Protagonist: the leading, positive character of the story. Gilman narrates a story about the events in her life called, The Yellow Wallpaper. In real life her name was Charlotte Perkins Gilman, but in fear of people knowing she was writing, she changed her name in text to Jane. Although, there doesn't seem to be anything positive about "Jane's" life, she is the protagonist of the story. Protagonist means positive, but positivity doesn't necessarily have to be about someone being overjoyed and smiling all of the time. Positivity can be as simple as one single thought in a person's mind that drives them to keep going. I believe that one little thought is what Jane had been experiencing in her own mind. "Jane" or Gilman was determined to carry on. Jane explains different events that I personally, believe happened because of her long tiring fight for desperately wanting to be treated like everyone else. Depression and fatigue had gotten too severe that she could no longer grasp what's real and what isn't. Gilman became completely oblivious to most things such as, John's actions, or her doctor's actions in the story. Jane takes recognition to the fact he is giving her medicine, but she never thought to question whether the medicine would truly help or hurt her. That question still lingers around today. Was John giving her medicine to "help" or was he trying to continue to mentally destroy her? Even so, as the Protagonist, Jane carried on. On the other hand, Jane goes into deep description about how much she loathes the wallpaper in her room. Throughout the story, Gilman spends more and more time examining this peculiar wallpaper. The examination soon becomes an obsession. The obsession is so extreme that she can no longer control herself around the wallpaper. Her imagination explodes and starts to hallucinate begins to see a woman in the wallpaper. At first, you would think it's herself, but I believe she sees the woman as someone who is trapped like she is. This other women is also creeping around like Jane. Both are waiting for Society to accept them as Society accepts men. Jane talks about the woman shaking the “pattern” in the wallpaper, but what she really sees is the woman "shaking prison bars" or trying to escape the horrid and unfair treatment that Jane, herself has to deal with. As the story progresses, Jane describes an indentation circling the wallpaper, but what she doesn't realize is she, herself was the one that created the indentation. This indentation, to me, was caused by Jane leaning up against the wallpaper and circling around the room. Jane circling the room is a resemblance to her never ending desire for people to treat her as everyone else is treated. All in all, Jane can no longer separate imagination from reality. Her story is starting to become a Self vs. Self conflict rather than a Self vs. Society conflict.
http://www.lcradar.com/2011/09/28/charlotte-perkins-gilmans-the-yellow-wallpaper-is-a-loving-tale-of-insanity/
In site on The Yellow Wallpaper and Gilman.
In site on The Yellow Wallpaper and Gilman.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=1006033026787\
Answers to questions about Jane's hysteria.
Answers to questions about Jane's hysteria.
I loved how long this was and how much detail you put into it. I also love how you put two pictures for the visual. I absolutely agree with how you said "Her story is starting to become a Self vs. Self conflict rather than a Self vs. Society conflict." because she is starting to go against herself like you explained throughout with whole article. I also liked how you hooked the reader in the beginning.
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