Comparison Of The Yellow Wallpaper And Rowlandson's Captivity

Throughout literary history many artists have been influenced by the works and techniques of others. Traditions and methods of literary movements have been passed down and shared between many of the world’s best-known authors. Charlotte Perkins Gilman was heavily influenced by Mary Rowlandson’s captivity narrative in her piece The Yellow Wallpaper. Gilman mimics Rowlandson’s diary form of writing in her short story and uses similar literary techniques when describing the captors. Although both pieces shared very similar techniques, Gilman was able to add a twist to the captivity narrative style and include diction choses that help the reader understand the change the narrator when through throughout her captivity.
Captivity narratives are

Just as Rowlandson, Gilman has her main character tell the story in diary/ journal form. As a feminist writer, Gilman uses this method to not only help the reader identify with her character but to also expose the flaws in the patriarchy. Rather than the captor being “savage” Native Americans, it is instead the men of the time or the narrator’s husband John. In the piece, the reader is able to see the “set parameters that men determined,” (Thomas) for women of the time. The narrator, very early on shows her trust and understanding for her captor, she explains that she “can not talk with John about [her] case, because he is so wise, and because he loves [her] so” (Gilman 652). Just as in Rowlandson’s piece the reader is able to follow the narrator’s transition in opinion towards her captor. Unlike Rowlandson though, the narrator trusts her captor and Gilman paints John as credible and smart, “Can you not trust me as a physician as I tell you so,” (652) John says when the narrator tells him that she does not believe that she is truly getting better. With the use of the epistolary novel style of writing, Gilman was able to play with diction and show the change in the narrator from the beginning of the piece to the end. By the end, the narrator begins to use choppy, fragmented language that contrasts with the long, sensible sentences used in the beginning of the piece. “I always lock the door when I creep out daylight. I can’t do it at night, for I know John would suspect something at once.” (654) At the end of the piece, Gilman uses the diction to illustrate the narrator’s dissent into insanity, with this stylistic choice the reader is able to be placed in the mind set of the narrator and experience her emotions. Just as Rowlandson, Gilman was able to use this style of writing to establish the development and growth of her