The Yellow Wallpaper

“Such a story ought not to be written; it was enough to drive anyone mad to read it”

-M.D.

Discussion Questions

What is the style of writing? How does this contribute to our understanding? Is our narrator reliable? Why or why not?How does 1st person narration affect our

understanding ?

How responsible is John?

How is John also a casualty of repressive social conventions? Or is he?

Is the narrator’s decent into madness liberating or empowering for this heroine? Why or why not?

Does the ending of the story suggest progress (a woman tears down the shackles that are binding her) or pessimism (this woman has become completely unstable)?

As a group, track the narrator’s decent into madnessUse at least 5 pieces of textual evidence

Comparing TextsPlease turn to pg 784 in your lit textbook and read Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” (2 pgs)

Why did the woman in Chopin’s work die?

How does the narration affect our understanding of the story?

In both stories the women are described looking out the window, how does what they view differ? Why?

Do these authors share a similar purpose? If so, what is it?

These female authors, through their writing, are attempting to combat the social inequalities

of their day.

Are these messages still pertinent? Why or why not?

What does it mean to be a ‘feminist’ ? Why does this word have such

a negative connotation in our society?

What do you think Gilman and Chopin’s definitions of feminism might be?