FINAL EXAM Introduction to English

Literature

1-It is debatable whether the narrator's husband,

John, is the villain of Charlotte Perkins Gilman's
short story "The Yellow Wallpaper." Meanwhile,
John is firm, caring for his wife's well-being and
working to get her back. According to medical
knowledge of the time, he believed that his wife
needed rest and social isolation. In this context,
the results are different.

On the other hand, it is clear that John cannot

understand his wife's emotional and mental
state. His treatment methods and disregard for
his wife's feelings make his situation worse.
John constantly treats his wife like a child,
belittling her and not taking her thoughts
seriously. This attitude makes the narrator feel
even more alone and her mental health
deteriorates.

Therefore, whether John is the bad guy or not is

up to interpretation. Although his intentions are
not bad, his behavior and attitudes increase his
wife's pain and lead her into deeper depression.
Therefore, John's ignorance and paternalistic
approach make him something of an
antagonistic character in the story.

2-The importance of physical space in Charlotte

Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper lies
both in the story's conflict and in its intertextual
relationship to Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre.
First, the physical setting of The Yellow
Wallpaper is described as an isolated country
house. This place is a place where the narrator
feels isolated and cut off from the outside world.
The pale yellow color and strange patterns of the
wallpaper reflect the darkness and complexity of
the narrator's inner world. This physical
environment heightens the story's conflict as the
narrator begins to discover things hidden behind
the wallpaper, which are a major cause of his
nervous breakdown.

When compared to “Jane Eyre,” similarities can

be seen between the physical locations. For
example, Thornfield Hall in Jane Eyre is
described as a large manor house that appears
isolated in a self-contained world. The
mysterious and dark rooms of this mansion
reflect the inner world of the characters.
Likewise, the country house in “The Yellow
Wallpaper” is a symbol of isolation and inner
conflict.

The main difference between them, however, is

that the setting of Jane Eyre ultimately becomes
a path to redemption and enlightenment.
Thornfield Hall helps Jane discover her inner
strength and gain her own independence.
However, in “The Yellow Wallpaper,” the
country house is a trap that deepens the
narrator’s nervous breakdown. Therefore, the
difference between the settings of the two stories
reflects the characters' ultimate fate and inner
journeys.
In conclusion, the importance of physical space
in The Yellow Wallpaper is that it deepens the
conflict of the story and reflects the character's
inner conflicts. It also helps us understand how
the settings of the two stories influence the
characters' internal development and their
ultimate fate in relation to Charlotte Brontë's
Jane Eyre

3-The crawling figure in “Yellow Wallpaper”

represents the narrator’s inner struggle and
nervous breakdown. The crawling figure on the
wallpaper reflects the narrator's repressed
feelings and desires in his inner world. The
counter initially only observes the pattern on the
wallpaper, but also thinks that this figure is that
of a woman. However, over time he realizes that
the character is actually himself. The emotional
and spiritual impact of the emotions are
reflected in the figure.

The figure on the wallpaper can also be seen as a

symbol of a soul crushed and imprisoned under
female oppression. When you turn it on, the
illustration on the tape with the insulation and
controls of the house is slightly different. These
characters are identified by the difficulties of the
woman's inner world and the feeling of pressure.
When the narrator realizes that this character is a
reflection of himself, he realizes that she has
actually suppressed his feelings and expressed
his freedom.
This symbolizes the cracks in the figure on the
narrator's inner ligaments, which are located
under the outer edges and under the inner edges.
It is also evident in the pressures and restrictions
that women face in society. The figure on the
wallpaper, as the main symbol of the story,
emphasizes the spiritual destruction of the
narrator and the consequences of society's
oppression of women.