{"id":6230,"date":"2018-04-18T17:00:40","date_gmt":"2018-04-19T00:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/blog\/?post_type=essay-writing-blog&p=6230"},"modified":"2018-04-20T17:32:09","modified_gmt":"2018-04-21T00:32:09","slug":"9-tips-the-yellow-wallpaper-analysis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/9-tips-the-yellow-wallpaper-analysis\/","title":{"rendered":"9 Tips for a Strong The Yellow Wallpaper Analysis"},"content":{"rendered":"

Literature doesn\u2019t have to be long to pack a punch. \u201cThe Yellow Wallpaper\u201d is only 6,000 words and takes you on quite the psychological journey. There are no changes of scenery and only a handful of characters, but you get to experience a thrilling narrative.<\/p>\n

But with so few words, how do you choose a topic to write about for your The Yellow Wallpaper analysis?<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t worry\u2014I\u2019m going to give you a few tips for what to write about in your paper.<\/p>\n

A Bonus Tip Before We Get Started<\/h2>\n

For other pieces of literature you read for class, it\u2019s pretty impossible to read over the whole text more than once. But \u201cThe Yellow Wallpaper\u201d is only 10 pages.<\/p>\n

My suggestion is to read it at least once without having a topic in mind.<\/p>\n

When you’re done, make a list or highlight the things that stand out to you<\/a>. Then, take time to think about what you want your topic to be, and read through the entire story again with that topic in mind. This way, you don\u2019t miss anything.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s jump into it.<\/p>\n

Characters in \u201cThe Yellow Wallpaper\u201d<\/h2>\n

Although there aren\u2019t many characters in \u201cThe Yellow Wallpaper,” the few there are have depth\u2014which is pretty impressive for such a short story.<\/p>\n

When thinking about how to tackle an essay about characters<\/a>, consider these tips.<\/p>\n

Tip #1: Write about whether the narrator is an unreliable one.<\/h3>\n

The narrator<\/a> clearly has mental health issues\u2014ones her husband seems to downplay. Her descent into madness happens gradually in the middle of the story and picks up speed at the end.<\/p>\n

But consider her reliability as a narrator in the beginning of the story.<\/p>\n

Is she so unwell already that the reader shouldn\u2019t trust her perception of others or her surroundings?If she\u2019s a reliable narrator in the beginning, at what point does she become unreliable?<\/p>\n

Tip #2: Think about why the author chose not to reveal the narrator\u2019s name.<\/h3>\n

The main character of \u201cThe Yellow Wallpaper\u201d doesn\u2019t have a name. This isn’t an accident. Nor is the fact that her husband\u2019s name is John and that we don\u2019t get to know his surname.<\/p>\n

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The main character of \u201cThe Yellow Wallpaper\u201d doesn\u2019t have a name. This isn’t an accident.<\/a><\/div>\n

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This purposeful anonymity shows the reader that this is not an isolated event. Instead, the narrator and her husband could be anyone.<\/p>\n

The way women were treated as wives and as patients in the Victorian era was just as horrible for most women as it was for the main character.<\/p>\n

Tip #3: Think about how John represents the practice of medicine as a whole in the Victorian era.<\/h3>\n

As you saw in Tip #2, both the narrator and her husband<\/a> have the potential to be just about anyone\u2014well, anyone in the middle class and attached to the practice of medicine (either as a doctor or a doctor\u2019s wife).<\/p>\n

It could follow, then, that John represents Victorian medicine as a whole. His views on the \u201cresting cure\u201d and his refusal to acknowledge the seriousness of his wife\u2019s mental illness were common at the time. Explore this in your The Yellow Wallpaper analysis.<\/p>\n

Themes in \u201cThe Yellow Wallpaper\u201d<\/h2>\n

This short story is considered a very important piece of feminist literature<\/a>. Its themes are direct responses to the injustices Victorian women faced. Consider these tips.<\/p>\n

Tip #4: Think about the ways in which \u201cThe Yellow Wallpaper\u201d promotes self-expression.<\/h3>\n

The narrator says several times how much she enjoys writing but isn’t allowed to write. Nor is she allowed to do other work. This strips her of her ability to express herself, which leads to her isolation and, eventually, her complete madness.<\/p>\n

When writing about this theme, find the instances where she talks about work or writing, and follow those thoughts to the consequences of not being able to do those things.<\/p>\n

Tip #5: Write about whether the narrator is liberated or confined at the end of the story.<\/h3>\n

This is a hot topic of debate among students and literary scholars.<\/p>\n

In one way, the narrator\u2019s madness allows her to shed social expectations. On the other hand, she\u2019s clearly suffering from a mental breakdown, so she may be confined to her own madness.<\/p>\n\t

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Stuck on Your Analytical Essay?<\/div>\n\t\t\t
Check Out These Example Analytical Essays<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tYes! Show me examples.<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

Tip #6: Discuss the ways in which the narrator is subordinate to her husband.<\/h3>\n

There are tons of things you could point out in your The Yellow Wallpaper analysis about subordination. The narrator goes along with John\u2019s attempts at a cure even though she knows they won\u2019t be helpful.<\/p>\n

For instance, she stays in the room with the yellow wallpaper even though she wants to stay in one of the others. She wants to leave but isn\u2019t allowed. There are so many rules it seems she must follow, and most of them relate in some way to her husband.<\/p>\n

Symbols in \u201cThe Yellow Wallpaper\u201d<\/h2>\n

This short story is just as rich in symbolism<\/a> as it is in themes. When writing your The Yellow Wallpaper analysis, remember the following tips about its symbolism.<\/p>\n

Tip #7: Identify how the actions of the woman behind the wallpaper mirror the actions of the narrator.<\/h3>\n

When we first read about the woman behind the wallpaper<\/a>, it\u2019s a little ambiguous. But she becomes more and more real as the story progresses.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Yellow Wallpaper\u201d indicates that she’s stationary during the day but moves around at night. This is similar to the narrator, who is also pretty inactive during the day but restless when the moon comes out.<\/p>\n

At the end, the narrator and the woman converge into one person, but think about all the similarities that led up to that point.<\/p>\n

Tip #8: Consider whether the paper the narrator is writing on is scraps of wallpaper, and if so, explain the significance of this.<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s clear that the narrator isn\u2019t saying her story out loud, but rather is writing it in some sort of journal. However, her husband has forbidden her from writing, so what exactly is she writing on? Some argue that she has a small notebook stashed away somehow.<\/p>\n

But she also refers to the wallpaper several times as just \u201cpaper,\u201d so perhaps she’s using it as paper to write on. And if this is the case, does the act of writing her thoughts and feelings put part of herself into the wallpaper?<\/p>\n

Tip #9: Think about the symbolism of the wallpaper pattern in terms of confinement.<\/h3>\n

Women in the Victorian era were expected to fit into a certain mold. They had to adhere to the stringent pattern of domestic life, and this could feel like a type of prison to many.<\/p>\n

In \u201cThe Yellow Wallpaper,\u201d this is exemplified in the pattern of the wallpaper serving as a means of confinement for the woman behind it.<\/p>\n

Final Thoughts on Your The Yellow Wallpaper Analysis<\/h2>\n

No matter which direction you go<\/a> in your analytical essay, you have the time to read over the text a few times\u2014though maybe don\u2019t do it at night if that last part reminds you of The Ring<\/i> like it did when I read through it the first time\u2026<\/p>\n

Anyway, take your time with the reading, and pick out every detail you can. Create an outline<\/a> and write your analysis<\/a>. If you need some inspiration, take a look at these essay examples:<\/p>\n