The Yellow Wallpaper Response

Captivity, bondage, and imprisonment are above all forms of punishment or institution. It is one of the worst conducts that can ever be used to contain. There are those from the outside world who view it a “remedy”. However, ordinary apparitions would view this categorized remedy as insanity and to some extent it perhaps even a form of torture. There are those who can testify to this ideal more than anything and it lies with none other than women. The perception extists for those outside the femanism world that domestic and submissive roles are the kind of savior of women for the fact that it keeps them occupied and out of the way of much more superior men.

Cult of true womanhood impression depicts a destestable concept that those who are victimized would have rid themselves of it in an instant. The utterance of womanhood its self can shake the foundation of women who are entised to this form of slavery. One can imagine that these women did not jump into marriage for a once in a life time joy. It is an expectation of society that those who meet the standards of true womanhood can not be deprived the pleasure of having everyone view them. This pleasure soon turns into a plea when realization hits that there is a necessity for one to be able to express themselves for who they really are. Nonetheless, as long as male figures dominate their lives, that notion is nothing more than wishful thinking. "...there are hedges and walls and gates that lock, and lots of separate little houses for the gardeners and people...I never saw such a garden - large and shady, full of box-bordered paths..." From the narrator’s description, the audience is given the chance to visualize the caged imprisonment illustrated. Everything as the narrator exemplifies in the house surroundings are caged. Much like the mere objects around her, the protagonist is also kept in with no means of change without permission from an authoritative dominat male figure in her life. Also, with the way the house is constructed, it can be understood that a male constructed the house. The house is build to construct power. Evidently, the house keeping the narrator represents a caged prisoner, thus demonstrating the male’s power. Readers were told of a room "opened on the piazza” that the narrator desired. This request however was denied as her husband did not belief it helped her current postion. In hopes not to make the husband angry with her, she kept silent and heeded to what he said for the moment. Once the mentality of being submissive enters a woman, it begins to take toll. There is an indirect indication from the author that when the novel fist opens that eventually the wrong that men utter start to sound truthful when women seeked their spouses happiness and try to subside their anger.

Strength and weakness connected to the cult of true womanhold further goes to show symbolism in the aspect of demonstrating capability between males and females. The title of the author’s work is one its own an encouragment to this ideology. Yellow refers to sunshine in the author’s text. Readers can take notice that during the day time is when main character’s husband has dominat power over and yellow or rather sunshine contributes to the narrator’s sickness. The moonlight on the other hand, creates a sense of liberation for the narrator. Only during the night, can her imagination freely wonder without restriction.

Endless possibilities exist for those who make up their minds that enough is enough. The mind is a dangerous thing to lose; especially when placed under the care of another, it must be nourished as though their own or it deteriorates. Expectations of society can sometimes pull an individual away from this truth and eventually, that individual looses the ability to break free. However, just like most women pursue breaking free, there is no force to place them back into that bondage, especially not that of a male.