In the past, wallpaper would typically act as an elegant, even feminine wall decoration in well- appointed residences. Most readers would predict it to be a beneficial influence on the room which the affluent protagonist in Charlotte Perkins Gillman’s short story “The Yellow Wallpaper” is kept in. For her however, it acts as the catalyst to the onset of her insanity, as induced by her domineering husband, who keeps her nearly segregated in a room as part of the “the rest cure” (204) for postpartum depression. As the woman discusses the various attributes of the wallpaper, it becomes evident that she is metaphorically describing aspects of her discontent with her husband , a well-respected doctor who does not comprehend the extent of her
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The colour is described as “a smoldering unclean yellow” (206), which is symbolic of the rage that builds up in the protagonist until she “get[s] unreasonably angry with John” (205). This is reminiscent of a smoldering fire that is about to burst into flames. Like the colour of the wallpaper, she views the situation as “hideous” (211) because she has postpartum depression which degrades into complete insanity through her husband’s actions. Likewise, the wife finds the colour “unreliable [and] infuriating” (211) like her husband who promises to repaper the room but does not keep his word. He is infuriating because he patronizes her by calling her “a blessed little goose” (207) when she raises serious questions about her psyche. The woman states that the yellow reminds her of “old, foul, bad, yellow things” (212). Therefore ironic symbolism is created, because yellow usually represents light or stimulation, yet she spends her days …show more content…
She believes that there might be “a great many women” trapped behind the wallpaper, who “take hold of the bars” which she sees in the pattern “and shake them” (213). This symbolizes how females in that era which were discriminated against, such as the author, Charlotte Perkins Gillman, joined women’s rights movements like the Women’s Peace Party to agitate the paradigm of women in society. The pattern the woman is trapped behind is actually metaphorical for how the narrator feels trapped by society’s structure and her daily life. Although the woman that she sees out of her window is likely just the reflection of herself “creeping along” (214), it has symbolic significance because she says that most “most women do not creep by daylight,” (214) and doing so would be “very humiliating” (214). This represents an apprehensiveness which most women would have when openly challenging gender roles or their husband’s demands, since they would be called a “little girl” (210) or a “blessed little goose” (207), then promptly disregarded. The stillness of the woman is often observed by the protagonist, who “fanc[ies] it is pattern that keeps her so still” (212). This symbolizes that the pattern of a woman’s daily life prevents them from making meaningful change, as shown by her condescension towards Jennie who “is
The colour is described as “a smoldering unclean yellow” (206), which is symbolic of the rage that builds up in the protagonist until she “get[s] unreasonably angry with John” (205). This is reminiscent of a smoldering fire that is about to burst into flames. Like the colour of the wallpaper, she views the situation as “hideous” (211) because she has postpartum depression which degrades into complete insanity through her husband’s actions. Likewise, the wife finds the colour “unreliable [and] infuriating” (211) like her husband who promises to repaper the room but does not keep his word. He is infuriating because he patronizes her by calling her “a blessed little goose” (207) when she raises serious questions about her psyche. The woman states that the yellow reminds her of “old, foul, bad, yellow things” (212). Therefore ironic symbolism is created, because yellow usually represents light or stimulation, yet she spends her days …show more content…
She believes that there might be “a great many women” trapped behind the wallpaper, who “take hold of the bars” which she sees in the pattern “and shake them” (213). This symbolizes how females in that era which were discriminated against, such as the author, Charlotte Perkins Gillman, joined women’s rights movements like the Women’s Peace Party to agitate the paradigm of women in society. The pattern the woman is trapped behind is actually metaphorical for how the narrator feels trapped by society’s structure and her daily life. Although the woman that she sees out of her window is likely just the reflection of herself “creeping along” (214), it has symbolic significance because she says that most “most women do not creep by daylight,” (214) and doing so would be “very humiliating” (214). This represents an apprehensiveness which most women would have when openly challenging gender roles or their husband’s demands, since they would be called a “little girl” (210) or a “blessed little goose” (207), then promptly disregarded. The stillness of the woman is often observed by the protagonist, who “fanc[ies] it is pattern that keeps her so still” (212). This symbolizes that the pattern of a woman’s daily life prevents them from making meaningful change, as shown by her condescension towards Jennie who “is