The Yellow Wallpaper

The Yellow Wallpaper is the first text we have come across that has a strong voice for independence for women. I think that Gilman chose a weak and unstable woman because the man in her life was controlling everything that she did on an hourly basis. Thus, trying to get the message across that men are hindering their wives by constantly controlling their every move. Gilman also decided to take a more rugged around the edges story line. The main character is a mentally unstable woman dealing with anxiety and post par tom depression. Her husband, who happens to also be her doctor, has moved her to a 'older home' that is a few miles from the city. She sleeps in a bed that is nailed to floor, and is stuck in a room that she feels quite uncomfortable in as well. John also rarely comes to visit her during the day, but when he does it is to check on how she is doing. Her nurse happens to be her husbands sister that is just trying to help her out.

Throughout the text we are being steered in different directions when it comes to deciding if we like John's character or not. In the beginning of the story we view John as overbearing, and can not handle not having full control over anything or someone. He controlled where his wife is living in isolation, he makes her take certain medication, and he makes her stay in the one room that she dos not feel comfortable in,"...But John says if I feel so, I shall neglect proper self-control; so I take the pain meds to control myself- before him, at least, and that makes me very tired" (Page 356). Yet, as we continue to read on our narrator describes John as:"Very careful and loving, and hardly lets me stir without special direction" (page 356). This leads the reader to believe that John may not be the evil character that he comes off as. I believe that Gilman might have entered this line in the text as a way to still let her audience know that men are caring and loving even if they tend to be over protective and controlling. Lastly, in the end of passage I felt that Gilman wanted to over power a man and "knock him off of his feet" so to say. We are lead to understand that our narrator has committed suicide, and the sight of her hanging there and swaying back and forth cause John to faint. "Now why should that man have fainted? But he did, and right across my path by the wall, so that I had to creep over him every time!" (page 365) This line is a strong shout out to woman to never allow a man to overpower you, and by killing the narrator by committing suicide is her version of "sticking it to the man." Gilman was very interesting to read because I felt that she wanted to take a different route to get her message across to the readers, as opposed to the different types of text we have read so far. I really enjoyed this story!!

Young Boys

As a class everyone seemed to enjoy Tom more so than they did Ragged Dick. We see that Dick is quite a wild character because he tells stories of gambling, smoking cigars and staying out till late hours. However, we see a different side a more ‘tender’ side to Dick when the sun is up. He is constantly working because he knows that if he does not fend for himself that no one else will either. He is an honest young boy for his age and considering the circumstances he is placed in he seems to not be extremely off path:

"Don't you ever steal, then?"
"No, and I wouldn't. Lots of boys does it, but I wouldn't." (page 250)

Dick also seems very well aware of his surroundings and what they represent. For example: he lives in the city and knows the important buildings and what men work there as well,"Dick pointed out the City Hall, the Hall of Records, and the Rotunda" (page 288).He also refers to two important historical leaders: General George Washington and Napoleon. Dick never allows others to bring him down when they are attempting to make fun of his clothing or where he came from. Lastly, Dick is humble when it comes to receiving anything that is given to him as a gift. For instance, when he was given a new set of clothing that made him look ‘sharp’ and not a poor boy living on the streets.

Tom is the country boy that is too smart for his own good…literally. He is stuck doing chores and tricks his friends into wanting to paint and even gets one of them to give him something in return. Not many young boys could pull this off: "Say Tom, let me whitewash a little.... No is that so> Oh come on, now- lemme jsut try. Only just a little- I'd let you, if you was me, Tom" (page 329) Tom is rebellious, manipulative and yet that sweet southern boy. He seems so innocent compared to Dick because he is sheltered away from the ‘city that never sleeps,’ and is not getting involved into any mischievous acts that could potentially harm him. I loved reading about what he considered ‘his treasures’ because they are silly items that he holds closer to his heart than other things," He got out his worldly weath and examined it- bits of toys, marables, and trash" (page 326). Of course none of the items have a material value, however this restates the innocence that Tom truly has and why we he appeals more so to a reader.