Isolation in The Yellow Wallpaper

Alienation in The Yellow Wallpaper

Charlotte Perkins Gilman wrote The Yellow Wallpaper, which demonstrates the impact of loneliness on a woman. The story’s setting is in the 1920s when men were viewed as superior to women resulting in the emergence of a patriarchal society. A male-dominated society emerged during this period partly because of the role men played in society including being providers and protectors of women. The story captures the attention of the reader from the very beginning as it is written in narrative form and in the first person. The narrator of the story captivates the reader by describing her inner feelings and thoughts. This story provides different themes and insights regarding women’s experiences in a male-dominated society including alienation. A predominantly male-dominated society results in isolation and alienation of women and negatively affects their experiences.

The Theme of Alienation in the Story

As previously mentioned, The Yellow Wallpaper provides significant insights regarding women’s experiences in a patriarchal society. One of the themes emerging from this story is the alienation of women in such a society. The woman narrating the story is isolated from the community and not permitted to work or participate in any societal activity. Alienation is evident from the setting of the story as the narrator describes it as “The most beautiful place! It is quite alone, standing well back from the road, quite three miles from the village” (Gilman, p.12). In addition, the setting is described as a place that has been empty for years, which sets the stage for the alienation or isolation of women. In this regard, the woman is physically imprisoned or trapped, which symbolizes her alienation. Moreover, John recommends his wife live in a place with many restraining elements as she exerts control over her. While John puts his wife in a socially-isolated environment with no communication and with restraining elements, he prefers to live in the downstairs room. This setting provides an example of how a patriarchal society promotes male dominance over women and contributes to the social isolation of women. In this regard, men prefer living in environments where they are socially-free, but restrict their wives and women to areas where they are confined and socially isolated.

Alienation is a source of loneliness and has severe negative effects on the mental states of the victims. The male perpetrator uses isolation to exert control over his female victim whose mental health deteriorates as a result. The woman is imprisoned in an environment where she is expected to be obedient and subordinate to her husband. The imprisonment is seemingly not only physical but psychological also since it affects her mental state. As she struggles with loneliness, her mental health continues to suffer and finds herself staying up all night. In the story, the woman becomes withdrawn, depressed, and isolated because of her deteriorating mental health. At first, the woman did not realize the effects of alienation on her mental health and wellbeing. However, she gradually deteriorated because the recommended rest cure for post-natal depression worsened her condition. Her efforts to convince her husband and to escape the confinement were futile despite her deteriorating mental health.