Analysis of John in "The Yellow Wallpaper"

John is a key figure in Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper." His role is super important in understanding how the narrator goes mad. This essay will look at John's character and show how his actions and beliefs mess up the narrator's mental health. By checking out different parts of John's behavior, attitudes, and how he treats the narrator, we can get a better idea of the themes and messages in the story.

John's Role as a Patriarch

One big part of John's character is his role as a patriarch. As the narrator's husband and a doctor, John has a lot of control over her life. He uses his authority to prescribe a "rest cure" for her so-called nervous condition. He locks her in a room with barred windows and stops her from doing anything fun or stimulating. This harsh treatment shows the societal norms of the time when women were supposed to be submissive to men.

You can see this patriarchal dynamic in John's dismissive attitude towards his wife's worries. Even though she begs for a change of scenery or more stimulating activities, John brushes her off, calling her desires mere "fancies." He insists he knows what's best for her. His patronizing tone and refusal to treat her as an equal make the narrator feel isolated and powerless, helping push her towards madness.

John's Misdiagnosis and Ineffective Treatment

Besides being a patriarch, John's role as a doctor is also super important. But it's clear he's not good at diagnosing or treating his wife's condition. John believes in the rest cure, which means doing absolutely nothing physically or mentally. This reflects the medical practices of the time. Sadly, this treatment just makes the narrator's mental state worse.

John's ignorance and arrogance in ignoring the narrator's needs for more stimulating activities keep her from getting the proper care she needs. This shows how harmful the medical profession's lack of knowledge about mental health was back then. By sticking to outdated and useless treatments, John unknowingly helps push the narrator into madness.

John's Symbolic Representation

More than just a patriarch and doctor, John also symbolizes the oppressive nature of society. His character represents the societal expectations placed on women in the late 19th century, where their desires and dreams were often crushed for the sake of domestic duties.

The yellow wallpaper in the room where the narrator is trapped becomes a powerful symbol of her oppression. John's dismissive attitude towards her complaints mirrors society's dismissal of women's voices and agency. The narrator's obsession with the wallpaper, which starts to seem more sinister and oppressive, symbolizes her growing awareness of her suffocating societal role.

Conclusion

In the end, John's character in "The Yellow Wallpaper" plays a big part in the narrator's mental breakdown. His role as a patriarch, his wrong diagnosis and bad treatment, and his symbolic representation of societal oppression all help drive the narrator insane. By looking at these parts of John's character, we get a better understanding of the complex themes and messages in Gilman's story.

It's important to remember the historical context and societal norms that shaped characters like John. It helps us see the progress we've made in understanding and dealing with mental health issues today. "The Yellow Wallpaper" is a strong critique of the patriarchal and oppressive systems of that time. It urges us to keep challenging these systems and fight for the well-being and autonomy of everyone.

References:

Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. "The Yellow Wallpaper." The New England Magazine, vol. 5, no. 5, 1892, pp. 647-657.

Golden, Catherine. "The Writing of "The Yellow Wallpaper": A Double Palimpsest." Studies in American Fiction, vol. 17, no. 2, 1989, pp. 193-201.