The two main characters in Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” are the unnamed narrator, and John, her husband. The narrator is a woman living somewhere around the late nineteenth century and married to a physician named John ( Gale, 2016) . She has just given birth and is at the moment, sickly. Her situation is worse, given that unlike many other women of her era, she is also married to a medic. All the decisions in their home, including those concerning her personal feelings and wellbeing, are made and controlled by her husband. By obeying her husband’s decisions, her health deteriorates with the passing of each day, as shown throughout the plot. John, on the other hand, is a noble kind of person. He loves and wants what is best for his wife. His only mistake is the fact that he does not consider the opinions and feelings of his wife. He fails to take her seriously and insists that she follows his advice to the letter. His position as a medic allows him to dominate his wife further, leaving her weaker and deteriorated.
Character Labels and Rationale
The narrator can be described as dynamic and round. At the beginning of the story, she speaks fondly of her husband, whom she says does not like to see her sick. She agrees with his decisions and does everything he says even if she does not prefer it. Later at the end, however, she finally realizes that like ‘the woman in the wallpaper,’ she is trapped and needs to free herself. In the last bit of the story, she declares herself free and is no longer concerned about her husband, who, at the moment, appears to be fainting. One gets the feeling that, from that moment on, she would blindly give in to her husband’s opinions or demands. John is rather flat and static. He stays true to his opinions and character throughout the story. There is no point in the story where he agrees or gives in to his wife’s personal needs, opinions, or feelings about her health. Instead of realizing that his tactics have caused the deterioration of his wife’s health, he blames it on her. In the end, he fails to comprehend the situation and becomes unconscious.
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How the Female Character changes throughout the Story
The narrator, the main female character, changes throughout the plot, as her state of mind is affected by the people and things around her. In the beginning, they have just rented a home and are starting to live in it. All her wishes and suggestions about the room have been ignored, but she has obeyed her husband’s decisions. She is forbidden from taking part in any activity other than sleeping and resting. Her attitude begins to change towards John and Jennie, who think that writing worsens her condition. Boredom in the room makes her mind wander, and she starts seeing things that are not quite real. She sees a woman trapped in the wallpaper and later realizes that she is just as trapped herself. She knows that the ‘woman’ needs to be freed, and so does she. Her character fully changes when she can no longer feel any concerns for her husband. Also, in the beginning, the narrator seems sane and in control, but as the story continues, she becomes more and more insane, owing to the control of her husband and how she is treated by those close to her.
Illustrations for the Shift in Character
How the people around the narrator treat her contributes to her shift in character and mentality. In the story, the narrator says, “ I did write for a while in spite of John telling me not to ,” exposing the conflict within her where she is forbidden to do the one thing that she enjoys ( Gilman,1980) . Later the narrator records, “The fact is I am getting a little afraid of John,” implying that she is starting to exhibit changes in connection to those around her ( Gilman,1980) ).
References
Gilman, Charlotte Perkins, 1860-1935. (1980). The Charlotte Perkins Gilman reader: The yellow wallpaper, and other fiction. New York: Pantheon Books.
Gale, C. L. (2016). A Study Guide for Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s” Yellow Wallpaper.” Gale Cengage Learning.
