Yellow Wallpaper Essays (501 words) - Point Of View, Style, Fiction

The narration mimics the narrator?s mental state in its content and tone. The content of the narration drifts from one place to another abruptly, which gives the reader the impression of the narrator?s mind being full of fragmented thoughts. Her thoughts come in bits, and often these bits have no correlation with the thoughts that come before and after them. For example, the narration starts with talking about how the narrator puts in great effort just to get dressed. Just after she mentions this, she suddenly talks about how ?it is fortunate that Mary is so good with the baby?. These two thoughts are completely unrelated. This shows that the narrator?s mental state is that of confusion. The content itself of this excerpt reveals that the narrator is mentally disturbed. The narrator herself expresses these sentiments herself several times. She states that she ?cannot be with [John], it makes [her] so nervous?. She also refers to the wallpaper as the ?horrid paper?, although the wallp aper itself could not possibly have done her any offense. She tells of her being ?nervous? whenever she is with the baby as well. The narrator therefore shows that the narrator is in a state of constant nervousness. The tone of the narration in this excerpt reveals the narrator?s mental state as well. The tone employed in this narrative is passive. The narrator has repeatedly stated throughout the story that she dislikes the wallpaper and most of the things about her room. However, after her husband, John, tells her that the room is doing her good and she is recovering day by day, she gives in to his opinions and states that ?he is right enough about the beds and windows and things?, and that she will cease to be ?so silly as to make [John] uncomfortable just for a whim? by no longer pressing for changing her room. Her passive tone of easily giving in to her husband?s beliefs shows that she is accepting whatever her husband is telling her submissively. Also, there is one part in the excerpt that tells of the narrator being taken into John?s arms and being called a ?blessed little goose?, which further enhances the image of her weak mental state. In addition, the narrator talks about how John has told her that she should not give her mind to ?a manner of excited fancies?. As a result, she resolved to ?use [her] will and good sense to check the tendency?. Even when she states that sometimes she thinks she might get better if she could only write some more, she follows this statement with her feeling ?tired? whenever she tries. This signifies that she has succumbed to John?s beliefs and she is in an increasingly weak mental state, one that has made her increasingly dependent on her husband and inhibiting her from forming or believing her own judgments. The narration therefore mimics the narrator?s mental state in its content and tone.