“The Yellow Wallpaper” 6th period analysis

Group 1: Setting “A colonial mansion, a hereditary estate, I would say a haunted house, and reach the height or romantic felicity” (1) Intimidating; narrator does not feel comfortable “ The most beautiful place! It is quite alone standing well back from the road, quite three miles from the village.” (1) Secluded; alone Out of another I get a lovely view of the bay and a little private wharf belonging to the estate.” (3) Narrator can see life outside but always had to live life isolated from the world

Group 1: setting Room “ It is dull enough to confuse the eye in following,” (2) “ windows are barred for little children, and there are rings and things in the walls.” (2) “ It is a big, airy room, the whole floor nearly, with windows that look all ways, and air and sunshine.” (2) The narrator is always isolated to the large room that has yellow wallpaper. The narrator is able to see life outside of the room but is never able to participate physically.

Mrs. Hunt would like to add… Home Yellow Wallpaper “English places . . . hedges and walls . . . lots of separate little houses for gardeners and people” (1) Optic horror (4 ) Stripped off in spots especially around the head of bed “as far as I can reach” (2) Gate at top of stairs (2) Blames condition of room on “children” Room According to narrator: Bed Bolted to the floor Nursery playroom gymnasium “been through the wars” (3) Chewed Scratched floor “This bed will not move!” (9) “gouged and splintered” (3 ) Rented summer home or insane asylum? (2) “Rings and things in the wall” (2) “Plaster itself is dug out’ (2)

Group 2: Characters Narrator: Main character suffers from nervous conditions and depression from having a child Writes to relieve herself John and her brother oppose her writing, but she writes anyway. “Personally, I believe that congenial work, with excitement and change, could do me good.” John: Physician husband of narrator treats narrator like a little girl apathetic Superficial “What is it, little girl?” Jennie: Jennie is caring toward the narrator, does not belittle her. “Such a dear girl as he is, and she careful of me! She is a perfect and enthusiastic housekeeper.” Mary: Primary caretaker of the narrator’s baby “It’s fortunate Mary is so good with the baby.”

Mrs. Hunt would like to add… Narrator Jane? Married to John Suffering from postpartum depression Rest drives her further insane Prohibited to write, causing her to hide it Wants to find reason in random pattern of wallpaper Creeps along wall John “Physician of high standing…perhaps that is one reason I do not get well faster” (1) Diagnoses narrator with “temporary nervous depression” and “slight hysterical tendency’ (1) No patience “Practical in the extreme (1) Treats her like a child

Group 3: Narrator’s description of the wallpaper “ The color is repellent, almost revolting; a smouldering unclean yellow, strangely faded by the slow-turning sunlight.” (2) This wallpaper has a kind of sub-pattern in a, different shade, a particularly irritating one…” (3) “I'm getting really fond of the room in spite of the wall-paper. Perhaps because of the wall-paper.” (4)

Group 4: symbolism The woman represents how she sees herself, trapped and wanting to get out. “The faint figure behind seemed to shake the pattern, just as if she wanted to get out.” (5) “I think… I can see her out of everyone of my windows.” (7)

Mrs. Hunt would like to add… The woman in the wallpaper represents two things: The narrator’s insanity It becomes worse as her description of the wallpaper becomes clearer “Behind that outside pattern the dim shapes get clearer every day” “The woman behind it is as plain as can be” Women trapped in societal confinement and trying to escape “wallpaper strangles those who try to escape”

Group 5: quote analysis “ I suppose I shall have to get back behind the pattern when it comes night, and that is hard! It is so pleasant to be out in this great room and creep around as I please!” (778). In this quote, the narrator is explaining how there are times when she can creep around and be herself, however in the back of her mind there is this thought of depression for she must be confined. “’ I’ve got out at last,’ said I, ‘in spite of you and Jane. And I’ve pulled off most of the paper, so you can’t put me back!’” (778). The narrator has made it out of the wallpaper, going against her instruction (perhaps symbolizing that’s she’s going against society) and refusing to be confined. Also, perhaps Jane is the narrator and is explaining that she is partially responsible for her own confinement by not standing up for herself.