The Oxford Dictionary defines feminism as an advocacy of woman’s rights and sexual equality. In this context, it would be appropriate to label Gilman as an early feminist. She is prepared to use so-called male methods of manipulation, shrewdness, and defiance. The author has clearly presented a gender confrontation, evaluates the circumstances of certain conflicts, and provides approaches to escape them.
The presence of a woman's perspective in The Yellow Wallpaper is evident when we see the first passage describing the trees and how pleasant the atmosphere is; this is the "view" of the stereotypical nineteenth century woman. To compound that she is the subject of her master, her husband. To the woman, the master is wiser (he is a good doctor). He is physically superior, and he controls the social situations and preserves "order" by acting like a "man" should.
The Yellow Wallpaper is a reflection of Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s personal situations, regarding the protection of the rights of woman. She provides a critique on traditional feminine roles, and women’s desperation to get out of them. In the short story, the author depicts the idea that women conforming to the norms of society can be driven to destruction. Her criticism of gender conflicts is portrayed through the journal entries of the narrator. In order to illustrate her feminist concerns about gender equality, Gilman employs the characters of John, Jennie, and the narrator.
The author makes a statement of her belief of men’s inclination to dominate woman through John’s treatment of his wife. Men who wish to have control over their wives do so by demanding, and demeaning tactics. For instance, John has “forbidden (her) to work”, and calls her a “blessed little goose”. He patronizes his wife by ignoring her early cries of help, and denies her the very things that might help her such as “companionship…(visits)”. It is also important to note that John, and the narrator’s brother are physicians. Together they represent the male medical establishment, which contrasts with female hysteria. He uses her as a stepping-stone for his career even though he tells her they came to the ancestral mansion “solely on (her) account”. It is all a matter of control. Up until the very end of the story John is still trying to restrain his wife under his power, which Gilman demonstrates when, he “(faints)…right across (her) path”. Through John’s condescending behaviour towards his wife, the author sends a clear message that most men tend to degrade their wives so as to establish their self-worth.
Gilman uses the character of Jennie, in contrast, to represent passive women who allow such degrading treatment. She is the typical woman desired by men, a woman who is a “perfect and enthusiastic housekeeper” who “hopes for no better profession”. Jennie is everything that the narrator is not. As time passes at the colonial mansion, she replaces, and diminishes John’s wife “who now sees to everything”. It is apparent that a comment is being made on how yielding Jennie’s character is as opposed to that of the narrator, for she is the one who chooses to stoop down to such humiliation, while the narrator attempts to escape submission to such treatment.
She tries to discuss her feelings, but this brings only a "stern reproachful look" and she goes back to bed. "Really dear you are better," John says over and over. "Can you not trust me when I tell you so?" John is the man of the house and also a doctor. She should put complete faith in him as all children put complete faith and trust in their parents when they are small. The looks, the constant reassurances, and asking for her trust only put her down, forcing her to depend on John for her survival, are demeaning herself further.
John enforces the inactivity that pushes her deeper into madness. John, the "loving" husband-doctor, imprisons her in a room that has no escape. This room has bars on the windows and a "great immovable bed" which "is nailed down." John has made her a prisoner in their marriage. Her opinions are pushed to the side, not important. Her developing insanity is a form of rebellion and a crucial turning point towards her own independence. It also shows that when an animal is caged, when it is backed into a corner, it tends to fight back. Her fight for and with the woman in the wallpaper symbolizes her fight for independence, her struggle to survive.
This story also portrays the violent anger that accompanies the narrator's fight to free herself. She sees the wallpaper as something that is strangling her, restraining her: she acts out wildly. "I wasn't alone a bit! As soon as it was moonlight and that poor thing began to crawl and shake the pattern, I got up and ran to help her. I pulled and she shook, I shook and she pulled, and before morning we had peeled off yards of that paper."
A description of the wall is necessary in order to provide a base for comparison with the rest of the story. Because we only get the narrator’s point of view, descriptions of the wall become more important as a way of judging her deteriorating mental state. When first mentioned, she sees the wall as a sprawling, flamboyant pattern committing every artistic sin, once again emphasizing her present intellectual capacity. Additionally, the wall’s colour contrasts a dull, yet lurid orange with a sickly sulphur tint showing different appearances depending on where the narrator looks at the wall. While the description is far from flattering, it conveys the dual nature of the wall as an evil yet compelling force by using contrasting words to describe the wall.
Gilman talks about the wallpaper, as it is a person, and soon we see the resemblance between her and the wallpaper - she begins to creep and crawl within her madness. She detaches herself from the perceptions of others. In the final scene John faints and she creeps over him and says, "I've got out at last. . . . And I've pulled off most of the paper, so you can't put me back!" This says that once independence is achieved, you don't need to rely on someone else for your survival; you now have yourself to back you up. She has achieved her independence from her submission to John as his "blessed little goose," but at what price? She has traded her sanity for her independence.
Gilman’s manipulation of language and grammar in her writing style is crucial to the overall effect of the story. What the reader is presented is a story that uses language and grammar to portray a woman’s changing mental state. The reader experiences the narrator’s deteriorating mental state as she succumbs to her condition and eventually loses her sanity.
