What Is The Mood Of The Yellow Wallpaper By Susan Gilman

In “The Yellow Wallpaper”, Gilman establishes the main character’s mental state as progressively worsening and debilitating. At the beginning of the story narrator realizes that she is weak and cannot do certain things because of her illness. For example, she states that because of her weakened state of mind she can no longer work, “So I take phosphates or phosphites - whichever it is - and tonics, and air and exercise, and journeys, and am absolutely forbidden to ‘work’ until I am well again (Gilman 437).” Gilman describes the main character’s mental capabilities here as deteriorating. Since this was at the beginning of the story, we get to understand where her state of mind is before other elements of the story start to unfold. Specifically, we learn that narrator’s mind is being stimulated by medication in order to make her functional.

Another example of how the author establishes the character 's mental state is when she starts noticing the wallpaper and becomes a major conflict to her. Gilman writes, “There are things in the wallpaper that nobody notices but me, or ever will, Behind that outside pattern the dim shapes get clearer everyday (Gilman 441).” At this point in time we now have a better understanding how Jane is irritated by certain things. Her most noticeable aggravation became the yellow wallpaper in her room. Gilman does a good job making her sound crazy by having almost every sentence or every other sentence distinctly focused on the