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Lesson 1.9: The Yellow Wallpaper

Andy Gribbin

Created on March 21, 2024

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Lesson 1.9: The Yellow Wallpaper

Short Story

One critic described "The Yellow Wallpaper" as "...one of the finest, and strongest tales of horror ever written. It may be a ghost story. Worse yet, it may not." Let's use this short story as a way to examine the unnerving impact of an unreliable narrator.

Purpose

Text-to-World Connection
Unreliable Narrator
Horror

Key Words

Goals

make connections between an author's life and their writing
recognize the characteristics of an unreliable narrator

By the end of the lesson students will...

Think About It

Can you think of any other stories that have an unreliable narrator?

Preview Questions

Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Charlotte Perkins Gilman was an influential American feminist, sociologist, novelist, writer of short stories, poetry, and nonfiction, born on July 3, 1860, in Hartford, Connecticut, USA, and died on August 17, 1935, in Pasadena, California. She is best known for her pioneering work in feminist literature, particularly her semi-autobiographical short story "The Yellow Wallpaper," which is often regarded as a seminal work of feminist literature. In 1892, Gilman published "The Yellow Wallpaper," a semi-autobiographical short story that depicts a woman's descent into madness due to the oppressive confines of her domestic life. The story is often interpreted as a critique of the medical treatment of women's mental health and a commentary on the patriarchal society of the time. Gilman was also a prominent lecturer and social reformer, advocating for women's rights, economic independence, and social reform. She founded the magazine "The Forerunner" in 1909, which served as a platform for her feminist ideas and writings. Gilman's writings and activism played a significant role in shaping the feminist movement in the United States, and her work continues to be studied and celebrated for its insights into gender, society, and mental health.

Characters

"The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman primarily focuses on the narrator's descent into madness and her interactions with her husband, John, and the environment surrounding her. Here are the main character descriptions: The Narrator: The unnamed narrator is a young woman suffering from postpartum depression or a similar mental illness. She is the protagonist and the primary narrator of the story. Initially, she is confined to a room in a country house by her husband, John, who is also her physician. As the story progresses, the narrator becomes increasingly obsessed with the room's yellow wallpaper, believing it to be inhabited by a trapped woman. Her descent into madness is a central theme of the story. John: John is the narrator's husband and a physician. He is depicted as a caring husband who believes he knows what is best for his wife's recovery. However, his treatment of her is patronizing and dismissive of her concerns. He insists on her isolation and rest as part of her treatment, which ultimately exacerbates her mental state. Jennie: Jennie is John's sister and also serves as a caregiver to the narrator. She assists in caring for the house and the narrator during her confinement. Jennie is portrayed as kind and sympathetic, but like John, she also fails to understand the depth of the narrator's suffering. These are the main characters in "The Yellow Wallpaper." The story is primarily focused on the narrator's perspective and her interactions with her husband, John, and his sister, Jennie, as she grapples with her mental illness and her growing obsession with the wallpaper.