Character Analysis Yellow Wallpaper
Character Analysis Essay
English 1002
Rodems
February 7, 2011
The Yellow Wallpaper
Many people deal with post-traumatic depression and it can have a huge impact on one’s life. In the short story by Charlotte Perkins Gillman, “The Yellow Wallpaper”, the main character, as well as the narrator, is an unnamed woman dealing with post-traumatic depression. The exceptionally imaginative protagonist’s metamorphosis is due to her isolated confinement in a room with “yellow wallpaper” in order for her to recover from depression. This type of treatment is prescribed by her physician and husband, John, whose controlling personality demands the main character to get bed rest in a secluded room and forbid her to participate in any creative activity that would exercise the mind, which affects her ability to express any thoughts through her enjoyment in writing. At one time, the narrator’s exquisite imagination might have found a productive escape through her sporadic writing, but forced to repress her thoughts instead leads to her growth in madness. The narrator from “The Yellow Wallpaper” is an example of a dynamic character by the change of her mental condition from her oppressed life, the yellow wallpaper, and search for freedom. The narrator’s isolated recovery forced her to repress any thoughts of her own, which contributed to her oppressed life. The narrator disagrees with her husband’s idea of treatment, but kept her mouth shut and vented through her writing, “Personally, I disagree with their ideas. Personally, I believe that congenial work, with excitement and change, would do me good.” (437). Her weakness to take responsibility of expressing her own decisions takes control of her deprived mind and stays obedient to her confinement. While she is isolated, her feelings of loneliness, emotional distress, boredom, and irritation cause her mental condition to worsen. The only satisfaction the narrator gets while being confined is her enjoyment in writing, although
English 1002
Rodems
February 7, 2011
The Yellow Wallpaper
Many people deal with post-traumatic depression and it can have a huge impact on one’s life. In the short story by Charlotte Perkins Gillman, “The Yellow Wallpaper”, the main character, as well as the narrator, is an unnamed woman dealing with post-traumatic depression. The exceptionally imaginative protagonist’s metamorphosis is due to her isolated confinement in a room with “yellow wallpaper” in order for her to recover from depression. This type of treatment is prescribed by her physician and husband, John, whose controlling personality demands the main character to get bed rest in a secluded room and forbid her to participate in any creative activity that would exercise the mind, which affects her ability to express any thoughts through her enjoyment in writing. At one time, the narrator’s exquisite imagination might have found a productive escape through her sporadic writing, but forced to repress her thoughts instead leads to her growth in madness. The narrator from “The Yellow Wallpaper” is an example of a dynamic character by the change of her mental condition from her oppressed life, the yellow wallpaper, and search for freedom. The narrator’s isolated recovery forced her to repress any thoughts of her own, which contributed to her oppressed life. The narrator disagrees with her husband’s idea of treatment, but kept her mouth shut and vented through her writing, “Personally, I disagree with their ideas. Personally, I believe that congenial work, with excitement and change, would do me good.” (437). Her weakness to take responsibility of expressing her own decisions takes control of her deprived mind and stays obedient to her confinement. While she is isolated, her feelings of loneliness, emotional distress, boredom, and irritation cause her mental condition to worsen. The only satisfaction the narrator gets while being confined is her enjoyment in writing, although