The Yellow Wall Paper By Gilman

I believe that in order for literature to be successful it must engage the reader to look beyond the words on the surface, and deeper into the meaning which the author is trying to express. This is most effectively achieved when the deeper meaning the author portrays within their literature addresses the big issues of the world. This is because it is these provocative issues which engage the reader to look beyond the surface, and delve in to the way these deeper meanings impacts their own lives. The Yellow Wall Paper written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a great example of a successful piece of literature. One of the big issues which Gilman explores within the text is the role of woman in society, she does this by exploring the ways in which
Gilman utilises the disturbing symbol of the wall paper and it’s interaction with the woman in the story, to express the many negative impacts the relegation to this role has on woman. “It slaps you in the face knocks you down, and tramples upon you. It is like a bad dream.” This example utilises personification to describe the way the narrator feels she is being treated by the wall paper and how she sees it as a constant suppressant preventing her from having any freedom in her life. By giving the symbol of the wall paper these human actions, Gilman is portraying her perspective on the ‘normal’ way men treated woman during this time period. Gilman successfully uses the wall papers relationship with the woman to convey her strong distaste for this socially accepted practise of men relegating woman to demeaning domesticated roles for their entire lives. ‘It is striped off – the paper – all around the head of my bed… I never saw a worst sight in my life. One of those sprawling flamboyant patterns omitting every artistic sin… when you follow the lame uncertain curves they suddenly commit suicide – plunge off at outrageous angles, destroy themselves in unheard of contradictions.” The reference to the wall paper being stripped off around the head of her bed, demonstrates how the woman has been tied down and unable to escape from not only the physical restraints but the restraints of social conventions preventing her from being free. This example uses the wall paper which symbolises woman and intense imagery to show how woman destroy themselves due to the loss of identity they experience as a result of what society is doing to them. In particular this represents what men in society are doing to woman. By utilising the symbol of the wall paper Gilman engages the reader to