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Feminism In Charlotte Perkins Stetson's The Yellow Wallpaper

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Feminism is an idea that goes back centuries, and when it became popularized in the early to mid 19th century, many authors of the time took to paper to chronical their beliefs in well-written novels and stories we today consider classics . Author Charlotte Perkins Stetson was an established feminist author who wrote multiple novels and short stories that reflected her belief on the matter of gender equality. One of her more notable pieces was the short story “The Yellow Wallpaper”; a different take on the perspective of women in society. In her story, she uses multiple rhetoric strategies to help establish her bias in an indirect fashion; while obliquely making references from her own life.
In order to observe the first rhetoric strategy …show more content…

This theme is prevalent throughout the story as Perkins subtly states the disregard women faced during this time period. In many of John’s interaction with the main character like pushing aside her concerns with “My dear” and “Bless her little heart” it becomes apparent he does not hold her opinion in a high regard. In fact, the main character themself acknowledges this treatment but is quick to justify her husband’s actions. As the story nears the end, we witness the main character’s mental stability worsen; though the character sees it as finally achieving freedom from the confines of the wallpaper and room (in a metaphorical sense of course). John promptly passes out in shock after finding his wife crawling about the room after achieving said ‘freedom’. This entire reaction represents the shock men in society face as women began to fight to gain more independence and rights during the late 19th century. This part in the story also provides some perspective in what audience Perkins was reaching for in this piece; women or the quiet feminists. By saying her character broke free from the confines of the room, Perkins is sending the subliminal message to women that they needed to break free from the societal chains that bound them.
Author Charlotte Perkins Staton was well known for her short stories and novels surrounding the topic of gender inequality in society. One story in particular,“The Yellow Wallpaper”, based her bias from the perspective of a women stuck in a domestic marriage to a man who was quick to dismiss her deteriorating mental stability. Perkins was able to convey her message by using multiple rhetorical strategies such as imagery, parallelism, allegory, and symbolism; thus allowing her to convey her message in an implicit

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