Literary and Critical Analysis of the Yellow Wallpaper Essay

Charlotte Perkins Gilman wrote the Yellow Wallpaper in 1892, the theme of which was feminism and individuality and how one woman dealt with the neurosis of her mind created largely by the expectations of society. The spiral to her breakdown began from her baby’s birth and in today’s time it would be seen as postpartum depression but at the time when the book was written the woman was seen as being highly strung. Gilman creates the plot around the yellow wallpaper in the protagonist’s room and how her obsessive mind personifies the wallpaper. The deterioration of the woman’s mind is signified through the disintegration of the state of the wallpaper. The story was written at a time when the main role of the woman in society was creating a home for her family. Her sense of worth and her values were all gauged against the way her home functioned. In this strive for perfection of the home the women of the time usually lost their own sense of self and it is this struggle to maintain a sense of self that usually caused the most stress. This build-up of stress is what is signified in the book. When the book begins, Gilman immediately makes it clear that the protagonist, as the woman, is inferior to her husband, John, the physician. When she feels ill the solution for John is telling her to stay in bad, not to use her imagination and stop writing. To him her writing anything is something useless and unnecessary. However, to her, writing is her one release. It is with her being able to write that she is able to let go of her pent up feelings. She writes, â€Å"Personally, I believe that congenial work, with excitement and change, would do me good. But what is one to do? † (160). This last phrase underlines the state of mind and the actual state of mind of the women on the era. The woman is resigned to her inability to go against the societal norms no matter how unhappy it makes her. She has given birth to a baby and instead of feeling good she is feeling down. Her Husband and everyone around her thinks rest is the best answer and they confine her to her room. She knows that this confinement is not making her happy and she needs something to distract her, â€Å"Personally, I believe that congenial work, with excitement and change, would do me good† (1279), yet she is helpless to counteract her husband’s orders. It is through this repression of her true self that her mind starts to break. The stress of hiding her true feelings and maintaining the semblance of normality, going against her true nature, while all the time believing that she was in the wrong in wanting more. The instances of this sort of conflict are shown throughout the book, â€Å"I meant to be such a help to John, such a real rest and comfort, and her I am a comparative burden already† (162). The yellow wallpaper is the only thing she has to break the normality. Initially she dislikes it, â€Å"I’m really quite fond of this big room, all but the horrid paper† (1281). But as time passes and the wallpaper is the only thing of interest in the room she starts looking at it with interest. What initially started as a game in seeing the different patterns of the wallpaper changes into a real psychosis, and her state of mind is defined through her thoughts, â€Å"There is a recurrent spot where the pattern lolls like a broken neck and two bulbous eyes stare at you upside down† (1281). The most integral part of the story comes from the fact that the identity of the woman is never revealed. It is as if her name has no value and she herself is of no consequence and it is the people around her that define her. The story of the Yellow Wallpaper shows the role of woman in society in America in the past. It shows how a woman did not have control of her destiny and how a man could only see her as a possession not as an individual. The callous attitude of the husband who sees her state of mind as the weakness of women is the defining factor of the whole situation. By refusing to accept the woman’s mind as an individual and independent factor of her body and confining his wife to solitude, John the husband aggravates her situation. Her need to talk and write is belittled, her need to expose her emotions repelled by everyone around her. This causes her to get depressed. She does not know how to control herself, she becomes hysterical and needs help but the only help comes from her husband, and comes in a condescending manner that does not help matters. Many critics have given their own point of view and Gilman(1898) wrote in Women and Economics, ‘[regarding women]the same human energies and human desires and ambitions within. But all that she may wish to have, all that she may wish to do, must come through a single channel and a single choice. Wealth, power, social distinction, fame, -not only these, but home and happiness, reputation, ease and pleasure, her bread and butter,-all, must come to her through a small gold ring (Gilman, 57). The fact of the time was that men were considered the patriarchs and they were the ones in control. There was no concept of partnership. The woman in Gilman’s book seems to be conflicted in her concept of her role as a wife. she understands the expectations of societal norms but due to her own character she cannot in her mind accept them as norm. As she writes, â€Å"John laughs at me, but one expects that in marriage† (Gilman, 1973 pp. 9). It is as if women have no value and are mere objects. The woman seems to accept that but unconsciously is rebelling to this â€Å"ridicule† of women. The objectification of women and the judgment passed upon by men causes the woman in Gilman’s book to be constantly projecting an image of herself that is not real. She is reacting to what people expect rather than being what she really is and this is creating a conflict in her own self that she is struggling to overcome and yet cannot. I can feel myself under the gaze of someone whose eyes I do not even see, not even discern†¦ From the moment this gaze exists, I am already something other, in that I feel myself becoming an object for the gaze of others. (Gilman 1973 pp. 215). The struggle to maintain her identity while keeping her ideas hidden and in lieu with the norms is something she is unable to maintain and the disintegration of her mind shows the pressures she is under. The final deterioration of her mind is shown through her referring to herself in as somebody else. â€Å"‘I’ve got out at last,’ said I, ‘in spite of you and Jane’†(Gilman, 436). Critics suggest the woman has created an alter ego where the conventional self, the â€Å"rational self,† and the second is â€Å"the raging and uncontrolled madwoman† (Owens 77). Greg Johnson says that when the anger gets out of control the patriarchal influence is triumphed over (522). Realizing that the suppression of self is creating a regression of the mind the narration ends with the woman sleeping and creeping around the nursery like an infant (King and Morris 30). Victorian women did not have any control over themselves and it was this lack of control that is depicted in the Yellow Paper making it a distinctively feminist novel. Through the ripping of the wallpaper the woman destroys her conventional self and survives through the survival of her new identity or rather rebirth of her new self. References †¢ Gilman, Charlotte Perkins, The Yellow Wallpaper, The Feminist Press, 1973. †¢ Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. Women and Economics: A Study of the Economic Relation Between Men and Women as a Factor in Social Evolution Small, Maynard & Co. , 1898 †¢ O wens, E. Suzanne. â€Å"The Ghostly Double behind the Wallpaper in Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s ‘The Yellow Wallpaper. ’† †¢ King, Jeannette and Pam Morris. â€Å"On Not Reading between the Lines: Models of Reading in ‘The Yellow Wallpaper. ’† Studies in Short Fiction 26. 1 (1989): 23-32. †¢ Johnson, Greg. â€Å"Gilman’s Gothic Allegory: Rage and Redemption in ‘The Yellow Wallpaper. ’† Studies in Short Fiction 26. 4 (1989):521-30.

Baron in the Trees Analysis

Baron of the tree is a wonderful short story by Italo Calvino. This is a young baroness about 12 years old living in Umbrossa town. One night, Cosimo decided not to eat the nasty snail plate that his sister made that night, so he went to the Great Holm's oak tree in his garden and never got down. . Cosimo can still be a baron and live an adventurous life all day. When they came to Italy to fight Austrians, he was able to help the Napoleonic army, protect the town from pirates, and build a system to irrigate to stop summer firefires. Calvino's most famous book may be an invisible city and cosmology. Both are wonderful, but according to my taste, the best works of Calvino are trilogy with coat of arms, baron of tree, descenders of crow, and no. Knight of existence. My favorite is a baron on a tree, running on a tree and telling a young baron living his life. However, it is only over 200 pages. Therefore, I will name a nonexistent knight, this is a novel about cry, a real knight, and he is summoned to Charlemagne's good faith and faith to the sacred cause. As a bonus, most versions include a similarly good short story for the 17th century visitors The Cloven Viscount. Ding, Ding! Let's say that the author should be judged by his five best books and five best books. In the case of Calvino, they are supposed to be a baron of trees, perfect cosmology, a non-existent knight, and Viscounts of Cloven, invisible streets, and Markovado. According to this standard, William Maxwell and Tolstoy are also strong competitors, but he seems difficult to become a top team. In a recent speech at Missouri State University you have commented that you like physical books that are better than the screen and Kindle is not very appealing for you. You mentioned that as well - I must admit that I did not accept this - your human soul as a Rube Goldberg device: choice of your own adventure story Hold a hidden page only when reading the story before. Did you consider the physical nature of t he text when you write or complete the book?

GROUP DESIGN PAPER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

GROUP DESIGN PAPER - Essay Example Although motivational interviewing is commonly associated with substance abuse problems, it has also found varied applicability in clinical problems such as psychosis and other severe mental disorders. Clinical practitioners have reported that â€Å"the principles of motivational interviewing have broad applicability for addressing problematic behaviors (including substance abuse and non-adherence to treatment recommendations) that interfere with clients with dual disorders in achieving their personal goals† (Mueser, Noordsy & Drake, 2003, p. 108). It is in light of the issues presented above that I have chosen individuals who have dual disorders – substance abuse and mental disorders – as the treatment population for designing a motivational interviewing group therapy. Many chronic drug abusers, or commonly referred to as addicts, often simultaneously suffer from serious mental disorders. Substance abuse treatment and medical professionals call this condition co-occurring disorder or having dual diagnosis. While doing internship at 26th in California, a court and jail facility, most of the clients have been mandated to attend treatment for substances abuse. While helping clients with substance abuse problems, the court system has no provisions for assistance of co-occurring mental disorders. According to the American Psychiatric Association (DSM-IV), most individuals who have substance abuse problems also have mental disorders as well. Neglecting these mental disorders is not only detrimental to the patient but will further feed the cycle of violence and crime. I believe that treatment of both the substance abuse and mental problems is the most effective way of decreasing crime rate which is the ultimate goal of our judicial system. The succeeding sections of the paper will discuss the treatment population and the group therapy design for motivational interviewing. As previously discussed, the target population for

Translational methods from basal instruction to a differentiated Essay

Translational methods from basal instruction to a differentiated pedagogical system - Essay Example There is a movement underway in many school systems to complete the transition away from basal reading programs and more towards systems of instruction that facilitate an organic growth of reading-comprehension based on texts written to be read. Most purely basal texts are written for the purpose of teaching reading, which creates a separation from the reality of what people read, why they read it, and the natural flow of literature. Basal and purely literature-based reading instruction programs assume that acquiring reading fluency depends upon the comprehension and and exercising of individual, component skills that combine mechanistically to create an understanding of written language.This technological perspective can be challenged by more recent, reliable theoretical models of literacy holistic education that denies the validity of skill components. The purpose of reading and the context of the passage must be included in the education process. Dissatisfaction with basal program s has mounted in recent years, in part due to this consideration for the purposes behind reading. Basal stories sections may in some cases contain unrealistic linguistic characters to demonstrate various aspects of the component education process. (CELT, 1998) In response to these concerns from parents and educators, curriculum publishers, state departments of education, and school districts themselves have begun the institution of sweeping reforms in reading/literacy teaching programs. A principle objective is the development of literature-based systems that rely on texts written with the intent of reading; which could easily be found outside a classroom; rather than basals that exist only for reading classroom use. Further investigation is required to determine to what extent this new concept truly alters the face of literacy education, towards a determination of the best way to transition away from basal. Newer theories that question the basis of basal instruction dispense with t he grade-level restrictions that actively prevent some teachers from using texts designated for higher grades. Literature-based programs permit texts as long as they contribute to the interests of readers or are relevant to a particular academic topic. The goal is a new kind of literature program that draws on a the classroom as a community. Teachers and students using literature-based programs choose from a greater selection of actual, unadapted texts as they would appear outside a classroom. A purely basal approach, based on a mechanistic theory may not allow for the leaps of intuition that are necessary for true, fluent comprehension, should the students be subjected to a laundry list of abstractions. Some researchers make the argument that the basal texts themselves should never have been utilized as the entire reading program. In essence, they have always been - since the earliest days of the McGuffey Readers, a workbook/textbook for reading. The dominance of basal-trained read ers has prompted much of the investigation into the efficacy of such programs, and ways to transition beyond them. (Shannon & Goodman, 1994) DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION It is apparent to most all educators that not all students think alike. From this knowledge, differentiated instruction strategies facilitate an approach to teaching and learning that opens multiple options for students in the acquisition of information and a thorough comprehension of ideas. Differentiated instruction is a pedagogical theory resulting from the premise of varied instructional approaches incorporated into the classroom to meet the needs of diverse students; both in terms of communal/cultural origin and neurobiological aptitudes. (Tomlinson, 2001). These ideas become a viable alternative to meta-literary classroom-only texts typified under Basal Instruction. This is the method that seeks to verify that the learning the student receives is an individual match for that students level of achievement, in ter ms of readiness levels, progress,

New uclan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

New uclan - Essay Example A wrong post or comment could trigger a negative reaction towards the company leading to economic, social and legal implications. While social networking today provides many opportunities it is advisable to understand the risks posed in order to take necessary steps to use social media responsibly (McNamara 2011, p.14). Every department needs to have a safeguard list to understand the safety aspects of social media. Before posting anything online consider what is termed acceptable and unacceptable behaviour on media terms. Every social site has a term of service that gives a clear terms and conditions, including safety tools and privacy (McNamara 2011, p.14). When engaging in publicity you need to have an understanding of your target audience. To optimize your brand’s publicity collect enough information of online audience’s behaviour. To sell online t is advisable to choose the advertisement carefully that way your target audience is clear (Kent 2008, p.21). Social sites give guidelines online on internet advertising to avoid instances such as cyber bullying, underage sexual exposure, illegal schemes and dangerous masquerades. It is wise for the organization to assign a moderator who can interact with the users and manage content online. Choosing to use sites that adhere to social networking legislations could also lead to good practice. Sites such as Bebo, MySpace and Face book stress are keen on safety use and guidelines and adhere strictly to the land’s laws. Carrying a risk assessment on data protection as advised by Kent (2008, p.24) will act as a good guide while choosing which sites to use. If the site has several administrators always ensure that the managers are clear about what is required of them when interacting with users and responding to posts. The administrators should refrain from inappropriate content, personating, racist or hate material, exploitation and glorifying of dangerous activities.

Teaching Math Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

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Are we heading for a world currency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Are we heading for a world currency - Essay Example Local markets are the key factors that created such zones. They seem to prosper economically if they are trading in one regional currency. Personally, I agree with the idea of a SGC, but, currently, the vastly varying political and economic landscapes of sovereign countries around the world are posing barriers to it. This paper will list and describe some of the factors, both for and against a SGC, and discuss why it is unlikely to achieve one in the near future. Presently, there exist some economic forces that favor the amalgamation of currencies. Below are some of the influencing factors. Troubled Currencies Since trade is so vibrant and persistent among nations, it is critical for the nations to have confidence in their local currencies and those of their business partners (Volcker 10). A confidence decline in a country’s currency will spread fear among all other countries that share trade relationships and interests with it, further leading to a currency pandemic. An examp le of this scenario is the currency calamity that befell Mexico, Argentina, Russia and Thailand. The then United States President, Bill Clinton, remarked that solving Mexico’s problems was not only significant to the rest of Latin America, but also developing countries in the whole world (Volcker 11). The fact that the Mexican catastrophe could stretch to neighboring countries in the region and affect their currencies informed this idea. Countries in Debt Countries that have lent money to other countries worry about the possibility of depreciating of the debt owed to them due to the occurrence of a currency crisis or devaluation (Hellyer 43). They seek assurance that their debts will be repaid in currencies that have not depreciated in value. This makes currency stability a worldwide concern and aim. Furthermore, countries that have previously experienced currency crisis stand to benefit if their currencies are converted to regional units (Hellyer 43). This has an effect of r educing fears of currency problems in the future. Multinational Companies Multinational companies face challenges in an attempt to price their products and record profits while working in many currencies (Hellyer 44). A currency consolidation is a welcome relief to financial officers of such enterprises. Online Banking With its already worldwide and well established infrastructure, online banking is a trend poised to last for long. Through it, money is constantly moving across borders without passing through conventional banking systems, making it a contributing economic factor favoring currency consolidation (Bonpasse 127). Factors Inhibiting Creation of a World Currency The factors above have contributed favorably towards the need for a SGC. They, however, raise questions as to how a SGC would be governed (Volcker 4). There seem to be two intertwined, key factors working against them, and they appear to carry the day; world political and economic platforms (Volcker 4). A third fac tor, religion, poses its own class of difficulty. A combination of all the factors put forward against a SGC has a general suggestion that the current world setting is simply not ready for it (Volcker 6). Religion Some religions, especially Islam, outlaw the amassing of interest on loan principal (Mustaqim 1). Religion forbids the faithful to charge interest to other faithful or the poor. Currently, large populations of religious faithful opposed to the paying of interest are