"The Yellow Wallpaper" is a psychological study of a woman's... Show more
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Catalina Collazos
12/7/2025
English
Charlotte Perkins Gilman "The Yellow Wallpaper"
65
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Dec 7, 2025
•
Insightful Analysis of 'The Yellow Wallpaper' by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Catalina Collazos
@catalinacollazos9
1 / 3
Literary Techniques: Point of View and Repetition
The story uses second-person diary format to create an intimate connection between reader and narrator. When she writes, "I am sitting by the window now, up in this atrocious nursery," we're drawn into her secret thoughts—ones she wouldn't share with her husband or doctor. This personal perspective makes her deterioration more immediate and disturbing.
The author employs repetition as a powerful tool to emphasize the narrator's trapped condition. When she writes "Personally, I disagree" and "Personally, I believe" before concluding "But what is one to do?", we see her frustration at being unable to make decisions about her own treatment. This repetition highlights her powerlessness, a theme that intensifies throughout the story.
The narrator's descriptive imagery of the home reveals her unreliability early on. She contradicts herself, describing the place as "beautiful" after previously expressing dislike for it. Her sarcastic tone when discussing her prescribed treatment ("I take phosphates or phosphites—whichever it is") hints at her true feelings about her situation.
Notice This! The narrator's contradictions aren't just confusing—they're deliberate clues about her mental state. When she describes the same things differently at different times, it signals her increasing detachment from reality.
Character Development and Narrative Clues
The narrator's characterization of her husband John creates a complex picture. She alternates between depicting him as lovingly concerned ("he said I was his darling") and dismissively practical ("no patience with faith"). This inconsistency raises questions about their relationship—is he truly caring, or is she just another patient to him?
The story's tone shifts subtly as the narrator becomes more secretive. Her statement that "There are things in that paper that nobody knows but me" introduces a sense of paranoia and mystery. You can feel her increasing distance from reality when she refers to her journal as "dead paper"—a safe place unlike the living people she can't trust.
Syntax changes signal her deteriorating condition. The capitalized "PERHAPS" shows her increasing agitation and the emotional weight of her thoughts. Her writing becomes a confession space where she admits doubts she can't voice aloud.
The narrator's intense diction becomes increasingly violent when describing the wallpaper—using words like "suicide," "plunge," and "destroy" to describe its pattern. This language mirrors her own mental state as she loses grip on reality.
Reading Insight: Pay attention to how the narrator's writing style changes throughout the story. The increasingly frantic syntax and violent word choices aren't random—they're carefully crafted signals of her psychological breakdown.
Symbolism and Metaphor
The broken greenhouses represent a powerful metaphor for the narrator's failed recovery. Just as greenhouses should nurture growth but cannot when damaged, the narrator's "rest cure" treatment fails to help her mental condition. Instead of healing, she experiences progressive deterioration.
The most striking symbolism appears in the wallpaper itself, which transforms depending on the light. By day, the woman behind the pattern is "subdued, quiet," mirroring how the narrator presents herself to John and others. By night, the pattern becomes "bars" with a woman trapped behind them—a reflection of the narrator's true, confined self.
This day/night contrast symbolizes the narrator's dual existence: her public performance of docile recovery versus her private obsession and deterioration. As the story progresses, these two selves begin to merge in disturbing ways. The woman she sees "creeping" in the wallpaper at night becomes an extension of herself—her repressed desires for freedom physically manifested.
Critical Connection: The yellow wallpaper isn't just an object the narrator fixates on—it's a symbolic mirror of her psychological state. The woman she sees trapped behind the pattern represents her own feelings of confinement within her marriage, treatment, and society's expectations.
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The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
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This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
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I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️
Thomas R
iOS user
Knowunity is the BEST app I’ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades
Brad T
Android user
Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend
Aubrey
iOS user
Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀
Marco B
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️
Thomas R
iOS user
Knowunity is the BEST app I’ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades
Brad T
Android user
Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend
Aubrey
iOS user
Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀
Marco B
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!
Paul T
iOS user
Insightful Analysis of 'The Yellow Wallpaper' by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Catalina Collazos
@catalinacollazos9
"The Yellow Wallpaper" is a psychological study of a woman's descent into madness. Through journal entries, we witness her deteriorating mental state as she becomes obsessed with the wallpaper in her room. This analysis explores key literary techniques that reveal... Show more
Literary Techniques: Point of View and Repetition
The story uses second-person diary format to create an intimate connection between reader and narrator. When she writes, "I am sitting by the window now, up in this atrocious nursery," we're drawn into her secret thoughts—ones she wouldn't share with her husband or doctor. This personal perspective makes her deterioration more immediate and disturbing.
The author employs repetition as a powerful tool to emphasize the narrator's trapped condition. When she writes "Personally, I disagree" and "Personally, I believe" before concluding "But what is one to do?", we see her frustration at being unable to make decisions about her own treatment. This repetition highlights her powerlessness, a theme that intensifies throughout the story.
The narrator's descriptive imagery of the home reveals her unreliability early on. She contradicts herself, describing the place as "beautiful" after previously expressing dislike for it. Her sarcastic tone when discussing her prescribed treatment ("I take phosphates or phosphites—whichever it is") hints at her true feelings about her situation.
Notice This! The narrator's contradictions aren't just confusing—they're deliberate clues about her mental state. When she describes the same things differently at different times, it signals her increasing detachment from reality.
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Character Development and Narrative Clues
The narrator's characterization of her husband John creates a complex picture. She alternates between depicting him as lovingly concerned ("he said I was his darling") and dismissively practical ("no patience with faith"). This inconsistency raises questions about their relationship—is he truly caring, or is she just another patient to him?
The story's tone shifts subtly as the narrator becomes more secretive. Her statement that "There are things in that paper that nobody knows but me" introduces a sense of paranoia and mystery. You can feel her increasing distance from reality when she refers to her journal as "dead paper"—a safe place unlike the living people she can't trust.
Syntax changes signal her deteriorating condition. The capitalized "PERHAPS" shows her increasing agitation and the emotional weight of her thoughts. Her writing becomes a confession space where she admits doubts she can't voice aloud.
The narrator's intense diction becomes increasingly violent when describing the wallpaper—using words like "suicide," "plunge," and "destroy" to describe its pattern. This language mirrors her own mental state as she loses grip on reality.
Reading Insight: Pay attention to how the narrator's writing style changes throughout the story. The increasingly frantic syntax and violent word choices aren't random—they're carefully crafted signals of her psychological breakdown.
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Improve your grades
Join milions of students
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Symbolism and Metaphor
The broken greenhouses represent a powerful metaphor for the narrator's failed recovery. Just as greenhouses should nurture growth but cannot when damaged, the narrator's "rest cure" treatment fails to help her mental condition. Instead of healing, she experiences progressive deterioration.
The most striking symbolism appears in the wallpaper itself, which transforms depending on the light. By day, the woman behind the pattern is "subdued, quiet," mirroring how the narrator presents herself to John and others. By night, the pattern becomes "bars" with a woman trapped behind them—a reflection of the narrator's true, confined self.
This day/night contrast symbolizes the narrator's dual existence: her public performance of docile recovery versus her private obsession and deterioration. As the story progresses, these two selves begin to merge in disturbing ways. The woman she sees "creeping" in the wallpaper at night becomes an extension of herself—her repressed desires for freedom physically manifested.
Critical Connection: The yellow wallpaper isn't just an object the narrator fixates on—it's a symbolic mirror of her psychological state. The woman she sees trapped behind the pattern represents her own feelings of confinement within her marriage, treatment, and society's expectations.
We thought you’d never ask...
What is the Knowunity AI companion?
Our AI companion is specifically built for the needs of students. Based on the millions of content pieces we have on the platform we can provide truly meaningful and relevant answers to students. But its not only about answers, the companion is even more about guiding students through their daily learning challenges, with personalised study plans, quizzes or content pieces in the chat and 100% personalisation based on the students skills and developments.
Where can I download the Knowunity app?
You can download the app in the Google Play Store and in the Apple App Store.
Is Knowunity really free of charge?
That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help – all at your fingertips.
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4.9/5
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4.8/5
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The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️
Thomas R
iOS user
Knowunity is the BEST app I’ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades
Brad T
Android user
Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend
Aubrey
iOS user
Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀
Marco B
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️
Thomas R
iOS user
Knowunity is the BEST app I’ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades
Brad T
Android user
Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend
Aubrey
iOS user
Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀
Marco B
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!
Paul T
iOS user