The Yellow Wallpaper represents symbolism of the new woman
in many ways. Throughout the story, the narrator is treated as if she were a
child. Her thoughts are continuously put down, controlled and manipulated by
her husband. Often times the narrator is told she is wrong and she justifies
why he is right in saying she is wrong. Ultimately, she has no sense of freedom
mentally, physically, and emotionally. As she spends countless hours in the
room she is ordered to stay in, she takes a great interest and yet dislike to
the wallpaper. With time she begins to see a woman stooping around, searching
for an escape. I personally believe this wallpaper represents all the hardship
that woman had to face in life and especially in marriage at that time. They
were trapped behind a tainted (“yellowish”) lifestyle. When the narrator
finally reaches her breaking point and tears off all the wallpaper in a fit of
rage, this symbolizes regaining a sense of freedom and power which begins the
rise of the New Woman.
I really noted the parent/child relationship and is the main idea I get from this piece. It is awful to watch her be treated by her husband in such a passive, yet awful way. I could truly feel her lack of freedom and wanted to see her be able to get her words and writing heard. When she is vindicated at the end, I also related to the New Woman.
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