Wednesday, November 18, 2009
The Yellow Wallpaper
I definitely think that writers definitely write to affect change. This brings us back to stories that have a didactic meaning. Most of the time stories are written not only to entertain their readers but also to share a deeper meaning. This brings me to the story that we discussed on Tuesday. The Yellow Wallpaper was definitely a unique story written not only to entertain the audience but also to promote lots of different meanings. The one that I want to concentrate on is the way Gilman used this story to promote women’s rights. During this time period husbands controlled their wives and made important decisions for them. “If a physician of high standing, and one’s own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression-what is one to do?” This statement is an example of just how men control anything they are able to. Not only is this story a good example of women being controlled but The Wide, Wide World is an even better example. Even though Ellen’s father is not around in the story he still finds ways to control Ellen and her mother. “It was a great relief to Ellen when her father ended his talking and left her to herself; for she felt she could not dress herself so quick with him standing there and looking at her, and his desire that she should be speedy in what she had to do could not be greater than her own.” Both of these stories are not only written to entertain, but are written with the thought of just how women were being treated during this time period.
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I also felt as if Perkins Gilman was righting to voice humans rights. She was using the way her husband controlled her to show that there needed to be change in society so women are treated equally.
ReplyDeleteI really like how you used the quote “If a physician of high standing, and one’s own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression-what is one to do?” to show just how much control John had on his wife's thinking and decisions. I enjoyed how you used The Wide, Wide World as another example of men controlling women because I did not think of this text initially when I considered texts similar to The Yellow Wallpaper. However you are right, Ellen could barely breathe with her father around and often dreaded his presence cause it meant she must behave differently. Great blog!
ReplyDeleteThe comparison of Ellen and the narrator from The Yellow Wallpaper is strong because you show how the men have control. I forgot about how controlling Ellen's father was about her leaving when her mother wanted to tell her that night, but he did not want to tell her. It was also a good point when you said that these stories were not just meant to entertain because there are many more layers to these stories.
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