Yellow Wallpaper
Charlotte Perkins Gilman's story, "The Yellow Wallpaper," explores the restricted societal roles of both Jane and John. Gilman, a strong supporter of women's rights, focuses on her account with depression through this story (Hill 150). Traditionally, the man must take care of the woman both financially and emotionally while the woman's role remains at home. Society tends to trap man and woman and prevent them from developing emotionally and intellectually. Although Gilman focuses on the hardships of the woman, she also examines the role of the man in society. Repression generated by social gender roles hinders men and women from acquiring self-individuation. The repression of Jane ties into her lack of exposure to emotional and intellectual stimulus. Jane's feminine emotions towards her environment aid in her restraint. Representing the dominance o
On the other hand, John is taken seriously by society because he is a man with authority; however, his femininity still is restricted by societal gender roles. John shows no understanding of Jane's need for an intellectual stimulus, signifying his lack of intuition (1150). Beginning to "write for a while" in a journal against the wishes of those around her, represents the suppression of Jane's attempt at creative stimulus (1149). The garden which Jane can view through her barred windows, stands for her fertility which she is incapable of obtaining (1149). Obviously, Jane has not been given the opportunity to exhibit her maternal or intellectual instincts because John and the rest of society feel that it would be absurd. Jane is unable to take care of her own baby. Spirituality, a part of the human psyche of which John lacks, accounts for his repression. Significantly, the maternal instincts of Jane remain enslaved due to her surroundings. As a result of societal gender roles men and women have been restrained from achieving self-individuation. f masculinity over the restrained female, Jane observes the female figure, who looks as if she is behind bars, in the pattern of the wallpaper (1156). John's scarcity of feminine emotions accounts for his repression. The nursery, containing windows "barred for little children," represents the suppression of Jane's motherly duties (1150). Intentionally, Jane's intellectual prowess remains held back. Whenever Jane observes the moonlight John sleeps, acknowledging the idea that man is suppressed by the feminine aspects of the psyche (1155). Illustrating John's determination to demolish the remaining fragments of femininity, John considers using the axe to destroy the "beautiful door" (1161).
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Acceptance Essays
