Shifting Away From A Traditional Feminine Image Essay

Shifting away from a traditional feminine image is a concept woven throughout The Yellow Wallpaper, specifically exploring the balance of power between the masculine and feminine. As the narrator begins her descent into madness, her fascination with the wallpaper continues and the narrator becomes â€Å"the exemplary subject of power/knowledge† (Crewe 274). The narrator is stripping that power away from the masculine figure. When she first requested to change the wallpaper John refuses on the grounds of â€Å"nothing was worse for a nervous patient to give way to such fancies† (28), John wants to dismiss her fanciful feminine imagination as it threatens his sense of control, and â€Å"fear can masquerade as calm authority when†¦embodied in ‘the weaker sex’† (Shumaker 593). However, we see this alter as both he and Jennie become increasingly fascinated with her behaviour and the wallpaper itself, â€Å"I’ve caught him several times looki ng at the paper!† (35) conveying that as the narrator becomes more involved with the paper she is regaining her power over the household. Gilman may also be suggesting that this break away from performing roles can manifest shame or uneasiness, Jennie after being caught staring, reacts â€Å"as if she had been caught stealing† (35). She is described as looking â€Å"angry† (35) at the prospect of being caught observing the object of the ‘mad woman’ of the house’s obsession. Jennie recognising herself being a part of this power shift becomes uneasy, just as Girlie feelsShow MoreRelatedGender Representation Of Sex And The City1590 Words   |  7 Pagesthe lives of individuals. It is for this reason that it is often widely accepted that the media is to be used as a tool, which represents a common public interest. 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