Mindmap
"The Yellow Wallpaper"
Inhalt der Mindmap
"The Yellow Wallpaper"
Plot
- The narrator, her husband John, and his sister Jennie move to a beautiful manor in the countryside. John is a physician, and brought his wife to the countryside to recover from a "nervous disorder." Her brother, who is also a physician, also considers her condition to be a physical ailment rather than a mental one. While at the manor, she is not allowed to write or do work, so she journals in secret while left alone in the house. In the rental manor, John insists upon the two of them remaining within the upstairs room (once a nursery, and then a gymnasium) instead of the beautiful rooms downstairs. Their bedroom is furnished with a bed nailed to the floor, large windows, and a strange yellow wallpaper. This wallpaper was placed haphazardly on the wall, and the narrator is disgusted by it. Her first entry is interrupted by the approach of her husband.
- Compared to the restless imagination of the narrator, John is very dismissive of his wife's condition, and generally controlling about her care. The narrator often adopts his dismissive manner and reminds herself to be grateful for his care. Their child is kept away as she recovers, and John spends much of his time at the hospital, working. The narrator continually asks to see her cousins Julia and Michael, but John dos feel that she is prepared for such sustained contact with others. As she remains alone, she remarks the strangeness of the wallpaper's pattern, and personifies it. She compares the life within its inanimation to the monsters she would create in her room as a child, before bed. Her Journal entry is interrupted by Jenny, John's sister, approach. Before she ends the entry, she remarks that there seems to be a figure that moves behind the wallpaper.
- After receiving guests for the Fourth of July, the narrator is thoroughly exhausted. John encourages her to gain strength, or else he will send her away to recover her alone. The narrator is extremely depressed, and spends much of her time alone, crying, and laying down. She often studies the strange pattern of the wallpaper, and is thrown off-kilter by its lack of symmetry, or organization. The narrator grows even weaker, even as John feeds her medication and foods to get stronger. Despite her protests to see others, John continues to baby the narrator and keep her cooped up within the manor. He urges her to recuperate, ignoring the mental aspect of her declining health, instead focusing on the physical aspect. As she spends more time within the room, the narrator begins to see images that others cannot behind the wallpaper. Everyday, the image of a stooping woman behind the wallpaper grows clearer.
- The narrator attempts to convince John to whisk her away from the manor as her fear of the wallpaper grows larger. In the night, the narrator approaches, attempting to decipher whether the woman attempting to escape the wallpaper was truly causing the wallpaper to shake. John wakes up, and she attempts to convince him to leave the manor. He refuses, attempting to see the bright side of their stay, and creating supposed "progress" that he has seen in his wife's condition. Once more, he encourages her to get better for both him and their child, and ignores the notion that something could be wrong with her mentally. As she watches the wallpaper, she notices its strangeness once again, and remarks the changes it undergoes as the light shifts. In the night, no longer is the hideous pattern so distracting; instead, the woman behind the wallpaper is no longer subdued. Throughout the day, the narrator lays down, a behavior encouraged by her husband.
- As the days pass, she begins to grow afraid of John and his strange behavior. She is sure the wallpaper is affecting him and Jennie. She catches him staring at the wallpaper, and Jennie clutching the wall. Jennie is frightened when the narrator enters the room, and looks slightly angry; she encourages the narrator and John to refrain from touching the wallpaper, as the yellow color seems to stain everything. The narrator grows suspicious of the two, and is determined to prevent the two from understanding the secrets of the wallpaper. As the narrator grows passionate about the wallpaper, John believes her to have gotten better (which is not the truth, and the narrator is aware of the fact). During the day, the narrator is confused by the strange shade and patter of the wallpaper, and remarks that it seems to have a smell. The scent coats her ans the entire room, and there is a strange mark on the floor.
- After much studying the narrator comes to the conclusion that there are multiple women behind the wallpaper. According to the narrator, the woman is constantly trying to escape; in the bright spots she does not move, but she grows violent in the darker parts of the wallpaper. In the daytime, the woman escapes the wallpaper, and creeps around outside as the narrator attempts to watch her. The narrator seems to alienate herself from her husband, and does not like the look in his eyes eyes or the way he questions Jennie and her. On the last night, the narrator attempts to help the trapped woman, and pulls the wallpaper from the wall. The next day Jennie arrives, and is astonished by some of the wallpaper's removal; the narrator, however, grows possessive, and does not approve of anyone's involvement. The narrator grows crazy in the empty room, and begins to bit the wooden bed to move it (so she could stand on it).
- She rips all of the wallpaper off the wall and believes herself to have come out of it, just like the creeping women. She begins to creep around as John knocks on the door begging her to open it. She instructs him to find the key outside after he threatens to break down the door. When enters, he faints in shock at the sight of her wrapped in the wallpaper and creeping around the room. She ignores him, instead choosing to creep right over him.
- The narrator is concerned that others may misconsture her anger as an attempt at suicide. This is very telling of the way women's emotions were viewed during this time. Their anger, sadness, and mind were not valued, or taken seriously. The narraot is aware that others could not conceive how she could be angry, especially those who thought they were helping her. She believes, rightfully so, that they will swoop in to help her once more, rather than realize that she can think and act for herself. Suicide, while a very deliberate choice on her part, would be seen as a slip of the mind by others. Finally, all the parts of the narrator have been brought together at the end of the story, in the form of the women creeping around with her. Her stepping over her husband signifies that she no longer belongs under his care, or under him. Instead, she is finally confident and accepting of her condition, and is capable of creeping through life on her own.
- The multiple women behind the wallpaper may represent the narrator's multiple personalities. This may be her unconscious awareness that she is suffering from a multiple-personality disorder, the root of her condition and visions. The woman behind the wallpaper grows more violent in her attempts to escape the wallpaper. This may represent the narrator's growing hatred of her husband's control, and her alienation from him. The narrator may be trying to break through and accept her condition, and finally escape the chains of both her mental condition and her husband's treatment. We finally see the narrator break and devolve into insanity. The narrator's attempt to aid the woman in her escape may have been the turning point that caused her final break into insanity; she has finally accepted herself, and is ready to wreak havoc. This possessiveness by the narrator may represent something deeper. She does not want anyone to involve themselves within the removal of the wallpaper.
- Clearly, the narrator does not want to be dependent upon anyone anymore, and her self-realization is something that she must complete alone. She has been hindered throughout the story by those around her, and this is her opportunity to depend upon herself.
- She rips all of the wallpaper off the wall and believes herself to have come out of it, just like the creeping women. She begins to creep around as John knocks on the door begging her to open it. She instructs him to find the key outside after he threatens to break down the door. When enters, he faints in shock at the sight of her wrapped in the wallpaper and creeping around the room. She ignores him, instead choosing to creep right over him.
- Even though I believe that John is controlling, I do think that the narrator is suffering from extreme mental health issues. She is enraptured by the wallpaper, and seems to grow aware of how John and Jennie act in relation to it. The yellow stain that Jennie sees upon the clothes of John and the narrator may be the physical manifestation of something metaphorical. This stain may represent the way the relationship of John and the narrator has been stained by her condition. Often times, sexual relations are commented upon by the stains left behind. This yellow stain may be a darker play upon this common phase. Another common phrase is the "smell of victory." The smell that the narrator senses might suggest her growing awareness of her deteriorating mental health and her insanity. She can sense it upon everyone, just as her condition affects those around her. The smell is strange and is derived from the yellow wallpaper, which is intrinsically connected to the narrator.
- After much studying the narrator comes to the conclusion that there are multiple women behind the wallpaper. According to the narrator, the woman is constantly trying to escape; in the bright spots she does not move, but she grows violent in the darker parts of the wallpaper. In the daytime, the woman escapes the wallpaper, and creeps around outside as the narrator attempts to watch her. The narrator seems to alienate herself from her husband, and does not like the look in his eyes eyes or the way he questions Jennie and her. On the last night, the narrator attempts to help the trapped woman, and pulls the wallpaper from the wall. The next day Jennie arrives, and is astonished by some of the wallpaper's removal; the narrator, however, grows possessive, and does not approve of anyone's involvement. The narrator grows crazy in the empty room, and begins to bit the wooden bed to move it (so she could stand on it).
- John's neglect of the mental aspect of her condition is partially abusive. He refuses to realize that her suffering can be traced by her mental state, no matter how much he tries to aid her physical recuperation. Once more, connections between the narrator. She grows more apprehensive of the woman and the wallpaper, which may be a metaphor for her desire to escape her issues or a confrontation with her husband, that will ultimately lead to a dismissal of her feelings. Her curiosity over whether the woman was truly trying to escape may be related to her own desire to eave behind her own secret desire to escape her husband's control, which is subtle and requires intense introspection. Just as the narrator seems to be more awake in the night, and aware, the woman behind the wallpaper is as well. The two of them seem to exist during a time in which others are asleep, which suggests that their way of thinking is different from others.
- As the days pass, she begins to grow afraid of John and his strange behavior. She is sure the wallpaper is affecting him and Jennie. She catches him staring at the wallpaper, and Jennie clutching the wall. Jennie is frightened when the narrator enters the room, and looks slightly angry; she encourages the narrator and John to refrain from touching the wallpaper, as the yellow color seems to stain everything. The narrator grows suspicious of the two, and is determined to prevent the two from understanding the secrets of the wallpaper. As the narrator grows passionate about the wallpaper, John believes her to have gotten better (which is not the truth, and the narrator is aware of the fact). During the day, the narrator is confused by the strange shade and patter of the wallpaper, and remarks that it seems to have a smell. The scent coats her ans the entire room, and there is a strange mark on the floor.
- Again, there seems to be a connection between the strange pattern of the wallpaper and the narrator. It frustrates the narrator that there seems to be no end to the strange pattern, or any symmetry. During this time, she is desperate to recover and see other people, and generally lead a normal life. Just like this wallpaper, there is no clear answer or end to her suffering. Although she tries to get better (just as she tries to understand the wallpaper( she grows more exhausted with it, and life. Another connection can be made with the narrator within the wallpaper. John refuses to allow the narrator to see others, and continues to treat her like a child. She remarks that the woman behind the wallpaper is stooping. This could be a metaphor for the narrator, who continually yields to her husband's coercion. Her protests remain hidden by her outer acceptance of his care, which she knows are hindering her self-growth.
- The narrator attempts to convince John to whisk her away from the manor as her fear of the wallpaper grows larger. In the night, the narrator approaches, attempting to decipher whether the woman attempting to escape the wallpaper was truly causing the wallpaper to shake. John wakes up, and she attempts to convince him to leave the manor. He refuses, attempting to see the bright side of their stay, and creating supposed "progress" that he has seen in his wife's condition. Once more, he encourages her to get better for both him and their child, and ignores the notion that something could be wrong with her mentally. As she watches the wallpaper, she notices its strangeness once again, and remarks the changes it undergoes as the light shifts. In the night, no longer is the hideous pattern so distracting; instead, the woman behind the wallpaper is no longer subdued. Throughout the day, the narrator lays down, a behavior encouraged by her husband.
- Clearly the narrator is dependent upon her husband moods and attitudes. She takes his often callous words to heart, and although she knows she is not in the right state, she dismisses her own struggles. I'm already beginning to see some connections with this ugly wallpaper and her visions within it. First, I do believe that her condition extends beyond this physical nervousness her husband and brother suggest it is. From her strange visions and observations, it is reminiscent of some form of schizophrenia. As I said before, she sees a figure struggling behind the wallpaper. This may be the narrator seeing herself within the wallpaper. Her condition has rendered her a burden in recent months. Her true self, however, is still alive and attempting to reveal itself. It is trapped behind her mental health struggle, and possibly the neglect and controlling behavior of her husband.
- After receiving guests for the Fourth of July, the narrator is thoroughly exhausted. John encourages her to gain strength, or else he will send her away to recover her alone. The narrator is extremely depressed, and spends much of her time alone, crying, and laying down. She often studies the strange pattern of the wallpaper, and is thrown off-kilter by its lack of symmetry, or organization. The narrator grows even weaker, even as John feeds her medication and foods to get stronger. Despite her protests to see others, John continues to baby the narrator and keep her cooped up within the manor. He urges her to recuperate, ignoring the mental aspect of her declining health, instead focusing on the physical aspect. As she spends more time within the room, the narrator begins to see images that others cannot behind the wallpaper. Everyday, the image of a stooping woman behind the wallpaper grows clearer.
- I am not shocked that the narrator's condition is dismissed. During this, emotional disorders were not treated as such, but as physical ailments. Also, men were back then, and now, were very dismissive of women's health. It is also in this nature for the men of her life to limit her hay-to-day lifestyle. There is very little benefit in controlling whether she can write- this just seems to be a byproduct of her husband's need to control it. The narrator seems to be very sensitive and attuned to her surroundings, and one of her first judgments of her husband is his no-nonsense attitude. obviously, her spirit is being stifled by such a pairing.
- Compared to the restless imagination of the narrator, John is very dismissive of his wife's condition, and generally controlling about her care. The narrator often adopts his dismissive manner and reminds herself to be grateful for his care. Their child is kept away as she recovers, and John spends much of his time at the hospital, working. The narrator continually asks to see her cousins Julia and Michael, but John dos feel that she is prepared for such sustained contact with others. As she remains alone, she remarks the strangeness of the wallpaper's pattern, and personifies it. She compares the life within its inanimation to the monsters she would create in her room as a child, before bed. Her Journal entry is interrupted by Jenny, John's sister, approach. Before she ends the entry, she remarks that there seems to be a figure that moves behind the wallpaper.
- The narrator, her husband John, and his sister Jennie move to a beautiful manor in the countryside. John is a physician, and brought his wife to the countryside to recover from a "nervous disorder." Her brother, who is also a physician, also considers her condition to be a physical ailment rather than a mental one. While at the manor, she is not allowed to write or do work, so she journals in secret while left alone in the house. In the rental manor, John insists upon the two of them remaining within the upstairs room (once a nursery, and then a gymnasium) instead of the beautiful rooms downstairs. Their bedroom is furnished with a bed nailed to the floor, large windows, and a strange yellow wallpaper. This wallpaper was placed haphazardly on the wall, and the narrator is disgusted by it. Her first entry is interrupted by the approach of her husband.
Analysis
Vocabulary
- Grotesque
- "There is one end of the room where it is almost intact, and there, when the crosslights fade and the low sun shines directly upon it, I can almost fancy radiation after all,- the interminable grotesques seem to form around a common centre and rush off in headlong plunges of equal distraction" (Gilman 16).
- Grotesques: a figure that is ugly and distorted
- "There is one end of the room where it is almost intact, and there, when the crosslights fade and the low sun shines directly upon it, I can almost fancy radiation after all,- the interminable grotesques seem to form around a common centre and rush off in headlong plunges of equal distraction" (Gilman 16).
- Bulbous
- "All those strangled heads and bulbous eyes and waddling fungus growths just shriek with derision!" (Gilman 33).
- Bulbous: Something that is fat or bulging
- "All those strangled heads and bulbous eyes and waddling fungus growths just shriek with derision!" (Gilman 33).
- Queer
- "He seems very queer sometimes, and even Jennie has an inexplicable look" (Gilman 24).
- Queer: behavior or something that is characterized as strange
- "He seems very queer sometimes, and even Jennie has an inexplicable look" (Gilman 24).
- Grotesque
Characters
- John
- The narrator's husband; he is a doctor and is known to be very serious. He has controlling tendencies and is very dismissive of his wife's condition.
- Jennie
- John's sister; she takes care of the manor in which John and the narrator reside in. She has a very no-nonsense attitude and is responsible for the narrator when John is not home.
- The narrator
- Suffers from a mental condition (possibly Schizophrenia) that is often dismissed by the men in her life as "nervousness" or a physical ailment. She is very sensitive, has a wild imagination, and is at the whim of her husband's judgment. She does not actively advocate for herself, and feels trapped in other's care.
- John
Informationen
- Beschreibung
- Mindmap am "The Yellow Wallpaper", erstellt von Alyssia Ouhocine am 18/03/2021.
- Erstellt von
- Alyssia Ouhocine
- Aufrufe
- 10
- Bewertung