The Yellow Wallpaper Project by C Nepveux

Camille Nepveux

The Yellow Wallpaper

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Intro

Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper" is a significant piece of American literature, first published back in 1892. It's set in the late 19th century and centers around a nameless narrator who finds herself confined to a room within a colonial mansion, all thanks to her husband, John, a physician, as part of her personally prescribed "rest cure" for what is implied to be postpartum depression. The story dives into the struggles of the time, like Victorian societal norms and medical practices, tackling themes like confinement, oppression, and the complexities of mental illness. Understanding of the time period and repeated readings of this classic unveils the increasing complexity of characters and offers insights into the narrator’s mental regression.

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Historical Context and Setting

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Character Analysis

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Jennie

The lady of the house would demonstrate her domestic skills by cleaning the house... Women were commended for their devotion to their families." -Elaine Fortin, 'Early Nineteenth Century Attitudes Toward Women and Their Roles as Represented By Literature Popular in Worcester, Massachusetts' Jennie has two roles in the story: she takes care of the narrator and represents traditional female roles. Even though she seems to have a basic understanding of the narrator's struggles, she still follows society's rules for women. This quote highlights Jennie's practical nature and her inability to fully understand or empathize with the narrator's struggles. It suggests that Jennie is more concerned with the physical upkeep of the house than with the narrator's well-being, and it reflects the narrator's frustration with her lack of support.

-Charlotte Perkins Gilman, 'The Yellow Wallpaper'

John

John is initially seen as a caring husband, but after rereading the story his seemingly caring demeanor is overshadowed by his paternalistic control over the narrator's treatment. He decides that his wife needs the "rest cure" without considering her opinion, which shows how men controlled things back then. His dismissive attitude towards her concerns and his insistence on her obedience are evident in passages such as when he tells her, "Bless her little heart!... She shall be as sick as she pleases!" His controlling behavior makes her mental health worse.

-Charlotte Perkins Gilman, 'The Yellow Wallpaper'

Narrator

In 'The Yellow Wallpaper,' the unnamed narrator is the main character. She shares her struggles with mental health and feeling confined in a large, old house. Initially, she feels unsettled, especially in the room with the peculiar wallpaper. It seems as though someone is always observing her. Upon rereading the story, you notice how the characters behave and how the narrator's mindset shifts as she descends into madness. For instance, her descriptions of the wallpaper become increasingly eerie and disturbing as the narrative progresses.

-Charlotte Perkins Gilman, 'The Yellow Wallpaper'

-Charlotte Perkins Gilman, 'The Yellow Wallpaper'

Narrator's Mental Regression

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Narrator's Mental Regression

"It felt deeper and more symbolic than I’d remembered, as if it were about more than it seemed." - Halle Butler, 'The Trouble with Charlotte Perkins Gilman'

The reader is taken along into the narrator’s journey into madness. While she loses touch with reality, bit by bit, the reader is also left wondering whether they should trust what the narrator is explaining. Rereading offers clarity for the reader into what seems like a supernatural horror story but is actually a woman's mental regression aided by those around her.

Narrator's Mental Regression

"As we read the story, the narrator “reads” the wallpaper, and she sees in it her own “suppressed self” (King and Morris 32). So when the narrator destroys the paper and pulls it down in the end, it might be symbolic of the destruction of her other self. -Sarah L. Crowder, 'Feminist Gothic in "The Yellow Wallpaper"' The narrator's mental decline is highlighted through her growing obsession with the yellow wallpaper. At the beginning, she just finds the wallpaper annoying and ugly. But as time passes, she starts seeing things in the pattern. She becomes convinced that there’s a woman trapped behind the wallpaper, and it drives her deeper into madness thinking that she came from the wallpaper.

-Charlotte Perkins Gilman, 'The Yellow Wallpaper'

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Narrator's Mental Regression

The wallpaper serves as a constant reminder of her confinement and loneliness. The more she focuses on it, the more her mental state declines. Her descent into madness is like a rebellion against the people who are trying to control her. It's a sad but powerful reminder of how oppressive societal norms can be, and how they can drive someone to the brink of madness.

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Conclusion

In conclusion, the societal norms of the late 19th century deeply impact "The Yellow Wallpaper." These norms shaped women's roles and mental health perceptions. Repeated readings, with this context in mind, help uncover the story's layers. They reveal how societal constraints affected the narrator Understanding the historical context and re-reading the story are key to fully grasping its themes and the narrator's struggles. They shed light on societal issues and deepen our appreciation of the narrative.

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