The Yellow Wallpaper

SparkNotes Editors. SparkNote on The Yellow Wallpaper. SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 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/* Eli0a eth Cad/ Stanton* and 1arriet -eecher Stowe* %ilman+s 'reat2a&nt. %ilman was concerned with political ine3&alit/ and social (&stice in 'eneral* &t the primar/ )oc&s o) her writin' was the &ne3&al stat&s o) women within the instit&tion o) marria'e. 4n s&ch works as Concerning Children 5!6007* The Home 5!6087* and Human Work 5!6087* %ilman ar'&ed that women+s o li'ation to remain in the domestic sphere ro ed them o) the e9pression o) their )&ll powers o) creati,it/ and intelli'ence* while sim&ltaneo&sl/ ro in' societ/ o) women whose a ilities s&ited them )or pro)essional and p& lic li)e. .n essential part o) her anal/sis was that the traditional power str&ct&re o) the )amil/ made no one happ/:not the woman who was made into an &npaid ser,ant* not the h&s and who was made into a master* and not the children who were s& (ect to oth. 1er most am itio&s work* Women and Economics 5!;6;7* anal/0ed the hidden ,al&e o) women+s la or within the capitalist econom/ and ar'&ed* as %ilman did thro&'ho&t her works* that )inancial independence )or women co&ld onl/ ene)it societ/ as a whole. Toda/* %ilman is primaril/ known )or one remarka le stor/* The Yellow Wallpaper* which was considered almost &nprinta l/ shockin' in its time and which &nner,es readers to this da/. 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)2e9pression* deals with the same concerns and ideas as %ilman+s non)iction &t in a m&ch more personal mode. 4ndeed* The Yellow Wallpaper 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 !6<" a&to io'raph/* The Living of Charlotte Perkins Gilman * she descri es her &tter prostration / &n eara le inner miser/ and ceaseless tears* a condition onl/ made worse / the presence o) her h&s and 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 treatment in 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/ and not eno&'h attention to domestic a))airs. ?or %ilman* this co&rse o) treatment was a disaster. $re,ented )rom workin'* she soon had a ner,o&s reakdown. .t her worst* she was red&ced to crawlin' into closets and &nder eds* cl&tchin' a ra' doll. #nce she a andoned >itchell+s rest c&re* %ilman+s condition impro,ed* tho&'h she claimed to )eel the e))ects o) the ordeal )or the rest o) her li)e. Lea,in' ehind her h&s and and child* a scandalo&s decision* Charlotte $erkins Stetson 5she took the name %ilman a)ter a second marria'e* to her co&sin7 em arked 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 to Cali)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/m olic 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 Tell2 Tale 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 their secrets. %ilman+s stor/ is also )orward2lookin'* howe,er* and her moment2 /2moment reportin' o) the narrator+s tho&'hts is clearl/ a mo,e in the direction o) the sort o) stream2 o)2conscio&sness narration &sed / s&ch twentieth2cent&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 her h&s and has taken )or their s&mmer ,acation. She descri es it in romantic terms as an aristocratic estate or e,en a ha&nted ho&se and wonders how the/ were a le to a))ord it* and wh/ the ho&se had een empt/ )or so lon'. 1er )eelin' that there is somethin' 3&eer a o&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&s and Aohn* who is also her doctor* elittles oth her illness and her tho&'hts and concerns in 'eneral. She contrasts his practical* rationalistic manner with her own ima'inati,e* sensiti,e wa/s. 1er treatment re3&ires that she do almost nothin' acti,e* and she is especiall/ )or idden )rom workin' and writin'. She )eels that acti,it/* )reedom* and interestin' work wo&ld help her condition 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 descri in' the ho&se. 1er description is mostl/ positi,e* &t dist&r in' elements s&ch as the rin's and thin's in the edroom walls* and the ars on the windows* keep showin' &p. She is partic&larl/ dist&r ed / the /ellow wallpaper in the edroom* with its stran'e* )ormless pattern* and descri es it as re,oltin'. Soon* howe,er* her tho&'hts are interr&pted / Aohn+s approach* and she is )orced to stop writin'. .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 more stim&latin' compan/ and acti,it/* and she complains a'ain a o&t Aohn+s patroni0in'* controllin' wa/s:altho&'h she immediatel/ ret&rns to the wallpaper* which e'ins to seem not onl/ &'l/* &t oddl/ menacin'. She mentions that Aohn is worried a o&t her ecomin' )i9ated on it* and that he has e,en re)&sed to repaper the room so as not to 'i,e in to her ne&rotic worries. The narrator+s ima'ination* howe,er* has een aro&sed. She mentions that she en(o/s pict&rin' people on the walkwa/s aro&nd the ho&se and that Aohn alwa/s disco&ra'es s&ch )antasies. She also thinks ack to her childhood* when she was a le to work hersel) into a terror / ima'inin' thin's in the dark. .s she descri es the edroom* which she sa/s m&st ha,e een a n&rser/ )or /o&n' children* she points o&t that the 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& 2pattern ehind 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 real2li)e ph/sician &nder whose care %ilman had a ner,o&s reakdown. The narrator is alone most o) the time 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 o session 'rows* the s& 2pattern o) the wallpaper ecomes clearer. 4t e'ins to resem le 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 with the paper 'rows. Soon the wallpaper dominates the narrator+s ima'ination. She ecomes possessi,e and secreti,e* hidin' her interest in the paper and makin' s&re no one else e9amines it so that she 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 sleeps less and less and is con,inced that she can smell the paper all o,er the ho&se* e,en o&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& 2pattern now clearl/ resem les a woman who is tr/in' to 'et o&t )rom ehind the main pattern. The narrator sees her shakin' the ars at ni'ht and creepin' aro&nd d&rin' the da/* when the woman is a le 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 o session* and she resol,es to destro/ the paper once and )or all* peelin' m&ch o) it o)) d&rin' the ni'ht. The ne9t da/ she mana'es to e alone and 'oes into somethin' o) a )ren0/* 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 the trapped 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 and a mother, who is undergoing care for depression. The narrator whose name may or may not be Janeis highly imaginative and a natural storyteller, though her doctors believe she has a slight hysterical tendency. The story is told in the form of her secret diary, in which she records her thoughts as her obsession with the wallpaper grows.
Cead an in2depth anal/sis o) The Narrator.

John - The narrator!s husband and her physician. John restricts her behavior as part of her treatment. "nli#e his imaginative wife, John is e$tremely practical, preferring facts and figures to fancy, at which he scoffs openly. %e seems to love his wife, but he does not understand the negative effect his treatment has on her.
Cead an in2depth anal/sis o) Aohn.

Jennie - John!s sister. Jennie acts as house#eeper for the couple. %er presence and her contentment with a domestic role intensify the narrator!s feelings of guilt over her own inability to act as a traditional wife and mother. Jennie seems, at times, to suspect that the 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&ter world* she comes to a 'reater &nderstandin' o) the inner realit/ o) her li)e. This innerEo&ter split 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 that are act&all/ 3&ite i0arre and e,en oppressi,e. 4n a sense* the plot o) The Yellow Wallpaper is the narrator+s attempt to avoid acknowled'in' the e9tent to which her e9ternal sit&ation sti)les her inner imp&lses. ?rom the e'innin'* we see that the narrator is an ima'inati,e* hi'hl/ e9pressi,e woman. She remem ers 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 is ha&nted. Yet as part o) her c&re* her h&s and )or ids her to e9ercise her ima'ination in an/ wa/. -oth her reason and her emotions re el at this treatment* and she t&rns her ima'ination onto seemin'l/ ne&tral o (ects:the ho&se and the wallpaper:in an attempt to i'nore her 'rowin' )r&stration. 1er ne'ati,e )eelin's color her description o) her s&rro&ndin's* makin' them seem &ncann/ and sinister* and she ecomes )i9ated on the wallpaper. .s the narrator sinks )&rther into her inner )ascination with the wallpaper* she ecomes pro'ressi,el/ more dissociated )rom her da/2to2da/ li)e. This process o) dissociation e'ins when the stor/ does* at the ,er/ moment she decides to keep a secret diar/ as a relie) to her mind. ?rom that point* her tr&e tho&'hts are hidden )rom the o&ter world* and the narrator e'ins to slip into a )antas/ world in which the nat&re o) her sit&ation is made clear in s/m olic terms. %ilman shows &s this di,ision in the narrator+s conscio&sness / ha,in' the narrator p&00le o,er e))ects in the world that she hersel) has ca&sed. ?or e9ample* the narrator doesn+t immediatel/ &nderstand that the /ellow stains on her clothin' and the lon' smootch on the wallpaper are connected. Similarl/* the narrator )i'hts the reali0ation that the predicament o) the woman in the wallpaper is a s/m olic ,ersion o) her own sit&ation. .t )irst she e,en disappro,es o) the woman+s e))orts to escape and intends to tie her &p. When the narrator )inall/ identi)ies hersel) with the woman trapped in the wallpaper* she is a le 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/ is that 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) the stor/ re,eals how m&ch the narrator has sacri)iced. =&rin' her )inal split )rom realit/* the narrator sa/s* 4+,e 'ot o&t at last* in spite o) /o& and Aane. Who is this AaneF Some critics claim Aane is a misprint )or Aennie* the sister2in2law. 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 horri l/ )ree o) the constraints o) her marria'e* her societ/* and her 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 not allow &s to see him as wholl/ e,il. Aohn+s treatment o) the narrator+s depression 'oes terri l/ wron'* &t in all likelihood he was tr/in' to help her* not make her worse. The real pro lem with Aohn is the all2encompassin' a&thorit/ he has in his com ined role as the narrator+s h&s and and doctor. Aohn is so s&re that he knows what+s est )or his wi)e that he disre'ards her own opinion o) the matter* )orcin' her to hide her tr&e )eelin's. 1e consistentl/ patroni0es her. 1e calls her a lessed little 'oose and ,etoes her smallest wishes* 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 &nderstand his ima'inati,e wi)e. 1e does not intend to harm her* &t his i'norance a o&t what she reall/ 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 card oard ,illain. 1e cares )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 pro lems. -/ 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' he wants. That Aohn has een destro/ed / this imprisonin' relationship is made clear / the stor/+s chillin' )inale. .)ter reakin' in on his insane wi)e* Aohn )aints in shock and 'oes &nreco'ni0ed / his wi)e* who calls him that man and complains a o&t ha,in' to creep o,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 to criti3&e the position o) women within the instit&tion o) marria'e* especiall/ as practiced / the respecta le classes o) her time. When the stor/ was )irst p& lished* most readers took it as a scar/ tale a o&t a woman in an e9treme state o) conscio&sness:a 'rippin'* dist&r in' 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,entional nineteenth2cent&r/ middle2class 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 remained second2class citi0ens. 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+s ass&mption o) his own s&perior wisdom and mat&rit/ leads him to mis(&d'e* patroni0e* and dominate his wi)e* all in the name o) helpin' her. The narrator is red&ced to actin' like a cross* pet&lant child* &na le to stand &p )or hersel) witho&t seemin' &nreasona le or dislo/al. The narrator has no sa/ in e,en the smallest details o) her li)e* and she retreats into her o sessi,e )antas/* the onl/ place she can retain some control and e9ercise the power 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* are what &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 intolera le aspect o) her treatment is the comp&lsor/ silence and idleness o) the restin' c&re. She is )orced to ecome completel/ passi,e* )or idden )rom e9ercisin' her mind in an/ wa/. Writin' is especiall/ o)) limits* and Aohn warns her se,eral times that she m&st &se her sel)2control to rein 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 the e9pression 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 descri es 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)2 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&el co&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 )orced into 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 a andoned the restin' c&re. -e/ond the speci)ic techni3&e descri ed in the stor/* %ilman means to critici0e an/ )orm o) medical care that i'nores the concerns o) the patient* considerin' her onl/ as a passi,e o (ect o) treatment. The connection etween a woman+s s& ordination in the home and her s& ordination in a doctorEpatient relationship is clear:Aohn is* a)ter all* the narrator+s h&s and and doctor. %ilman implies that oth )orms o) a&thorit/ can e easil/ a &sed* e,en when the h&s and or doctor means to help. .ll too o)ten* the women who are the silent s& (ects o) this a&thorit/ are in)antili0ed* 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 one another. 4n verbal irony* words are )re3&entl/ &sed to con,e/ the e9act opposite o) their literal meanin'* s&ch as when one person responds to another+s mistake / sa/in' nice work. 5Sarcasm:which this e9ample em odies:is a )orm o) ,er al iron/.7 4n her (o&rnal* the narrator &ses ,er al iron/ o)ten* especiall/ in re)erence to her h&s andD 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 a point 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 the knowled'e o) the characters in the work. =ramatic iron/ is &sed e9tensi,el/ in The Yellow Wallpaper. ?or e9ample* when the narrator )irst descri es the edroom Aohn has chosen )or them* she attri &tes the room+s i0arre )eat&res:the rin's and thin's in the walls* the nailed2down )&rnit&re* the ars on the windows* and the torn wallpaper:to the )act that it m&st ha,e once een &sed as a n&rser/. E,en this earl/ in the stor/* the reader sees that there is an e3&all/ pla&si le e9planation )or these detailsD the room had een &sed to ho&se an insane person. .nother e9ample is when the narrator ass&mes that Aennie shares her interest in the wallpaper* while it is clear that Aennie is onl/ now noticin' the so&rce o) the /ellow stains on their clothin'. The e))ect intensi)ies toward the end o) the stor/* as the narrator sinks )&rther into her )antas/ and the reader remains a le to see her

actions )rom the o&tside. -/ the time the narrator )&ll/ identi)ies with the trapped woman she sees in the wallpaper* the reader can appreciate the narrator+s e9perience )rom her point o) ,iew as well as Aohn+s shock at what he sees when he reaks down the door to the edroom. !ituational irony re)ers to moments when a character+s actions ha,e the opposite o) their intended 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 a deep iron/ in the wa/ the narrator+s )ate de,elops. She 'ains a kind o) power and insi'ht onl/ / losin' what we wo&ld call her sel)2control and reason.

The )ournal
.n epistolar/ work o) )iction takes the )orm o) letters etween characters. The Yellow Wallpaper is a kind o) epistolar/ stor/* in which the narrator writes to hersel). %ilman &ses this techni3&e to show the narrator+s descent into madness oth s& (ecti,el/ and o (ecti,el/:that is* )rom oth the inside and the o&tside. 1ad %ilman told her stor/ in traditional )irst2person narration* reportin' e,ents )rom inside the narrator+s head* the reader wo&ld ne,er know e9actl/ what to thinkD a woman inside the wallpaper mi'ht seem to act&all/ e9ist. 1ad %ilman told the stor/ )rom an o (ecti,e* third2person point o) ,iew* witho&t re,ealin' the narrator+s tho&'hts* the social and political s/m olism o) the stor/ wo&ld ha,e een o sc&red. .s it is* the reader m&st decipher the am i'&it/ o) the stor/* (&st as the narrator m&st attempt to decipher the ewilderin' stor/ o) her li)e and the i0arre patterns o) the wallpaper. %ilman also &ses the (o&rnal to 'i,e the stor/ an intense intimac/ 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 constraints placed on the narrator / a&thorit/ )i'&res who &r'e her not to think a o&t her condition.

'ymbols The all#a#er

The Yellow Wallpaper is dri,en / the narrator+s sense that the wallpaper is a te9t she m&st interpret* that it s/m oli0es somethin' that a))ects her directl/. .ccordin'l/* the wallpaper de,elops its s/m olism thro&'ho&t the stor/. .t )irst it seems merel/ &npleasantD it is ripped* soiled* and an &nclean /ellow. The worst part is the ostensi l/ )ormless pattern* which )ascinates the narrator as she attempts to )i'&re o&t how it is or'ani0ed. .)ter starin' at the paper )or ho&rs* she sees a 'hostl/ s& 2pattern ehind the main pattern* ,isi le onl/ in certain li'ht. E,ent&all/* the s& 2pattern comes into )oc&s as a desperate woman* constantl/ crawlin' and stoopin'* lookin' )or an escape )rom ehind the main pattern* which has come to resem le the ars o) a ca'e. The narrator sees this ca'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* and tradition in which the narrator )inds hersel) trapped. Wallpaper is domestic and h&m le* and %ilman skill)&ll/ &ses this ni'htmarish* hideo&s paper as a s/m ol o) the domestic li)e that traps so man/ women.

"m#ortant *uotations %x#lained

(. )f a physician of high standing, and one!s own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depressiona slight hysterical tendency what is one to do* . . . 'o ) ta#e phosphates or phosphiteswhichever 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) the narrator+s dilemma are present. The power)&l* a&thoritati,e ,oices o) her h&s and* her )amil/* and the medical esta lishment &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. ?rom the 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 characteri0e the narrator here. The con)&sion o,er phosphates or phosphites is in character )or someone who is not partic&larl/ interested in )act&al acc&rac/. .nd the chopp/ rh/thm o) the sentences* o)ten roken into one2line para'raphs* helps e,oke the h&rried writin' o) the narrator 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 and more society and stimulusbut John says the very worst thing ) can do is thin# about my condition, and ) confess it always ma#es me 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 characteri0e oth the narrator+s dilemma and the narrator hersel). Nota l/* the narrator interr&pts her own train o) tho&'ht / recallin' Aohn+s instr&ctions. %ilman shows how the narrator has internali0ed her h&s and+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,e she makes at the end:)oc&sin' on the ho&se instead o) her sit&ation:marks the e'innin' o) her slide into o session and madness. This mental str&''le* this desperate attempt not to think a o&t her &nhappiness* makes her pro(ect her )eelin's onto her s&rro&ndin's* especiall/ the wallpaper* which ecomes a s/m olic ima'e o) her condition. The pla/ on words here is t/pical o) %ilman+s consistent &se o) iron/ thro&'ho&t the stor/. She )eels ad whene,er she thinks a o&t her condition* that is* a o&t oth her depression and her condition in 'eneral within her oppressi,e marria'e.

.. There are things in that paper which nobody #nows but me, or ever will. /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#) wish John would ta#e me away from here0
E9planation )or H&otation < II . o&t hal)wa/ thro&'h the stor/* the s& 2pattern o) the wallpaper )inall/ comes into )oc&s. The narrator is ein' drawn )&rther and )&rther into her )antas/* which contains a dist&r in' tr&th a o&t her li)e. %ilman+s iron/ is acti,el/ at work hereD the thin's in the paper are oth the 'hostl/ women the narrator sees and the dist&r in' ideas she is comin' to &nderstand. She is sim&ltaneo&sl/ (ealo&s o) the secret 5no od/ knows &t me7 and )ri'htened o) what it seems to impl/. .'ain the narrator tries to den/ her 'rowin' insi'ht 5the 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' a o&t. Like the narrator hersel)* she is trapped within a s&))ocatin' domestic pattern )rom which no escape is possi le. 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 one o) the most distincti,e 3&alities o) The Yellow WallpaperD %ilman+s itter* sarcastic sense o) h&mor. Now that the narrator has ecome hopelessl/ o sessed with the pattern* spendin' all da/ and all ni'ht thinkin' a o&t it* li)e has ecome more interestin' and she is no lon'er ored. %ilman mana'es to com ine h&mor and dread in s&ch moments. The comment is )&nn/* &t the reader knows that someone who wo&ld make s&ch a (oke is not well. 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 eventhere are so many of those creeping women, and they creep so fast. ) wonder if they all come 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) )&ll identi)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 an ima'e o) hersel):she has een the one stoopin' and creepin'. ?&rther* she knows that there 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 didF Were the/ trapped within homes that were reall/ prisonsF =id the/ all ha,e to tear their li,es &p at the roots in order to e )reeF The narrator* &na le 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 socio2political alle'or/ lan!ua!e J En'lish time and #lace written J !;62* Cali)ornia date of first #ublication J >a/* !;62 #ublisher J The New En'land >a'a0ine narrator J . mentall/ tro& led /o&n' woman* possi l/ named Aane #oint of view J .s the main character+s )ictional (o&rnal* the stor/ is told in strict )irst2 person 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/* her perception 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 possi l/ an old as/l&m7* primaril/ in one edroom within the ho&se. #rota!onist J The narrator* a /o&n' &pper2middle2class woman who is s&))erin' )rom what is most likel/ postpart&m depression and whose illness 'i,es her insi'ht into her 5and other women+s7 sit&ation in societ/ and in marria'e* e,en as the treatment she &nder'oes ro s her o) her sanit/. major conflict J The str&''le etween the narrator and her h&s and* who is also her doctor* o,er the nat&re and treatment o) her illness leads to a con)lict within the narrator+s mind etween her 'rowin' &nderstandin' o) her own powerlessness and her desire to repress this awareness. risin! action J The narrator decides to keep a secret (o&rnal* in which she descri es her )orced passi,it/ and e9presses her dislike )or her edroom wallpaper* a dislike that 'rad&all/ intensi)ies into o session. climax J The narrator completel/ identi)ies hersel) with the woman imprisoned in the wallpaper.

fallin! action J The narrator* now completel/ identi)ied with the woman in the wallpaper*spends her time crawlin' on all )o&rs aro&nd the room. 1er h&s and disco,ers her 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)2e9pressionK the e,ils o) the Cestin' C&re motifs J 4ron/K the (o&rnal symbols J The wallpaper foreshadowin! J The disco,er/ o) the teeth marks on the edstead )oreshadows the narrator+s own insanit/ and s&''ests the narrator is not re,ealin' e,er/thin' a o&t her eha,iorK the )irst &se o) the word creep/ )oreshadows the increasin' desperation o) the narrator+s sit&ation and her own e,ent&al creepin'.

%rade Sa,er The Yellow Wallpaper

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Wayne, Teddy. Vincent, Caitlin ed. *The Yellow Wallpaper Links*. GradeSaver, 30 ove!"er #00$ We". %& 'cto"er #0%#.

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 "e.an to s-))er sy!pto!s o) depression and an/iety. 0ltho-.h she does not "elieve that anythin. is wron. with her, 1ohn, her physician h-s"and, dia.noses her with ne-rasthenia and prescri"es several !onths o) S. Weir (itchell2s )a!ed +rest c-re., 3n 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 en.a.e 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 "e.ins to )ind co!)ort in the hideo-s yellow wallpaper that covers the walls o) the n-rsery. She .rad-ally "e.ins 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. 0s the narrator "eco!es !ore and !ore preocc-pied with the pattern o) the wallpaper, she )or.ets 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 increasin.ly 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). 3n so!e editions o) the story, the narrator declares her li"eration )ro! the wallpaper and the rational world "y proclai!in., 93: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. 3) 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 +sli.ht 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!a.ination in any way. ;is anta.onis! toward her i!a.ination 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 strate.y 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. 0ltho-.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 ed.e o) insanity.

4oman in the wallpaper

0ltho-.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 !oonli.ht, a sy!"ol o) )e!ininity and a si.n that 1ohn2s strict dayti!e re.i!en is no lon.er 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. 0s 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!"olic option 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. 0ltho-.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. 0lways !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 acknowled.es 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 Vir.in (ary, (ary is the per)ect !other5s-rro.ate )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. 0ltho-.h (ary is even less present in the te/t than 1ennie, she still serves to re!ind the narrator o) her personal )ailin.s 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 and considers 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 chan.e o) scenery and a"sence )ro! city li)e will help the narrator recover )ro! a +sli.ht 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.. 0ccordin. to Weir (itchell2s theory, any sort o) creative activity will have a detri!ental e))ect on the patient. The narrator does not a.ree 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 a..ravate her nervo-sness. 1ohn o-tlines a speci)ic daily re.i!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-ndin.s. The ho-se is solitary, has hed.es and walls and .ates, s!aller ho-ses )or .ardeners and other workers, and an ele.ant .arden. Still, she )eels there is so!ethin. stran.e a"o-t the ho-se. She atte!pts to artic-late these )eelin.s to 1ohn, "-t he re)-ses to acknowled.e her opinion. She )inds hersel) .ettin. an.rier with hi! now, especially when he tells her to e/ercise sel)5control. 3n 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. 0 "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
3n %$$B, Charlotte *erkins Gil!an, s-))erin. )or several years )ro! depression and )ati.-e went to see noted physician Silas Weir (itchell. (itchell dia.nosed 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

"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/a..erated 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 chan.e 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 "e.in 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!in.ly weak, 9)e!inine9 disorder @as ne-rasthenia and other !ental illnesses were o)ten cate.ori6edA, and he, not she, dia.noses 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 -n.rate)-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 stren.th. ;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 is si!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 0-sten is )a!o-s )or havin. written her novels while periodically stowin. away the !an-scripts in her )a!ily:s livin.5roo!. 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-ndin.s "ears this o-t? 9...there are hed.es and walls and .ates that lock, and lots o) separate little ho-ses )or the .ardeners and people...3 never saw s-ch a .arden 5 lar.e and shady, )-ll o) "o/5"ordered paths...9 Cverythin. is separated and divided, "o/ed in, and locked like a prison, !-ch as she is held captive in her roo!. 3n )act, the ho-se itsel) see!s desi.ned )or !en< lar.er5than5li)e !ansions are typically sy!"ols o) !asc-line a..ression and co!petitiveness, while its "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 han.in.sD9 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. 3n a !oti) that will ass-!e !ore i!portance later in the story, she )inds so!ethin. stran.e on a 9!oonlit evenin..9 i.ht is typically viewed in literat-re as an escape )ro! the conscio-s order o) the dayti!e< at ni.ht 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 as 1ohn 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 ni.ht 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-nli.ht.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!in.ly 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-n.e o)) at o-tra.eo-s an.les, 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.

,art 3t 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 ni.ht so!eti!es, and the narrator is e/tre!ely lonely. She "la!es 1ohn )or not -nderstandin. how !-ch she s-))ers and lon.s )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 acknowled.es 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 chan.e 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 chan.e 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 people walkin. 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 a.ain. The narrator "e.ins 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 "e.innin. to discern so!ethin. else in the -nr-ly pattern o) the wallpaper? a +stran.e, )i.-re sk-lkin. in the "ack.ro-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-re not to let her see her writin.. The narrator also acknowled.es that 1ennie pro"a"ly a.rees with 1ohn on her dia.nosis and "elieves that the writin. has !ade her sick. 0s 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 Vir.in (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 a.ainst writin., however, is less )orce)-l than 1ohn:s is< 1ohn sti)les the narrator:s 9i!a.inative power and ha"it o) story5!akin.9 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-l.in. his patient, s-"!ittin. to a )oolish re8-est. Yet, as the narrator notes, the wallpaper is already e/tre!ely da!a.ed, with lar.e 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 acknowled.in. 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. Si.ni)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. 0t this point in the story, the narrator also "e.ins to de!onstrate so!e !ental iss-es. ;er !ind is .rowin. !ore chaotic and disoriented, !irrorin. the i!a.e 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 "e.innin. to take a key position in her !ind and daily reality. 3nstead o) )oc-sin. on the .eneral hideo-sness o) the wallpaper as she had earlier, now the narrator "e.ins to "e preocc-pied "y speci)ic ele!ents o) the pattern. 3n partic-lar, she is drawn to a central pattern o) "roken heads and "-l"o-s eyes. This aspect o) the pattern is si.ni)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 "e.innin. to )eels as i) the wallpaper is watchin. her. ot only do 1ohn and 1ennie watch her, care)-lly 4-d.in. 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-nli.ht !oti) and also )oreshadows later events in the narrative.

,art .
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 is rarel/ 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,es that the ke/ to her reco,er/ lies in writin'* she worries that the ke/ to her c&re is now e/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. The narrator+s onl/ com)ort is that the a / has een well and has not een )orced to &se the n&rser/. She is content to know that her presence in the n&rser/ ens&res that her a / will not ha,e to s&))er the same )ate. With each passin' da/* the wallpaper pro,es to e increasin'l/ stim&latin'. She spends ho&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 the ho&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& 2pattern eneath the o&ter la/er* similar to the ars o) a ca'e. The ha0/ shape eneath the pattern also e'ins to solidi)/* and she can now identi)/ it as a woman who is stoopin' down and creepin' ehind the main pattern.

Analysis
The meanin' o) the wallpaper is* as the narrator sa/s* 'rowin' clearer each da/. -eneath the con)&sin' patterns* which closel/ mirror the narrator+s chaotic mind* she ima'e o) a woman in a somewhat s& ser,ient pose 5Lstoopin' down and creepin' aro&ndL7. The )i'&re+s position corresponds to the narrator+s in)erior position in her marria'e and in the societ/. The ars that appear in the wallpaper contin&e to emphasi0e this connection etween the narrator and the ha0/ )eminine )i'&re in trapped ehind the pattern. Earl/ in the stor/* the narrator notes the ars on the windows o) the n&rser/* pres&ma l/ to protect the children )rom )allin' o&t o) the windows. Yet* the woman ehind the wallpaper is imprisoned ehind ars as well* re,ealin' that the narrator is also s&pposed to e imprisoned in the same wa/. $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 is o sessed 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 LThere are thin's in that paper that no od/ knows &t me.L Callin' it LpaperL rather than LwallpaperL s&''ests that the wallpaper )&nctions similarl/ to the paper on which she has een secretl/ writin'. The wallpaper is ecomin' a kind o) literar/ te9t in which she can disco,er deep meanin' &nder the s&r)ace and de,elop her own creati,it/. Thro&'ho&t this section* AohnMs paternalism 'rows. 1e treats her more like his in)ant* callin' her Lhis darlin' and his com)ort*L as i) her identit/ e9ists onl/ thro&'h him. The narrator also elie,es L4 m&st take care o) m/sel) )or his sake*L a statement loaded with iron/. The iron/ o) AohnMs control o,er her a'ain res&r)aces when he tells her she m&st &se her Lwill and sel)2controlL 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 control o,er her. .ltho&'h she attempts to o&tline a clear ar'&ment )or the ,isit* Aohn+s ina ilit/ to comprehend her )eelin's res&lts in a complete emotional reakdown. -eca&se Aohn does not 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 >itchell in this section. .s the doctor who prescri ed %ilman with a similar Lrest c&reL in !;;N* 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 an e9tent that she wo&ld rather sta/ in the n&rser/ and attempt to c&re hersel) with the wallpaper 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 a o&t her case with Aohn. She hopes to con,ince him to let them lea,e the n&rser/K despite her preocc&pation with the wallpaper* she still )eels somethin' omino&s a o&t it. Yet* the narrator )eels insec&re talkin' a o&t her case eca&se she does not want him to think that she do& ts him or lo,es him an/ less. Cather 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 their lease is &p in three weeks and their ho&se is still ein' remodeledK esides* she looks like she is 'ettin' etter. She responds with L-etter in od/ perhaps*L &t Aohn interr&pts and

&r'es her not to think a o&t s&ch thin's. 1e 'oes to sleep* &t the narrator sta/s &p )or ho&rs starin' at the wallpaper. The wallpaperMs pattern contin&es to a sor the narrator. She is appalled at the irritatin' pattern and still cannot &nderstand how the pattern can e so tort&ro&s. She notices that when 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. The narrator pretends to )ollow his orders* &t she is &na le to sleep and simpl/ )ollows the pattern o) the wallpaper with her e/es. 1owe,er* she does not want to tell Aohn that she sta/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,en e'innin' to e a little a)raid o) Aohn. 1er onl/ e9planation )or this chan'e in eha,ior is that the/ are also interested in the wallpaper. The narrator catches Aennie to&chin' the wallpaper &nder the e9c&se that the paper stains clothin'. The narrator resol,es that no one 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 let her lea,e the ho&se. .ltho&'h her plea is &ns&ccess)&l* she does not &rst into tears as she 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 )all asleep. The pattern o) the wallpaper also emer'es most clearl/ / the li'ht o) the moon. The narrator is a le to identi)/ the )i'&re as a woman ehind ars* an ima'e that s/m oli0es the 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 the e9pectations )or women o) the late !6th2cent&r/. Onlike men* women o) the time were e9pected onl/ to tend to the ho&sework and the )amil/ 2 and rarel/ to lea,e )reel/ )or work as Aohn does. The )act that the oppressi,e wallpaper is on the walls o) the n&rser/ is /et another s/m ol 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* when the s& conscio&s is allowed to roam. 4n the da/time* the )i'&re in the wallpaper is (&st as repressed as she isD L-/ da/li'ht she is s& d&ed* 3&iet. 4 )anc/ it is the pattern that keeps her so still.L Aohn contin&es his condescendin'* in)antili0in' eha,ior toward his Llittle 'irl. 1e asserts that 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/ ill portends disaster. Yet* the narrator all&des to the possi ilit/ that Aohn act&all/ does notice her trans)ormation. She ascri es his stran'e eha,ior to an interest in the wallpaper* &t it is more likel/ that Aohn is noticin' the narrator+s slow loss o) rationalit/. With that in mind* Aohn+s ind&l'ent eha,ior ma/ simpl/ e an attempt to calm the narrator and a,oid an/ ma(or con)licts. 1is re)erence to a little trip o) a )ew da/s is partic&larl/ pertinent. 4t is impossi le 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 she comes &pon Aennie to&chin' the wallpaper* the narrator is o,ercome with ra'e and has to restrain hersel) in order not to )ri'hten Aennie. 1er )inal declaration demonstrates the e9tent o) her o session with the wallpaperD no od/ 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 has somethin' to look )orward to. Still* she does not tell Aohn that her impro,in' health is d&e to the wallpaper )or )ear he wo&ld la&'h or take her awa/. She does not want to lea,e &ntil she has L)o&nd it o&t*L and thinks that the remainin' week o) their ,acation will e eno&'h to do so. .ma0ed 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 patterns appear in the wallpaper* and the narrator can arel/ keep track o) them. She e'ins to notice that the wallpaper has its own smell 22 a s& tle &t end&rin' odor 22 that creeps o,er the entire ho&se and 'ets in her hair. The L/ellow smellL was initiall/ dist&r in'* &t now she is &sed to it. The narrator also disco,ers a mark low down on the wall that streaks aro&nd the entire room as i) it had een r& ed in repeatedl/. She wonders wh/ it is there and who did it. ?inall/* the narrator has disco,ered wh/ the wallpaper seems to shake at ni'htD the woman in the wallpaper sei0es the ars o) the pattern and shakes them as she tries to clim thro&'h. Then narrator is not s&re i) it is onl/ one woman in the wallpaperMs pattern crawlin' aro&nd )ast* or i) there are man/ women. 4n the ri'ht spots she is still* and in the darker 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 wallpaper eca&se o) the creepin'* somethin' that most women wo&ld ne,er do in da/li'ht. The narrator acknowled'es that it m&st e e9tremel/ h&miliatin' to e ca&'ht creepin' in the da/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 Ltop patternL o) the wallpaper o)) L)rom the other one.L 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)essional 3&estions a o&t her. .ltho&'h the narrator is disconcerted / Aohn+s stran'e eha,ior* she decides 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 L)o&nd...o&tL in the wallpaper. She rein)orces the idea o) the wallpaper as holdin' a tan'i le meanin' she can &nlock* and %ilman ma/ as well e tellin' the reader to do the same with LThe Yellow Wallpaper.L -oth the narrator and the reader tr/ to Lpeel o))L 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 &t shakes the L arsL in darker spots. 4n another all&sion to the s&nli'htEmoonli'ht moti)* %ilman associates ri'htness with the ri'idit/ and re'&larit/ o) male oppression* and darkness with )eminine li eration. The di))&sion o) the wallpaperMs smell thro&'ho&t the ho&se s/m oli0es how the wallpaper is in)ectin' the narratorMs mind. She is &na le to 3&anti)/ the odor as an/thin' other than a /ellow smellK e,en her powers o) o ser,ation and ima'ination ha,e trans)ormed to re,ol,e aro&nd the /ellow wallpaper. 4n pre,io&s sections* the narrator has een de)ined entirel/ / AohnD as his wi)e* patient* and propert/. 1ere* %ilman s&''ests that Aohn has een 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 more stron'l/ with the woman in the wallpaper. Con)&sin'l/* when disc&ssin' the womanMs ha it o) Lcreepin'L a o&t o&tside* the narrator sa/s* L4 alwa/s lock the door when 4 creep / da/li'ht.L 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 a o&t Aohn and Aennie. She does not like the wa/ that Aohn is lookin' at her* and she resents his a&thoritati,e 3&estions to Aennie a o&t her. She no lon'er elie,es that he is act&all/ lo,in' and kindK instead* she concl&des that he is onl/ pretendin' to e lo,in' and kind in an e))ort to manip&late her. Still* the narrator ar'&es that Aohn cannot e held responsi le )or his eha,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'er reco'ni0in' 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 sei0es control o) the sit&ation / placin' hersel) in an a&thoritati,e position* capa le o) (&d'in' Aennie and Aohn )or hersel). The stran'e mark aro&nd the ottom o) the wall )oreshadows an action the narrator will take at the end o) the stor/. .t this point* the narrator is still &na le to reco'ni0e it )or what it 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 reali0es 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 she will sleep etter on her own. When the moon comes o&t* howe,er* the woman in the wallpaper shakes the pattern. The narrator helps her / p&llin' o)) the paper. -/ mornin'* she has peeled o)) a head2hi'h strip hal)wa/ aro&nd the room. 4n the mornin'* Aennie is shocked when she sees the hal)2stripped wallpaper. The narrator e9plains that she simpl/ p&lled it o)) eca&se the pattern is so &'l/* and Aennie* m&ch relie,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 the wallpaper and pro,in' that her del&sions are real. She has a rope to tie &p the woman in case 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)) what she can reach* and hears within the pattern the Lstran'led heads and &l o&s e/es and )&n'&s 'rowths...shriek with derision.L ?r&strated and an'r/* the narrator wants to (&mp o&t the window* &t the ars are solid* and she reali0es that an action like that mi'ht e Lmisconstr&ed.L -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' a o&t. She wonders i) the/ came o&t o) the wallpaper as she did. She ties hersel) &p with the rope. Tho&'h she en(o/s creepin' a o&t the room* she thinks she will ha,e to 'et ack inside the wallpaper when it Lcomes ni'ht.L 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. She tells him that she has )inall/ 'otten o&t o) the wallpaper despite him and Aennie* and that she has p&lled o)) most o) the wallpaper so the/ cannot p&t her ack. Aohn )aints* and the narrator 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 the wallpaper. She elie,es that not onl/ has the woman come o&t o) the wallpaper* &t so has she. .'ain* the s/m olic meanin' is that oth she and the woman ha,e li erated themsel,es )rom masc&line oppressionK / tearin' o&t o) the domesticated prison o) the wallpaper* the/ are )ree. This moment o) li eration 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* she s&''ests that not onl/ her h&s and* &t also the representation o) ideal domesticit/ 5in the )orm o) Aennie7 has contri &ted to her imprisonment. She has allowed Aohn and social e9pectations to dominate her and c&r her )reedom* &t this new sel) 2 one made &p o) the woman in the wallpaper and all the other women she sees Lcreepin'L a o&t 2 has roken )ree. With this in mind* howe,er* the ,er Lcreepin'L is an odd choice )or this act o) reakin' )ree. Creepin' 2 either crawlin' or walkin' while h&nched o,er 2 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 a o&t. This ma/ indicate that earl/ )eminism needed to LcreepL a o&t secretl/ e)ore it co&ld e respected and acknowled'ed / the rest o) societ/. The m&ltit&des o) women that the narrator sees are perhaps these earl/ practitioners o) )eminism* who draw stren'th in their n&m ers 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 the destr&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 the realm o) the domestic sphere and &ses it to destro/ the oppressi,e wallpaper. With that in mind* %ilman s&''ests that the wa/ )or women to o,ercome the oppression o) a paternalistic 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 een pre,io&sl/ &sed to ho&se the insane. The narrator+s total insanit/* o) co&rse* makes this more e,ident. The ars on the window are to pre,ent someone )rom (&mpin' o&t* as the narrator contemplates doin'K the immo,a le ed is L)airl/ 'nawedL 5and the narrator ites it* too7K and the stran'e mark aro&nd the peripher/ o) the room ma/ e )rom someone elseMs act o) crawlin' a o&t.

There is one )inal iron/ that a,en'es the narratorMs insanit/D AohnMs )aintin' is a stereot/picall/ )eminine show o) weakness. The narrator )inall/ achie,es an a&thoritati,e position 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 emphasis o) this li eration* almost as i) the narrator chooses to clim o,er him to hi'hli'ht his in)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 a s/m ol 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&r s 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 / the wallpaper and starts acti,el/ st&d/in' and decodin' its meanin'. She &ntan'les its chaotic pattern and locates the )i'&re o) a woman str&''lin' to reak )ree )rom the ars in the pattern. #,er time* as her insanit/ deepens* she identi)ies completel/ with this woman and elie,es that she* too* is trapped within the wallpaper. When she tears down the wallpaper o,er her last co&ple o) ni'hts* she elie,es that she has )inall/ roken o&t o) the wallpaper within which Aohn has imprisoned her. The wallpaperMs /ellow color has man/ possi le associations 2 with (a&ndiced sickness* with discriminated2a'ainst minorities o) the time 5especiall/ the Chinese7* and with the ri'id oppression o) masc&line s&nli'ht. -/ tearin' it down* the narrator emer'es )rom the wallpaper and asserts her own identit/* al eit a somewhat con)&sed* insane one. Tho&'h she m&st crawl aro&nd the room* as the woman in the wallpaper crawls aro&nd* this Lcreepin'L 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+s rationalit/. .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'ni0e 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 own solid rationalit/. 4n essence* a lar'e part o) the rest c&re )oc&ses on Aohn+s attempt to remo,e the narrator+s creati,it/K / )orcin' her to 'i,e &p her writin'* he hopes that he will calm 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 a le to s&ppress her creati,it/* despite her est e))orts to )ollow Aohn+s instr&ctions. -eca&se she is not a le to write openl/ and )eels the repression o) her ima'ination* she inad,ertentl/ e9ercises her mind ,ia the /ellow wallpaper. .ltho&'h the narrator attempts to incorporate Aohn+s rationalit/ into the chaotic pattern o) the wallpaper* she )ailsK the wallpaper cannot e 3&anti)ied in Aohn+s wa/. 1er repressed ima'ination takes control* and she loses all sense o) realit/* ecomin' lost in del&sions and 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 repressed ima'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 the e'innin'. Aohn sho&ld ha,e een a le to accept the tr&e nat&re o) his wi)e* rather than tr/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/m ol o) the )eminine domestic sphere* the narrator is trapped within the prison2like n&rser/. The n&rser/ is itsel) a s/m ol o) the narrator+s oppression as a constant reminder o) her d&t/ to clean the ho&se and take care o) the children. The n&mero&s arred windows and immo,a le ed also s&''est a more mali'nant &se )or the n&rser/ in the past* perhaps as a room &sed to ho&se an insane person. The narratorMs sense o) ein' watched / the wallpaper accent&ates the idea o) the room as a s&r,eillance2)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/ patroni0es his ima'inati,e* literar/ wi)e. 1e ,iews her writin' as &nimportant* rarel/ takes her an9ieties serio&sl/* and constantl/ re)ers to her with the dimin&ti,e little. The narrator has no option o) escapin' her role as a wi)e and motherK Aohn is &na le to percei,e her as an/thin' more than that. 1owe,er* the narrator is imprisoned e,en )&rther eca&se Aennie and >ar/ ass&me her identit/ as wi)e and motherK 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'ni0e it as a 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 the start o) the stor/* the narrator is s&pposed to e s&))erin' )rom ne&rasthenia* a disease that re3&ires Weir >itchell+s partic&lar techni3&e )or ner,o&sness. Yet* it is &nclear i) the narrator 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 more detrimental to a woman s&))erin' )rom a minor an9iet/ disorder. Si'ni)icantl/* accordin' to %ilman+s a&to io'raph/* she sent a cop/ o) The Yellow Wallpaper to Weir >itchell* and he s& se3&entl/ chan'ed his treatment )or ne&rasthenia. -e/ond the rest c&re* %ilman also critici0es an/ sort o) medical treatment in which the personal opinion o) the patient is not considered. .ltho&'h the narrator repeatedl/ asks Aohn to chan'e the treatment o,er the co&rse o) the stor/* he re)&ses to acknowled'e her re3&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 a h&s and 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 !6th cent&r/ were e9pected to )&l)ill their d&ties as wi,es and mothers and e content in their e9istence as nothin' more. >en and women were di,ided etween the p& lic and pri,ate sphere* and women 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 to prostit&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/* he is simpl/ a re)lection o) his societ/. The narrator+s desire to ha,e more in her li)e than Aohn and her child does not correspond to social e9pectations. >oreo,er* her lo,e o) writin' and creati,it/ )&rther distin'&ishes her )rom the ideali0ed an'el o) the ho&se that she is s&pposed to em&late. %ilman hersel) re elled a'ainst these social e9pectations and* /

lea,in' her )irst h&s and and mo,in' to Cali)ornia to write* was not deemed )it to elon' in respecta le 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,en when the narrator is &na le 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/ in the same position as the narratorD imprisoned in the domestic sphere and &na le to escape 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 state that she can no lon'er di))erentiate hersel) )rom the )i'&re that she has seen in the wallpaper. She is the woman in the wallpaper and no one* not e,en Aohn* can imprison her in the wallpaper a'ain. There is no do& t that the narrator will e ph/sicall/ imprisoned at some point in the )&t&re. .)ter Aohn re'ains conscio&sness and disco,ers his wi)e still creepin' aro&nd the n&rser/* he will ha,e no choice &t to send her to Weir >itchell or place 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 the wallpaper can e seen as a mani)estation o) her creati,e ima'ination that )inall/ reaks thro&'h the ri'id e9pectations o) the domestic sphere. On)ort&natel/* the escape o) her ima'ination means that she cannot e,er re'ain an/ sort o) rationalit/K / )reein' the woman 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,eloped moti) is the con)lict etween s&nli'ht and moonli'ht. 4n %ilmanMs stor/* s&nli'ht is associated with AohnMs ordered* dominatin' sched&le and the rational sphere o) men. Aohn prescri es somethin' )or the narrator )or e,er/ wakin' ho&r while he 'oes a o&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/ (o s in the p& lic sphere are irrele,ant* and women can achie,e a more e3&al le,el with their h&s ands. While he is asleep* Aohn is &na le 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 )le9i le s& conscio&s roams )ree at ni'ht* as in d&rin' dreams. 4t is alwa/s / moonli'ht* a traditional s/m ol o) )emininit/ and the %oddess .rtemis* that the narrator &nderstands more a o&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 a o&t o&tside* she does so oldl/ onl/ at ni'ht. >oreo,er* the narrator cannot see the )i'&re &nder the oppressi,e 'lare o) s&nli'ht in her room and is o,erwhelmed / the pattern o) the wallpaper. -/ the cool* )eminine li'ht o) the moon* the narrator is a le to 'rasp the woman+s pli'ht and &ltimatel/ reco'ni0e in it a re)lection o) her own imprisonment.