Patriarchy In The Yellow Wallpaper

The anthropologist Margaret Mead once said, "All the claims so glibly made about societies ruled by women are nonsense. We have no reason to believe that they ever existed...Men have been the leaders in public affairs and the final authorities at home" (Piper). While in ancient Egyptian history there have been women-dominated societies, from the 19th till the 21st century, Mead’s words on patriarchy still pertain to women who live in the societal structure controlled by a man. This more predominant patriarchal society is been based upon the influence of men which isolates women from numerous important social spheres. This creates a sense of self-denial for women and heightened dependence on their male counterpart. (G) The question that will be considered is, What device does Charlotte Perkins Gilman use to reveal the harsh treatments of women in a patriarchal society and the impact it has on their persona in her book The Yellow Wallpaper? (GQ) Initially, the treatment of women in this patriarchal society is revealed through their inferiority in relation with their husbands and their meek action. As the text progresses the female protagonists prevail over the norms of society through overcoming their passive behavior, thus ultimately gaining a sense of self and independence. (Organization of my paper color-coded). By using similes, Gilman reveals that while the harsh treatment of women in a patriarchy can easily destroy their
They had no say in the finances, the social events that were attended or any of the huge decisions” (Jones).