Q: What is the main conflict in The Yellow Wallpaper?

The main conflict in The Yellow Wallpaper is the struggle between the narrator and her husband, John. He believes she needs rest to heal from her mental illness. However, she feels trapped in the house and restricted by his treatment. This conflict grows as she becomes obsessed with the wallpaper in her room. The wallpaper represents her feelings of confinement and desperation, leading to her mental decline and a desire for freedom.

Q: What is the significance of the ending of the story?

The ending of The Yellow Wallpaper is significant because it shows the narrator's complete break from reality. By the end, she believes she has become the woman trapped in the wallpaper and refuses to go back inside. This transformation illustrates her desperate struggle for freedom in a world that confines her. The ending leaves readers questioning the effects of isolation and the neglect of mental health, highlighting the tragic consequences of misunderstanding and dismissing women's experiences.

Question 1

What is the main conflict in The Yellow Wallpaper?

Accepted Answer

The main conflict in The Yellow Wallpaper is the struggle between the narrator and her husband, John. He believes she needs rest to heal from her mental illness. However, she feels trapped in the house and restricted by his treatment. This conflict grows as she becomes obsessed with the wallpaper in her room. The wallpaper represents her feelings of confinement and desperation, leading to her mental decline and a desire for freedom.

Question 2

How does the wallpaper affect the narrator?

Accepted Answer

The wallpaper affects the narrator in a significant way. At first, she finds it ugly and irritating, but as time passes, she becomes obsessed with it. She sees a woman trapped behind the patterns, which reflects her own feelings of being trapped. The more she studies the wallpaper, the more it consumes her thoughts. Eventually, the wallpaper symbolizes her struggle for freedom, and her desire to escape from both the wallpaper and her oppressive situation grows stronger.

Question 3

Why does the narrator want to leave the house?

Accepted Answer

The narrator wants to leave the house because she feels confined and restricted. Her husband, John, has rented a home for the summer, believing it will help her recover from her mental illness. However, she feels isolated, especially in the nursery where she is kept. She longs to visit her cousins and be free from the house and the wallpaper, which makes her feel even more trapped. Her desire to leave reflects her need for independence and connection to the outside world.

Question 4

What does the woman behind the wallpaper symbolize?

Accepted Answer

The woman behind the wallpaper symbolizes the narrator's own feelings of entrapment and her struggle for freedom. As the narrator watches the woman crawl and shake the wallpaper, she realizes that they share a similar desire to escape their confinement. The woman represents all the women who have been oppressed and silenced by societal expectations. By trying to free the woman, the narrator is also trying to break free from her own mental and emotional restraints imposed by her husband and society.

Question 5

What is the significance of the ending of the story?

Accepted Answer

The ending of The Yellow Wallpaper is significant because it shows the narrator's complete break from reality. By the end, she believes she has become the woman trapped in the wallpaper and refuses to go back inside. This transformation illustrates her desperate struggle for freedom in a world that confines her. The ending leaves readers questioning the effects of isolation and the neglect of mental health, highlighting the tragic consequences of misunderstanding and dismissing women's experiences.