Important Quotes and Analysis

"I sometimes fancy that in my condition, if I had less opposition and more society and   stimulus—but John says the very worst thing I can do is to think about my condition, and I   confess it always makes me feel bad.” (Gilman, 2013: p1)

This is a statement found in the early stage of The Yellow Wallpaper's short story and it reveals the Narrators real desire to think independently. This can also be identified as an implicit criticism to women and their place within society and to not think of her "condition" which is supported by her husband John, which also highlights the man's role in marriage and hence, society. This is the first indication that shows the narrator has internalized her husband's authority and hears his voice inside her head; this is the start of her mental struggle and her attempt to not think of her unhappiness. Here is a plea for intelligent interaction. She feels bad whenever she thinks about her “condition,” that is, about both her depression and her condition in general within her oppressive marriage (SparkNotes Editors, 2006).

“He says that with my imaginative power and habit of story-making, a nervous weakness like mine is sure to lead to all manner of excited fancies, and that I ought to use my will and good sense to check the tendency. So I try. I think sometimes that if I were only well enough to write a little it would relieve the press of ideas and rest me.”(Gilman, 2013: p3)

This statement reveals the difference between man and woman, of the Narrator and her physician husband. John believes that his wife's imagination and creativeness has enhanced  her weakness and thus became a victim to hysteria. However, the Narrator knows what is best for her own welfare by engaging herself in her imagination and creativeness she will avoid these hysterical irrational behaviour.

"John says if I don't pick up faster he shall send me to Weir Mitchell in the fall. But I don't want to go there at all. I had a friend who was in his hands once, and she says he is just like John and my brother, only more so!" (Gilman, 2013: p4)

 The statement differs from the rest of the text because it refers to a specific nineteenth century physician "Dr. Mitchell". Maybe the 'friend' she is referring to is in fact Charlotte Perkins Gilman who treated her with the rest cure, with almost disastrous consequences. This statement implies there is more than narration it is arguably a direct message regarding the destruction the rest cure could cause.

"I'm getting really fond of the room in spite of the wallpaper. Perhaps because of the wallpaper. It dwells on my mind so!" (Gilman, 2013: p5)

This remark in the Narrators journal indicates a turning point; she persists in her statement that the wallpaper is hideous but this slowly turns into a fascination where it has become a disturbing source of enjoyment and comfort in her confinement (Novelguide, 2012). The wallpaper is one of the  most significant metaphors within this literary text; she has noted that this particular  domestic item, the wallpaper, has become the focal point in her mind. What the Narrator fails to notice is because of her situation (her confinement and the oppression upon her) her mind has nothing of substance, the only thing she can concentrate on is the lurid yellow wallpaper.

"There are things in that wallpaper that nobody knows about but me, or ever will." (Gilman, 2013: p6)

This important statement acknowledges the how important the influence over the wallpaper has had over the Narrator and to how far she has incorporated the wallpaper into her own sense of self. This passage highlights the discovery and wonder of the wallpaper, that her fixation is to be the sole observer; this is also the first insight into how isolated she is which only enhances her paranoia and decline into madness.

"Life is very much more exciting now than it used to be." (Gilman, 2013: p8)

This comment is where the Narrator finds Jennie touching the wallpaper, and this arguably captures Gilman's sarcastic sense of humour. This is the part of the short story where the Narrator is completely obsessed with the wallpaper, the pattern, the colour even the smell and all of her spare time is left thinking about the wallpaper. The wallpaper is her life now and she is no longer feels bored, as Novelguide (2012) informs 'the comment is funny, but the reader knows that someone who would make such a joke is not well.'

"At night in any kind of light, in twilight, candlelight, and worst of all by moonlight, it becomes bars! The outside pattern, I mean, and the woman behind it is as plain as can be." (Gilman, 2013: p7)

This is a powerful symbol of female power. The light of the moon has a symbolic association to lunacy and here it highlights how she has totally succumbed to the power of the wallpaper the 'as plain as can be' creates her a new reality and helps to establish the steps necessary to escape.

"I don't like to look out of the windows even-there are so many of those creeping women, and they creep so fast. I wonder if they all came out of the wallpaper as I did?" (Gilman, 2013: p11)

This passage is full of self identification, something the narrator has seemingly avoided and what the audience are already connected with. Here, paranoia and fear combine to reveal the Narrator’s nearly complete submission to the needs of her imagination (Novelguide,2012). The woman in the patterned wallpaper 'creeps' through fear of discovery like the Narrator who fears to be discovered by her physician husband. The woman in the wallpaper is a reflection of herself 'creeping and stooping';  the reasoning for her not wanting to look out of the window is because she knows there are many women like her, and becomes afraid to look at them.

"'I've got out at last,' said I, in spite of you and Jane. And I've pulled off most of the wallpaper, so you can't put me back!' Now, why should that man have fainted? But he did, and right across my path by the all, so that I had to creep over him every time!" (Gilman, 2013: p12)

This is symbolic to the Narrators total mental breakdown that now the wallpaper is down she can be freed; and her freedom is now to freely to creep . Her husband is now reduced to 'that man', which shows the change in mentality and attitudes towards her husband.