The Unreliable Narrator of "The Yellow Wallpaper": Effect on The Reader

The Distorted Perceptions of the Unreliable Narrator

Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s short story, "The Yellow Wallpaper," is famous for looking at mental illness and how patriarchal society can be pretty oppressive. One big thing that makes this story hit hard is the unreliable narrator. We see things through the main character's eyes, and let me tell you, it's a messed-up reality. It makes you wonder what's true and if you can really trust what people feel and think. In this essay, we're gonna dive into how this unreliable narrator affects us as readers, showing how it boosts the story’s themes and helps us really get what the protagonist is going through.

The Unreliable Narrator of "The Yellow Wallpaper": Effect on The Reader

From the get-go, you can tell the narrator isn't reliable because she talks about her own shaky mental state. She tells us her husband and doctor think she's "sick" and should just rest up. But she brushes them off, saying she just has some "temporary nervous depression." Right there, we see that maybe we can't totally trust what she sees or says.

As we move along in the story, her unreliability gets even more obvious. She's super focused on this yellow wallpaper in her room—like, obsessed—and starts giving it all these creepy qualities. She thinks there’s a woman trapped behind it trying to break free. And here’s where it gets tricky: we see these delusions like they're real, making it hard to separate her imagination from what's actually happening.

This unreliable narration does two things: First, it puts us on edge 'cause we're always questioning what's real in the story. This mirrors how unsteady the narrator feels in her mind, pulling us into her world. Second, it shines a light on how women were (and are) often ignored or silenced by men in charge back then. Her husband and doctor don't take her seriously at all, pushing her further into her own little world.

The Reader's Emotional Engagement and Empathy

One of the most powerful things about having an unreliable narrator is how emotionally involved we get as readers. By seeing everything through her twisted viewpoint, we come face-to-face with her loneliness and pain. We watch as she spirals into madness, feeling every bit of frustration, fear, and desperation along with her.

Gilman uses really vivid language that makes us feel all claustrophobic and helpless too. Take when the narrator talks about the wallpaper: she calls its pattern “repellant” and “almost revolting.” Stuff like that hits you right in the gut, making us connect even more with what she's going through.

On top of that, having this kind of narrator lets us explore those oppressive social norms through a more personal lens. We see firsthand how she's ignored again and again—just like lots of women throughout history—and that makes us question why society was built this way.

Conclusion

The unreliable narrator in "The Yellow Wallpaper" plays such a crucial role in hooking us as readers and boosting the story's impact. By letting us see things through the protagonist’s distorted view, we have to question truth itself and if subjective experiences are ever trustworthy. This setup creates unease but also highlights how patriarchal societies suppress women's voices. As our empathy grows for the narrator through all these twists and turns, so does our understanding of deeper themes within Gilman's work.

References

• Gilman, C.P., “The Yellow Wallpaper.”
• Meyers, J.C., “Understanding ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ by Charlotte Perkins Gilman” (2021).
• Smithee, A.L., “Narrative Techniques in American Short Stories” (2018).
• Barker-Benfield G.J., “Cultures of Comfort: Housekeeping Advice for Victorian America” (2007).
• Davis C.B., “Women Writers in Nineteenth Century America” (1995).