The response to the following question is due on M 8/30, T 8/31 at least one hour prior to the class and should be posted to your blog. Remember, it must be at least 250 words to receive full credit.
Does the ending of the story suggest progress (a woman tears down the shackles that are binding her) or pessimism (this woman has become completely unstable)? Or is it delivering a different type of message? Please include in your answer a reference/reflection on the use of the first-person narrator and how this affects your understanding of the message.
Response #2
ReplyDeleteI believe the ending of "Yellow Wallpaper" suggest much progress and not pessimism because in the begining it was all about the terrors of the woman's neurosis. It was apparent that she allowed herself to be inferior to men, particulary her husband, John, whom being a physician, had special orders for her: To stay in bed, and most important to not continue her writing. Even though she felt better when she wrote. She showed lack of self-confidence and feeling of inferirity. She spoke as though her opinions do not count anyway, and she was very accepting of it. She also belittled herself a couple of times throughout the story. Like when she said "I meant to be such a help to john."
I believe she did not give herself enough credit to spec upfor heself.
I think is comparable to what many people go through today, in our society, with doctors.
Although one knows what makes us feel better, we most after will rely on the doctor's advice, instead, simply because of their authority.
She tries so hard to get better, and deep down she knows what she needs to do, but she is constantly being shut down by her husband, brother, and her own personal insecurities. Her husband not let her do what she wills to do and what she knows she should do, which is use her mind and express herself.
She gets to the point that because of John's constant observation of her as well as her low energy level she must direct her imagination elsewhere, so she begins to fantasize about a Wallpaper.
She imagines people, scenes, colorful artwork, and mostly anything imaginable and the paper. The more she lets herself dream, and use her mind, the more confident dhe becomes. Eventually, as she lets her imagination wander, she begins to display a building confidence in herself, and a amused opinion of John's therapy.
This is why I think the ending of the story suggest progress, because she finally lets herself go. She enjoys looking at and playing with the wallpaper she no longer cares what anyone thanks. She totally and uninhibitedly gives in to herself and allow her feelings to be expressed.
She peels off only the paper she could reach from the floor. This to me means that she is doing as she wills and destroyed that which limited her.
The last thing that convinced me of progress was when she said to John "I've go out at last inspite of you and I've pushed off most of the paper so you can't put me back."