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September 28, 2005
The Yellow Wallpaper
Gilman, ''The Yellow Wall-paper'' (1899) -- American Literature, 1800-1915 (EL 266)
"I beg of you for my sake and for our child's sake. as well as for your own, that you will never for one instant let that idea enter your mind! There is nothing so dangerous, so fascinating, to a temperament like yours."
I feel like he is really patronizing her. She feels that there is something more wrong with her than a physical illness. When he tells her that she is doing better and to believe him, I feel as though she knows that something is not right and he is just lying to make her feel better.
Posted by StacyEstatico at September 28, 2005 08:41 PM
Comments
I agree he is definnitely patronizing her. I don't think he even has a clue what is wrong with her and how to treat it. I think it is her "motherly instinct" in knowing something more is wrong with her. I also think she transforms into denial because John keeps convincing her otherwise that she is not ill. He tells her "the very worst thing to do is think about" her condition. Nice husband...he is patronizing her every time she tries to seek help from him.
Posted by: Ashley Holtzer at September 29, 2005 07:58 AM
Ashley, I really do not think that he has a clue what he is talking about either. He is constantly trying to tell her what is good for her and what she should and should not be doing and all he is doing is taking more and more of her strive for independence away. I think the reason she has trouble getting better is because of the thoughts that he puts into her head.
Posted by: Stacy at October 1, 2005 09:44 AM