reading reaction 8-31-09

[jason1]

The Yellow Wallpaper, does represent realism at the time that it was
written but would not hold true in today’s standards. Also it was
real to what the woman was thinking but not what was actually
happening. It is a sort of psychological realism combined in with
some fake things. The woman’s thoughts and feelings seemed to be
tremendously effected by the nervous condition she is suffering from.
The woman says, “I get unreasonably angry with John sometimes. I am
sure I never used to be so sensitive. I think it is due to this
nervous condition.” She feels somewhat restricted to do absolutely
nothing because of this nervous condition she has. She says, “We have
been here for two weeks and I have not felt like writing before, since
that first day.” She really cannot do anything that requires
activity. The story does show a very real image about the roles of a
female and male in a marriage at the time. The male was the dominant
one and made all of the decisions. Since John was a physician, he
thought he knew best for the woman and he knew how to best treat her
hysteria nervous condition. The setting too makes the story more
intriguing. It suits it well being at a secluded house for the woman
to recover from her nervous condition.