallpaper has "een stripped o)) in two parts o) the roo!, a )act that s-ests an

internal str-le or con)lict? perhaps so!ethin is tryin to "reak )ree.

http://www.gradesaver.com/the-yellow-wallpaper/




art

t has "een two weeks since the narrator and 1ohn have !oved into the ho-se, and she has not )elt

like writin since the )irst day. 1ohn is away d-rin the day on cases, even at niht so!eti!es, and

the narrator is e/tre!ely lonely. She "la!es 1ohn )or not -nderstandin how !-ch she s-))ers and

lons )or his s-pport. Still, she "elieves that she is s-))erin )ro! nothin !ore than !ere

nervo-sness, and she does not want to "e a "-rden to 1ohn.

She is too tired to do anythin on her own and )eels an overwhel!in sense o) -ilt )or her

incapacity as 1ohn2s wi)e. She acknowledes that she is !-ch too nervo-s to take care o) their "a"y,

and she is rate)-l that their nanny, (ary, is a"le to take her place.

The wallpaper now irritates the narrator even !ore since her )irst day in the ho-se. She atte!pts to

convince 1ohn to chane the wallpaper, "-t 1ohn la-hs at her an/iety. ;e ar-es that i) they

repaper the roo! )or their three5!onth stay, soon she will want to chane everythin else in the

roo!, too @which she privately ad!its is tr-eA. Still, the narrator is -pset that 1ohn dis!isses her

re8-est so 8-ickly and wishes that there was so!e way to et rid o) the paper.

To avoid lookin at the wallpaper, she looks at the arden o-t o) one window, and o-t o) another at

the "ay, the estate:s private whar), and the shaded lane )ro! the ho-se. She thinks she sees peoplewalkin down the lane, "-t 1ohn tells her not to ive in to these )anci)-l visions, as it will

e/acer"ate her nervo-s condition. The narrator is still convinced that writin wo-ld heal her, "-t she

ets tired whenever she tries. 1ohn also contin-es to deny her other hope )or her own recovery< he

will allow her to see her )riends and relatives only a)ter she is well aain.

The narrator "eins to "e preocc-pied with the pattern o) the wallpaper. She is drawn to a rec-rrent

pattern that looks like a "roken neck and two -pside5down eyes starin at her. The narrator is also

"einnin to discern so!ethin else in the -nr-ly pattern o) the wallpaper? a +strane )i-re

sk-lkin in the "ackro-nd.

Thro-h the window she sees 1ohn:s sister, 1ennie, a carin and per)ect ho-sekeeper, approachin

the ho-se. The narrator knows that 1ennie spies on her and reports to 1ohn so she !-st !ake s-renot to let her see her writin. The narrator also acknowledes that 1ennie pro"a"ly arees with 1ohn

on her dianosis and "elieves that the writin has !ade her sick. s soon as the she hears 1ennie

co!in -p the stairs, the narrator p-ts away her writin and ass-!es a +rest)-l position.

Analysis

This section o) the story is the )irst ti!e that the narrator reveals her personal insec-rities a"o-t her

illness. 7eca-se o) her ail!ent, the narrator is -na"le to )-l)ill her wi)ely and !aternal d-ties, and

she )eels that she !-st "e a terri"le "-rden to 1ohn. (ary @likely an all-sion to the ideal !other? the

Virin (aryA has replaced her as the caretaker o) the co-ple:s "a"y, while 1ennie is a !odel o) the

per)ectly s-"!issive and happily do!esticated wi)e who cares )or 1ohn2s ho-se and wel)are.

With the narrator:s identities as wi)e and !other s-"verted, 1ohn acts !ore like a )ather to her than

he does as a h-s"and. ;e contin-es to in)antili6e her, callin her his 9:"lessed little oose.:9 This

paternalistic attit-de e/tends to 1ennie, who 9hopes )or no "etter pro)ession9 than "ein a

ho-sekeeper and who pro"a"ly "elieves writin is the ca-se o) the narrator:s sickness. 1ennie:s "ias

aainst writin, however, is less )orce)-l than 1ohn:s is< 1ohn sti)les the narrator:s 9i!ainative

power and ha"it o) story5!akin9 when she !erely looks o-tside and thinks she sees people.

When the narrator atte!pts to convince hi! to repaper the n-rsery, 1ohn re4ects her re8-est al!ost

i!!ediately. ;e de!onstrates his contin-ed "elie) in his s-periority over the narrator, partic-larly

in ter!s o) her health. 7y re!ovin the wallpaper, 1ohn "elieves that he will "e ind-lin his

patient, s-"!ittin to a )oolish re8-est. Yet, as the narrator notes, the wallpaper is already e/tre!ely

da!aed, with lare spots !issin. With that in !ind, it see!s as i) 1ohn is re)-sin the narrator2s

re8-est si!ply )or the sake o) re)-sin it. ;e "elieves that acknowledin her dislike o) the










wallpaper is -lti!ately irrational, and he cannot allow hi!sel) to perpet-ate her nervo-sness.

1ohn2s "ehavior in this section contin-es the paternalistic sense o) his character that Gil!an

introd-ces in the )irst part o) the story. ot only is 1ohn oppressively paternalistic as a h-s"and, he

is worse "eca-se o) his position o) a-thority as the narrator2s physician. Sini)icantly, 1ohn2s

insistence on keepin the yellow wallpaper in the n-rsery will -lti!ately "e )ar !ore detri!ental to

the narrator2s !ental health.

t this point in the story, the narrator also "eins to de!onstrate so!e !ental iss-es. ;er !ind is

rowin !ore chaotic and disoriented, !irrorin the i!ae o) the arden, with its 9rioto-s old5

)ashioned )lowers, and "-shes and narly trees. This initial chaos is also re)lected in her writin,

which "eco!es choppier and !ore distracted.

The wallpaper is also "einnin to take a key position in her !ind and daily reality. nstead o)

)oc-sin on the eneral hideo-sness o) the wallpaper as she had earlier, now the narrator "eins to

"e preocc-pied "y speci)ic ele!ents o) the pattern. n partic-lar, she is drawn to a central pattern o)

"roken heads and "-l"o-s eyes. This aspect o) the pattern is sini)icant in ter!s o) its violence< the

poppin eyes and de)or!ed neck clearly s-est stran-lation or s-))ocation, "oth o) which relate

to the narrator2s state o) oppression in 1ohn2s ho-se.

The narrator is also "einnin to )eels as i) the wallpaper is watchin her. ot only do 1ohn and

1ennie watch her, care)-lly 4-din and 8-anti)yin her "ehavior, the wallpaper is o"servin her as

well. This adds to the sense o) i!prisoned s-rveillance? even when the narrator is alone in the

n-rsery, she is still "ein !onitored. She also clai!s that she can see a )i-re in the wallpaper

+where the s-n is 4-st so. This discovery relates to the s-nliht !oti) and also )oreshadows later

events in the narrative.

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The narrator and Aohn ha,e (&st had relati,es o,er )or the 8th o) A&l/. E,en tho&'h Aennie

took care o) e,er/thin'* the narrator is still tired and does not know wh/ her health is still)ailin'. Aohn has warned her he ma/ send her to the ph/sician Weir >itchell in the )all i)she does not 'et etter. The narrator is terri)ied o) the prospect o) ein' sent to Weir>itchell eca&se she has heard that he is the same as Aohn* onl/ more so.

The narrator )inds she is an9io&s* ar'&mentati,e* and cries easil/ when alone. Aohn israrel/ present* and she e'ins to )eel o,erwhelmed with her ner,o&sness. She writes onl/to relie,e her tho&'hts* &t the e))ort is too 'reat e,en )or that. Tho&'h she still elie,esthat the ke/ to her reco,er/ lies in writin'* she worries that the ke/ to her c&re is nowe/ond her reach.

The narrator attempts to con,ince Aohn to let her ,isit Co&sin 1enr/ and A&lia* &t her

tears &ndermine her ar'&ment. Aohn carries her ack into the n&rser/ and reads to her&ntil she calms down. 1e then enco&ra'es her to &se her will power to 'et etter. Thenarrator+s onl/ com)ort is that the a/ has een well and has not een )orced to &se then&rser/. She is content to know that her presence in the n&rser/ ens&res that her a/ willnot ha,e to s&))er the same )ate.

With each passin' da/* the wallpaper pro,es to e increasin'l/ stim&latin'. She spendsho&rs st&d/in' the con)&sin'* chaotic patterns and e,en admits that she is e'innin' to'row rather )ond o) the wallpaper. Whene,er Aohn dismisses her concerns or lea,es theho&se* she immediatel/ )inds com)ort in the swirlin' shapes o) the /ellow wallpaper.

4n one s&nlit section o) the room* she is e'innin' to make o&t a more ordered s&pattern

eneath the o&ter la/er* similar to the ars o) a ca'e. The ha/ shape eneath the patternalso e'ins to solidi)/* and she can now identi)/ it as a woman who is “stoopin' down andcreepin'” ehind the main pattern.







Analysis

The meanin' o) the wallpaper is* as the narrator sa/s* 'rowin' clearer each da/. -eneaththe con)&sin' patterns* which closel/ mirror the narrator+s chaotic mind* she ima'e o) awoman in a somewhat s&ser,ient pose 5stoopin' down and creepin' aro&nd7. The)i'&re+s position corresponds to the narrator+s in)erior position in her marria'e and in thesociet/.

The ars that appear in the wallpaper contin&e to emphasie this connection etween thenarrator and the ha/ )eminine )i'&re in trapped ehind the pattern. Earl/ in the stor/* thenarrator notes the ars on the windows o) the n&rser/* pres&mal/ to protect the children)rom )allin' o&t o) the windows. Yet* the woman ehind the wallpaper is imprisoned ehindars as well* re,ealin' that the narrator is also s&pposed to e imprisoned in the samewa/. $erhaps the ars did not e,en elon' to the n&rser/ &t were installed in preparation)or the narrator+s ,isit.

Si'ni)icantl/* the narrator+s perspecti,e toward the wallpaper also e'ins to chan'e. She isosessed with the swirlin' pattern in the wallpaper and e,en )inds com)ort in its irrationalit/

when she is sad or lonel/. She sa/sD There are thin's in that paper that nood/ knows &tme. Callin' it paper rather than wallpaper s&''ests that the wallpaper )&nctionssimilarl/ to the paper on which she has een secretl/ writin'. The wallpaper is ecomin' akind o) literar/ te9t in which she can disco,er deep meanin' &nder the s&r)ace andde,elop her own creati,it/.

Thro&'ho&t this section* AohnMs paternalism 'rows. 1e treats her more like his in)ant*callin' her his darlin' and his com)ort* as i) her identit/ e9ists onl/ thro&'h him. Thenarrator also elie,es 4 m&st take care o) m/sel) )or his sake* a statement loaded withiron/. The iron/ o) AohnMs control o,er her a'ain res&r)aces when he tells her she m&st &seher will and sel)control to 'et etter when* in )act* he has een controllin' her all alon'.

The narrator+s desire to ,isit her Co&sin 1enr/ and A&lia is &ndermined / Aohn+s controlo,er her. ltho&'h she attempts to o&tline a clear ar'&ment )or the ,isit* Aohn+s inailit/ tocomprehend her )eelin's res&lts in a complete emotional reakdown. -eca&se Aohn doesnot allow the narrator to ass&me the role o) a mat&re indi,id&al in char'e o) her own li)e*she is doomed to )ail&re e,er/ time she attempts to make a point a'ainst him.

%ilman also takes the opport&nit/ to make a oldl/ ins&ltin' re)erence to S. Weir >itchellin this section. s the doctor who prescried %ilman with a similar rest c&re in !;;* Weir>itchell is a&tomaticall/ presented as the &nderl/in' ,illain o) the stor/* a ph/sician who is“(&st like Aohn and m/ rother* onl/ more soB” The narrator )ears Weir >itchell to s&ch ane9tent that she wo&ld rather sta/ in the n&rser/ and attempt to c&re hersel) with thewallpaper than see him. Aohn+s &se o) a threat as a wa/ to )orce the narrator into reco,er/is also si'ni)icant* demonstratin' his lack o) respect )or the narrator.

art 1

#ne ni'ht* the narrator decides that she sho&ld talk ao&t her case with Aohn. She hopesto con,ince him to let them lea,e the n&rser/K despite her preocc&pation with thewallpaper* she still )eels somethin' omino&s ao&t it. Yet* the narrator )eels insec&retalkin' ao&t her case eca&se she does not want him to think that she do&ts him orlo,es him an/ less.

ather than wake him* the narrator 'ets o&t o) ed to look at the )emale )i'&re in the wall.

When she comes ack* Aohn is awake. She asks him i) the/ can lea,e* &t he sa/s theirlease is &p in three weeks and their ho&se is still ein' remodeledK esides* she looks likeshe is 'ettin' etter. She responds with -etter in od/ perhaps* &t Aohn interr&pts and





&r'es her not to think ao&t s&ch thin's. 1e 'oes to sleep* &t the narrator sta/s &p )orho&rs starin' at the wallpaper.

The wallpaperMs pattern contin&es to asor the narrator. She is appalled at the irritatin'pattern and still cannot &nderstand how the pattern can e so tort&ro&s. She notices thatwhen the )irst ra/ o) s&nli'ht shoots thro&'h the east window* the pattern chan'es 3&ickl/.-/ moonli'ht* the pattern looks completel/ di))erent. The pattern ecomes ars* and the

)i'&re o) a woman ecomes ,er/ clear.

s the da/s pass* Aohn makes the narrator lie down more o)ten )or her health. Thenarrator pretends to )ollow his orders* &t she is &nale to sleep and simpl/ )ollows thepattern o) the wallpaper with her e/es. 1owe,er* she does not want to tell Aohn that shesta/s awake* and she )eels that this is c&lti,atin' deceit in their relationship.

The narrator notices that Aohn and Aennie are e'innin' to act stran'el/K she is e,ene'innin' to e a little a)raid o) Aohn. 1er onl/ e9planation )or this chan'e in eha,ior isthat the/ are also interested in the wallpaper. The narrator catches Aennie to&chin' thewallpaper &nder the e9c&se that the paper stains clothin'. The narrator resol,es that noone shall )i'&re o&t the pattern &t her.

Analysis

%ilman contin&es to de,elop the moti) o) s&nli'ht and moonli'ht as the meanin' o)wallpaper ecomes clearer. -/ moonli'ht* the narrator 'ains the stren'th to ask Aohn to lether lea,e the ho&se. ltho&'h her plea is &ns&ccess)&l* she does not &rst into tears asshe had d&rin' her pre,io&s attempt. Aohn ends the disc&ssion / askin' the narrator i)she tr&sts him. Si'ni)icantl/* the narrator does not respond and simpl/ pretends to )allasleep.

The pattern o) the wallpaper also emer'es most clearl/ / the li'ht o) the moon. The

narrator is ale to identi)/ the )i'&re as a woman ehind ars* an ima'e that s/moliesthe oppression o) )emale domestication. -eca&se wallpaper is stereot/picall/ a )loral*)eminine )i9t&re in rooms* the )i'&re+s imprisonment ehind the wallpaper hi'hli'hts thee9pectations )or women o) the late !thcent&r/. Onlike men* women o) the time weree9pected onl/ to tend to the ho&sework and the )amil/ and rarel/ to lea,e )reel/ )or workas Aohn does. The )act that the oppressi,e wallpaper is on the walls o) the n&rser/ is /etanother s/mol o) the maternal d&ties that the )emale )i'&re is e9pected to ass&me.

1owe,er* the narrator onl/ 'rows s&conscio&sl/ aware o) this oppression at ni'ht* whenthe s&conscio&s is allowed to roam. 4n the da/time* the )i'&re in the wallpaper is (&st asrepressed as she isD -/ da/li'ht she is s&d&ed* 3&iet. 4 )anc/ it is the pattern that keeps

her so still.Aohn contin&es his condescendin'* in)antiliin' eha,ior toward his little 'irl.” 1e assertsthat his a&thorit/ as a ph/sician sho&ld e eno&'h to con,ince her that she is impro,in'K i)he sa/s so* it m&st e tr&e. 1is re)&sal to disc&ss her intimations that she is mentall/ illportends disaster.

Yet* the narrator all&des to the possiilit/ that Aohn act&all/ does notice her trans)ormation.She ascries his stran'e eha,ior to an interest in the wallpaper* &t it is more likel/ thatAohn is noticin' the narrator+s slow loss o) rationalit/. With that in mind* Aohn+s ind&l'enteha,ior ma/ simpl/ e an attempt to calm the narrator and a,oid an/ ma(or con)licts. 1isre)erence to a “little trip o) a )ew da/s” is partic&larl/ pertinent. 4t is impossile to know i)

Aohn is act&all/ plannin' a short trip )or the co&ple or i) he is preparin' the narrator )or a,isit with S. Weir >itchell.

The narratorMs prose st/le 'rows choppier and more paranoid. She )ears that e,er/one





else is tr/in' to )i'&re o&t the meanin' o) the wallpaper* partic&larl/ Aennie. When shecomes &pon Aennie to&chin' the wallpaper* the narrator is o,ercome with ra'e and has torestrain hersel) in order not to )ri'hten Aennie. 1er )inal declaration demonstrates thee9tent o) her osession with the wallpaperD “nood/ shall )ind it o&t &t m/sel)B”

art 3

The narrator )inds li)e more e9citin' now eca&se o) the wallpaper. 1er health impro,es*and she is calmer* all eca&se o) the stim&lation pro,ided / the wallpaperK )inall/ she hassomethin' to look )orward to. Still* she does not tell Aohn that her impro,in' health is d&eto the wallpaper )or )ear he wo&ld la&'h or take her awa/. She does not want to lea,e &ntilshe has )o&nd it o&t* and thinks that the remainin' week o) their ,acation will e eno&'hto do so.

maed at how m&ch etter she )eels* the narrator spends most o) the da/time sleepin'so that she can watch the de,elopments in the wallpaper / ni'ht. E,er/ da/* new patternsappear in the wallpaper* and the narrator can arel/ keep track o) them. She e'ins tonotice that the wallpaper has its own smell a s&tle &t end&rin' odor that creeps o,erthe entire ho&se and 'ets in her hair. The /ellow smell was initiall/ dist&rin'* &t nowshe is &sed to it. The narrator also disco,ers a mark low down on the wall that streaksaro&nd the entire room as i) it had een r&ed in repeatedl/. She wonders wh/ it is thereand who did it.

?inall/* the narrator has disco,ered wh/ the wallpaper seems to shake at ni'htD the womanin the wallpaper seies the ars o) the pattern and shakes them as she tries to climthro&'h. Then narrator is not s&re i) it is onl/ one woman in the wallpaperMs patterncrawlin' aro&nd )ast* or i) there are man/ women. 4n the ri'ht spots she is still* and in thedarker spots* she shakes the ars o) the pattern and tries to clim thro&'h. -&t no one can'et thro&'h the pattern* which has stran'led so man/ womenMs heads.

The narrator elie,es she sees the wallpaper woman o&tside in the da/li'ht and hidin'when others come. She is certain that it is the same woman )rom ehind the wallpapereca&se o) the “creepin'*” somethin' that most women wo&ld ne,er do in da/li'ht. Thenarrator acknowled'es that it m&st e e9tremel/ h&miliatin' to e ca&'ht creepin' in theda/li'htK she onl/ creeps d&rin' the da/ when the door is locked and Aohn is 'one.

The narrator has onl/ two da/s le)t to remo,e the top pattern o) the wallpaper o)) )romthe other one. She determines to tr/ and do it* little / little. Aohn and Aennie are 'rowin's&spicio&s o) her* and the narrator hears Aohn askin' Aennie a series o) pro)essional3&estions ao&t her. ltho&'h the narrator is disconcerted / Aohn+s stran'e eha,ior* shedecides that an/one wo&ld start to act oddl/ a)ter sleepin' &nder the /ellow wallpaper )or

three months.

Analysis

The narrator insists that there is somethin' to e )o&nd...o&t in the wallpaper. Sherein)orces the idea o) the wallpaper as holdin' a tan'ile meanin' she can &nlock* and%ilman ma/ as well e tellin' the reader to do the same with The Yellow Wallpaper . -oththe narrator and the reader tr/ to peel o)) the top pattern o) the wallpaper and the stor/*respecti,el/* to &nco,er the deeper meanin' elow.









4t is ecomin' clearer that the woman in the wallpaper represents )eminine imprisonment.4n her domesticated prison o) the wallpaper* she sta/s s&d&ed and still in ri'ht spots &tshakes the ars in darker spots. 4n another all&sion to the s&nli'htmoonli'ht moti)*%ilman associates ri'htness with the ri'idit/ and re'&larit/ o) male oppression* anddarkness with )eminine lieration.

The di))&sion o) the wallpaperMs smell thro&'ho&t the ho&se s/molies how the wallpaper

is in)ectin' the narratorMs mind. She is &nale to 3&anti)/ the odor as an/thin' other than a“/ellow smell”K e,en her powers o) oser,ation and ima'ination ha,e trans)ormed tore,ol,e aro&nd the /ellow wallpaper. 4n pre,io&s sections* the narrator has een de)inedentirel/ / AohnD as his wi)e* patient* and propert/. 1ere* %ilman s&''ests that Aohn haseen replaced* and the /ellow wallpaper now wholl/ de)ines the narrator.

s her narrati,e deli,er/ 'rows more chaotic and staccato* the narrator identi)ies morestron'l/ with the woman in the wallpaper. Con)&sin'l/* when disc&ssin' the womanMs haito) creepin' ao&t o&tside* the narrator sa/s* 4 alwa/s lock the door when 4 creep /da/li'ht. She speaks as i) she* and not the woman* is the one doin' the creepin'.

The narrator is also 'rowin' increasin'l/ paranoid and s&spicio&s ao&t Aohn and Aennie.She does not like the wa/ that Aohn is lookin' at her* and she resents his a&thoritati,e3&estions to Aennie ao&t her. She no lon'er elie,es that he is act&all/ lo,in' and kindKinstead* she concl&des that he is onl/ “pretendin'” to e lo,in' and kind in an e))ort tomanip&late her. Still* the narrator ar'&es that Aohn cannot e held responsile )or hiseha,ior. The in)l&ence o) the /ellow wallpaper has trans)ormed oth Aennie and Aohn*and the narrator pities their preocc&pation with it.

Clearl/* the narrator+s sense o) realit/ has ecome completel/ warped. No lon'erreco'niin' hersel) as ill* she decides that Aohn and Aennie are the ones ein' ad,ersel/a))ected / the wallpaper. >oreo,er* she marks her own eha,ior as normal / declarin'that she onl/ has an “interest” in the wallpaper* nothin' more. The narrator seies control

o) the sit&ation / placin' hersel) in an a&thoritati,e position* capale o) (&d'in' Aennieand Aohn )or hersel).

The stran'e mark aro&nd the ottom o) the wall )oreshadows an action the narrator willtake at the end o) the stor/. t this point* the narrator is still &nale to reco'nie it )or whatit is* a )act that a'ain points to her increasin' loss o) sanit/.

art 5

The/ are lea,in' the ho&se soon* and ser,ants pack &p the )&rnit&re. Aohn has to sta/o,erni'ht in town* and the narrator realies that this is her last chance to )ree the woman in

the wallpaper. Aennie wants to sleep with the narrator* &t the narrator tells her that shewill sleep etter on her own. When the moon comes o&t* howe,er* the woman in thewallpaper shakes the pattern. The narrator helps her / p&llin' o)) the paper. -/ mornin'*she has peeled o)) a headhi'h strip hal)wa/ aro&nd the room.

4n the mornin'* Aennie is shocked when she sees the hal)stripped wallpaper. The narratore9plains that she simpl/ p&lled it o)) eca&se the pattern is so &'l/* and Aennie* m&chrelie,ed* (okes that she wo&ld not mind doin' it hersel). The narrator is s&spicio&s o)Aennie and wants to make s&re that Aennie does not to&ch the wallpaper. The narrator“rests” in the n&rser/ and promises to call )or Aennie when she wakes &p.

Ni'ht comes* and the narrator is alone. She locks the door to the n&rser/ and throws the

ke/ down into the )ront path. She wants to astonish Aohn / capt&rin' the woman in thewallpaper and pro,in' that her del&sions are real. She has a rope to tie &p the woman incase she tries to 'et awa/. The narrator contin&es to strip o)) the wallpaper* &t she cannot







reach hi'h &p alon' the wall* and she cannot mo,e the ed to help her. She p&lls o)) whatshe can reach* and hears within the pattern the stran'led heads and &lo&s e/es and)&n'&s 'rowths...shriek with derision.

?r&strated and an'r/* the narrator wants to (&mp o&t the window* &t the ars are solid*and she realies that an action like that mi'ht e misconstr&ed. -esides* she is a)raid to'o o&tside or e,en look o&t the window eca&se o) all o) the women who are creepin'

ao&t. She wonders i) the/ came o&t o) the wallpaper as she did. She ties hersel) &p withthe rope. Tho&'h she en(o/s creepin' ao&t the room* she thinks she will ha,e to 'et ackinside the wallpaper when it comes ni'ht.

Aohn comes home and tries to open the locked door. The narrator tells him where the ke/is* and he )inds it and enters. 1e asks her what she is doin' as she creeps aro&nd. Shetells him that she has )inall/ 'otten o&t o) the wallpaper despite him and Aennie* and thatshe has p&lled o)) most o) the wallpaper so the/ cannot p&t her ack. Aohn )aints* and thenarrator keeps creepin' o,er him as she 'oes aro&nd the room.

Analysis

The narratorMs insanit/ clima9es as she identi)ies completel/ with the woman in thewallpaper. She elie,es that not onl/ has the woman come o&t o) the wallpaper* &t so hasshe. 'ain* the s/molic meanin' is that oth she and the woman ha,e lieratedthemsel,es )rom masc&line oppressionK / tearin' o&t o) the domesticated prison o) thewallpaper* the/ are )ree. This moment o) lieration a'ain occ&rs / moonli'ht when*accordin' to the moti) %ilman has drawn* women en(o/ a reak )rom the oppression o)masc&line s&nshine.

With her statement that she has 'otten o&t o) the wallpaper despite Aohn and Aennie* shes&''ests that not onl/ her h&sand* &t also the representation o) ideal domesticit/ 5in the

)orm o) Aennie7 has contri&ted to her imprisonment. She has allowed Aohn and sociale9pectations to dominate her and c&r her )reedom* &t this new sel) one made &p o) thewoman in the wallpaper and all the other women she sees creepin' ao&t has roken)ree.

With this in mind* howe,er* the ,er creepin' is an odd choice )or this act o) reakin')ree. Creepin' either crawlin' or walkin' while h&nched o,er implies a 'est&re o)s&ser,ience. The narrator 5and the women creepin' o&tside7 is alwa/s a)raid o) ein'ca&'ht* so she m&st creep ao&t. This ma/ indicate that earl/ )eminism needed to creepao&t secretl/ e)ore it co&ld e respected and acknowled'ed / the rest o) societ/. Them&ltit&des o) women that the narrator sees are perhaps these earl/ practitioners o))eminism* who draw stren'th in their n&mers and who* ha,in' crept o&t o) the wallpaper*

now creep o&tside.

The narrator+s &se o) the term “work” is also si'ni)icant in this conte9t. She approaches thedestr&ction o) the wallpaper as “work*” a (o that m&st e done* /et this in itsel) is contrar/to the e9pectations o) societ/. The narrator rin's a strictl/ masc&line acti,it/ into therealm o) the domestic sphere and &ses it to destro/ the oppressi,e wallpaper. With that inmind* %ilman s&''ests that the wa/ )or women to o,ercome the oppression o) apaternalistic societ/ is to ass&me the roles o) men in the p&lic sphere.

%ilman also drops cl&es in this section to s&''est that the n&rser/ ma/ ha,e eenpre,io&sl/ &sed to ho&se the insane. The narrator+s total insanit/* o) co&rse* makes thismore e,ident. The ars on the window are to pre,ent someone )rom (&mpin' o&t* as thenarrator contemplates doin'K the immo,ale ed is )airl/ 'nawed 5and the narrator itesit* too7K and the stran'e mark aro&nd the peripher/ o) the room ma/ e )rom someoneelseMs act o) crawlin' ao&t.



There is one )inal iron/ that a,en'es the narratorMs insanit/D AohnMs )aintin' is astereot/picall/ )eminine show o) weakness. The narrator )inall/ achie,es an a&thoritati,eposition in her marria'e* with Aohn &nconscio&s and her creati,e ima'ination )inall/ )ree o)all restraints. 1er contin&al “creepin'” o,er his prone od/ ser,es as a repeated emphasiso) this lieration* almost as i) the narrator chooses to clim o,er him to hi'hli'ht hisin)eriorit/ o,er and o,er a'ain.

Major Themes

The 6ellow 4allpaper

4n the stor/* wallpaper* a &s&all/ )eminine* )loral decoration on the interior o) walls* is as/mol o) )emale imprisonment within the domestic sphere. #,er the co&rse o) the stor/*the wallpaper ecomes a te9t o) sorts thro&'h which the narrator e9ercises her literar/ima'ination and identi)ies with a )eminist do&le )i'&re.

When Aohn c&rs her creati,it/ and writin'* the narrator takes it &pon hersel) to make

some sense o) the wallpaper. She re,erses her initial )eelin' o) ein' watched / thewallpaper and starts acti,el/ st&d/in' and decodin' its meanin'. She &ntan'les its chaoticpattern and locates the )i'&re o) a woman str&''lin' to reak )ree )rom the ars in thepattern. #,er time* as her insanit/ deepens* she identi)ies completel/ with this woman andelie,es that she* too* is trapped within the wallpaper. When she tears down the wallpapero,er her last co&ple o) ni'hts* she elie,es that she has )inall/ roken o&t o) the wallpaperwithin which Aohn has imprisoned her. The wallpaperMs /ellow color has man/ possileassociations with (a&ndiced sickness* with discriminateda'ainst minorities o) the time5especiall/ the Chinese7* and with the ri'id oppression o) masc&line s&nli'ht. -/ tearin' itdown* the narrator emer'es )rom the wallpaper and asserts her own identit/* aleit asomewhat con)&sed* insane one. Tho&'h she m&st crawl aro&nd the room* as the womanin the wallpaper crawls aro&nd* this creepin' is the )irst sta'e in a )eminist &prisin'.

7reativity vs. 8ationality

?rom the e'innin' o) the stor/* the narrator+s creati,it/ is set in con)lict with Aohn+srationalit/. s a writer* the narrator thri,es in her &se o) her ima'ination* and her creati,it/is an inherent part o) her nat&re. Aohn does not reco'nie his wi)e+s )&ndamental creati,it/and elie,es that he can )orce o&t her ima'inati,e )ancies and replace them with his ownsolid rationalit/. 4n essence* a lar'e part o) the “rest c&re” )oc&ses on Aohn+s attempt toremo,e the narrator+s creati,it/K / )orcin' her to 'i,e &p her writin'* he hopes that he willcalm her an9io&s nat&re and help her to ass&me her role as an ideal wi)e and mother.

1owe,er* the narrator is not ale to s&ppress her creati,it/* despite her est e))orts to)ollow Aohn+s instr&ctions. -eca&se she is not ale to write openl/ and )eels the repressiono) her ima'ination* she inad,ertentl/ e9ercises her mind ,ia the /ellow wallpaper. ltho&'hthe narrator attempts to incorporate Aohn+s rationalit/ into the chaotic pattern o) thewallpaper* she )ailsK the wallpaper cannot e 3&anti)ied in Aohn+s wa/. 1er repressedima'ination takes control* and she loses all sense o) realit/* ecomin' lost in del&sionsand the idea that she hersel) was the woman trapped in the wallpaper.

%ilman elie,es in creati,it/ witho&t restraints and ar'&es that the narrator+s repressedima'ination is the )&ndamental ca&se o) her ps/chotic reakdown. %ilman also s&''ests

that the narrator+s attempt to den/ a )&ndamental part o) her nat&re was doomed )rom thee'innin'. Aohn sho&ld ha,e een ale to accept the tr&e nat&re o) his wi)e* rather thantr/in' to )orce her to adhere to the prescriptions o) his own personalit/.



The 9omestic 'phere as rison

Thro&'ho&t the stor/* %ilman presents the domestic sphere as a prison )or the narrator.A&st as the woman in the wallpaper is trapped ehind a s/mol o) the )eminine domesticsphere* the narrator is trapped within the prisonlike n&rser/. The n&rser/ is itsel) a s/molo) the narrator+s oppression as a constant reminder o) her d&t/ to clean the ho&se andtake care o) the children. The n&mero&s arred windows and immo,ale ed also s&''esta more mali'nant &se )or the n&rser/ in the past* perhaps as a room &sed to ho&se aninsane person. The narratorMs sense o) ein' watched / the wallpaper accent&ates theidea o) the room as a s&r,eillance)riendl/ prison cell.

Aohn+s treatment o) the narrator perpet&ates this sense o) the domestic sphere as a prison. s a practical doctor* Aohn a&tomaticall/ patronies his ima'inati,e* literar/ wi)e. 1e ,iewsher writin' as &nimportant* rarel/ takes her an9ieties serio&sl/* and constantl/ re)ers to herwith the dimin&ti,e “little.” The narrator has no option o) escapin' her role as a wi)e andmotherK Aohn is &nale to percei,e her as an/thin' more than that. 1owe,er* the narratoris imprisoned e,en )&rther eca&se Aennie and >ar/ ass&me her identit/ as wi)e andmotherK the narrator has no identit/ le)t to her eca&se e,en the ones pro,ided / the

societ/ ha,e een taken )rom her. Onlike the narrator* >ar/ and Aennie do not ha,e an/aspirations e/ond the prison o) the domestic sphere and th&s* the/ do not reco'nie it asa prison at all.

The :8est 7ure:

-eca&se o) %ilman+s personal e9perience with the “rest c&re*” it is not s&rprisin' that S.Weir >itchell+s treatment pla/s a si'ni)icant role in the conte9t o) the narrati,e. ?rom thestart o) the stor/* the narrator is s&pposed to e s&))erin' )rom ne&rasthenia* a disease thatre3&ires Weir >itchell+s partic&lar techni3&e )or ner,o&sness. Yet* it is &nclear i) thenarrator is act&all/ ill* or i) the “rest c&re” treatment ca&ses her to 'o insane. %ilman+s

ar'&ment is that a treatment that re3&ires complete inacti,it/ is &ltimatel/ )ar moredetrimental to a woman s&))erin' )rom a minor an9iet/ disorder. Si'ni)icantl/* accordin' to%ilman+s a&toio'raph/* she sent a cop/ o) “The Yellow Wallpaper” to Weir >itchell* andhe s&se3&entl/ chan'ed his treatment )or ne&rasthenia.

-e/ond the “rest c&re*” %ilman also criticies an/ sort o) medical treatment in which thepersonal opinion o) the patient is not considered. ltho&'h the narrator repeatedl/ asksAohn to chan'e the treatment o,er the co&rse o) the stor/* he re)&ses to acknowled'e herre3&ests* elie,in' that he had total a&thorit/ o,er the sit&ation. This is also a re)lection o)the societ/ conditions o) the time* &t either wa/* Aohn a&ses his power as oth ah&sand and ph/sician and )orces the narrator to remain in an oppressi,e sit&ation )rom

which her onl/ escape is insanit/.

'ole of omen in the 56th Century

ccordin' to the social norms o) the time period* women in the !th cent&r/ weree9pected to )&l)ill their d&ties as wi,es and mothers and e content in their e9istence asnothin' more. >en and women were di,ided etween the p&lic and pri,ate sphere* andwomen were doomed to spend their li,es solel/ in the domestic sphere. Not coincidentall/*women who dared to enter the masc&line p&lic realm were ,iewed as somethin' akin toprostit&tes* the lowest le,el o) societ/.

With that in mind* altho&'h Aohn co&ld e seen as the domineerin' ,illain o) the stor/* heis simpl/ a re)lection o) his societ/. The narrator+s desire to ha,e more in her li)e than Aohnand her child does not correspond to social e9pectations. >oreo,er* her lo,e o) writin' andcreati,it/ )&rther distin'&ishes her )rom the idealied “an'el o) the ho&se” that she iss&pposed to em&late. %ilman hersel) reelled a'ainst these social e9pectations and* /



lea,in' her )irst h&sand and mo,in' to Cali)ornia to write* was not deemed )it to elon' inrespectale societ/.

The 7arrator vs4 The oman in the all#a#er

?rom the start* the narrator has a constant ond with the woman in the wallpaper. E,enwhen the narrator is &nale to discern her )i'&re e/ond the pattern* she is still

preocc&pied with the wallpaper and )eels an &ncann/ connection to it. s the stor/contin&es* the narrator+s connection to the woman in the wallpaper is hei'htened* and%ilman e'ins to present the wallpaper woman as a sort o) doppel'an'er to the narrator. ltho&'h the woman is trapped ehind the chaotic /ellow wallpaper* she is essentiall/ inthe same position as the narratorD imprisoned in the domestic sphere and &nale toescape witho&t ein' stran'led / the ars o) social e9pectation.

-/ the end o) the narrati,e* the narrator+s insanit/ has reached s&ch a hei'htened statethat she can no lon'er di))erentiate hersel) )rom the )i'&re that she has seen in thewallpaper. She is the woman in the wallpaper and no one* not e,en Aohn* can imprison herin the wallpaper a'ain. There is no do&t that the narrator will e ph/sicall/ imprisoned atsome point in the )&t&re. )ter Aohn re'ains conscio&sness and disco,ers his wi)e stillcreepin' aro&nd the n&rser/* he will ha,e no choice &t to send her to Weir >itchell orplace her in a mental instit&tion. Yet* the narrator+s mind will still remain “)ree*” mirrorin'the )reedom en(o/ed / the woman in the wallpaper. 4n other words* the woman in thewallpaper can e seen as a mani)estation o) her creati,e ima'ination that )inall/ reaksthro&'h the ri'id e9pectations o) the domestic sphere. On)ort&natel/* the escape o) herima'ination means that she cannot e,er re'ain an/ sort o) rationalit/K / )reein' thewoman in the wallpaper* the narrator ens&res that her mind will e trapped in a prison o)insanit/.

Sunli!ht vs4 Moonli!ht

ltho&'h the /ellow color o) the wallpaper has associations with illness* its most de,elopedmoti) is the con)lict etween s&nli'ht and moonli'ht. 4n %ilmanMs stor/* s&nli'ht isassociated with AohnMs ordered* dominatin' sched&le and the rational sphere o) men. Aohnprescries somethin' )or the narrator )or e,er/ wakin' ho&r while he 'oes ao&t his dail/ro&nds* )orcin' her to take on the same order and control that de)ines his li)e.

t ni'ht* howe,er* the alance shi)ts. >enMs da/ (os in the p&lic sphere are irrele,ant*and women can achie,e a more e3&al le,el with their h&sands. While he is asleep* Aohnis &nale to monitor the narrator+s eha,ior* and she is not in a perpet&al state o) in)eriorit/or ein' constantl/ controlled. >ore importantl/* the narrator+s )le9ile s&conscio&sroams )ree at ni'ht* as in d&rin' dreams. 4t is alwa/s / moonli'ht* a traditional s/mol o))emininit/ and the %oddess rtemis* that the narrator &nderstands more ao&t the )i'&re

trapped within the wallpaper. 4n s&nli'ht* the woman sta/s still* a)raid o) ein' ca&'ht* and*once she creeps ao&t o&tside* she does so oldl/ onl/ at ni'ht. >oreo,er* the narratorcannot see the )i'&re &nder the oppressi,e 'lare o) s&nli'ht in her room and iso,erwhelmed / the pattern o) the wallpaper. -/ the cool* )eminine li'ht o) the moon* thenarrator is ale to 'rasp the woman+s pli'ht and &ltimatel/ reco'nie in it a re)lection o) herown imprisonment.

the yellow wallpaper sparknotes-gradesaver

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