book

The Yellow Wallpaper - Principles of Sexism

21 Pages 681 Words 1557 Views

Charlotte Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper," is, in a strong sense, a reflection of her own life. Her experiences with depression throughout her life inspired her to create this powerful, unusual and unconventional narrative that has been read by many and has been interpreted several different ways. It’s a story that’s centered on a woman that has no rights in her marriage. The narrator sees herself as this woman and describes her as being trapped. There is a comparison with her and a woman that lurks in the wallpaper that she compares herself to. She hides in the wallpaper and has no escape this woman has another companion and that’s also the woman of the story. The author Charlotte Perkins Gilman describes and indicates that the true meaning behind this story is that of isolation and feeling completely alone in a relationship without any respect. Women for many centuries had felt isolated and without a voice unable to be valued and sustain themselves on their own. The main purpose of Gilman was to show not only show that some treatments for recovering women were wrong but also that the principals and politics towards sexism was unjust. The story of the Yellow Wallpaper showed the unequal relationship wife and husband. This was a larger problem for all women. In her writing Gilman makes clear arguments that John is condescending towards his wife and partner’s behavior and the tone towards her has nothing to do with her illness. He words towards her express pity and superiors using lines like “Little Girl” or “Bless her little heart”. He decides to dismiss her thoughts and her “flights of fancy” with disdain and belittles her. Her overrides her thoughts and makes decision for her like where they will live, what room she will stay in and what she can do with her free time. Her husband becomes overbearing in everything she does not even allowing her to write in her booklet because he thinks it'll tire her out. Her trea

Read Full Essay