The Yellow Wallpaper

By the end of the narrative, the fragile mind of the narrator has begun to crack, beyond the nervousness diagnosed previously. She repeatedly tries to tell her husband that the treatment plan is not working. The very things he tries to tell her not to do, such as letting her mind go on with fanciful thoughts, becomes her escape from her isolated state. With nothing to do she stares at the wallpaper, studying and agonizing over the details, seeing things moving and a woman creeping. Many of her recorded thoughts show that she still comprehends reality and does care about things around her, such as her baby, "There's one comfort, the baby is well and happy, and does not have to occupy this nursery with the horrid wallpaper." (p.372). The wallpaper seems to be a symbol of her mental condition, in that she wouldn't want her baby harmed by its effects. The change in plot occurs with the woman's changing view of the wallpaper. The wallpaper that had repulsed her when she first moved into her room becomes an enjoyable obsession for her (p.374) When her husband expresses pleasure for her improvement,"in spite of my wallpaper", in her mind, she credits the wallpaper (p.374) Though she goes along with her husband (and other family members) urgings, the woman of the story appears to be greatly misunderstood. By isolating her in a room and trying to keep her mind inactive, her husband inadvertenly trapped her into her mental illness and furthered its progress. Even in her apparent insanity, the woman has clarity of mind to see that escaping from her room through the window would be "miscontrued" by others (p.377). Instead, she becomes the woman creeping in the room as a means of escape. When they first arrive, the woman expresses her dislike of the whole situation,"... there is something strange about the house--- I can feel it." (p.367). "I don't like our room a bit." She does not go into detail as to why she dislikes the room, but describes the room she would have preferred, "I wanted one downstairs that opened on the piazza and had roses all over the window, and such pretty old-fashioned chintz hangings." However, as happens too often in the story, her husband decides what is best for her and ignores her desires, "But John would not hear of it." (p.368). And the "repellent, almost revolting" yellow wallpaper. (p.368), which becomes a source of excitement, "Life is very much more exciting now than it used to be. You see I have something more to expect, to look forward to, to watch." (p.374). I don't believe this woman was so much insane, as forced to be obsessed with her mental state, much like she became obsessed with the yellow wallpaper.