Home > Q&A by Experts > Literature >
Q

What Does the Narrator’s Description of the Wallpaper Reveal about the Context of the Story?

A

The changes in the wallpaper’s description show how the mental state of the narrator gets worse. The irritating pattern becomes an unbearable sight. Jane believes that there is a creeping woman behind it.

Detailed answer:

The Yellow Wallpaper was written by Charlotte P. Gilman. It is remarkable as one of the valuable works of feminist literature. The narration is structured as a series of diary entries of a female narrator.

The woman is staying at an old mansion, trying to recover from a mental illness. Unable to work or find anything to occupy herself with, she writes a diary in secret. The yellow wallpaper of the attic fills most of her thoughts. It brings anger and irritation. The pattern of the wallpaper starts to shift in her eyes. At first, it seems to be something she dislikes, but the effect increases. The character begins to pick out the details of the wallpaper, finding new patterns. Talking to her husband irritates her, and she becomes more distant from him. Although she attributes it “to this nervous condition,” she cannot resist the alienation.

At one point, the narrator sees a woman behind the wallpaper and ponders on her fate. In the end, she rips the wallpaper apart, freeing the woman who disappears. The poor mental state of the narrator takes its toll. She assumes the identity of the woman behind the wallpaper and frees herself from the domestic prison.

Answer's rating:
Updated:
Ask your Question
(We won’t publish it)
Cite This page
You're welcome to use this expert's answer in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2024, August 21). What Does the Narrator’s Description of the Wallpaper Reveal about the Context of the Story? https://ivypanda.com/q/what-does-the-narrators-description-of-the-wallpaper-reveal-about-the-context-of-the-story/

Work Cited

"What Does the Narrator’s Description of the Wallpaper Reveal about the Context of the Story?" IvyPanda, 21 Aug. 2024, ivypanda.com/q/what-does-the-narrators-description-of-the-wallpaper-reveal-about-the-context-of-the-story/.

References

IvyPanda. (2024) 'What Does the Narrator’s Description of the Wallpaper Reveal about the Context of the Story'. 21 August.

References

IvyPanda. 2024. "What Does the Narrator’s Description of the Wallpaper Reveal about the Context of the Story?" August 21, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/q/what-does-the-narrators-description-of-the-wallpaper-reveal-about-the-context-of-the-story/.

1. IvyPanda. "What Does the Narrator’s Description of the Wallpaper Reveal about the Context of the Story?" August 21, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/q/what-does-the-narrators-description-of-the-wallpaper-reveal-about-the-context-of-the-story/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "What Does the Narrator’s Description of the Wallpaper Reveal about the Context of the Story?" August 21, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/q/what-does-the-narrators-description-of-the-wallpaper-reveal-about-the-context-of-the-story/.

Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.