The point of view in Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” is an important element, which allows a reader to have a full and complete understanding of the inner being of the main character. The key reason is manifested in the fact that the central literary elements revolve around the woman’s thoughts, attitudes, feelings, and personal narrative of the items surrounding her. The primary symbol of the story is the yellow wallpaper, where the narration is done from the first-person point of view.
The story is built from the main character’s perspective, where she evidently has a mental issue, and thus, she is put in a room by her husband. The irony is present in the story, with the main accentuation made on the dramatic irony. For example, the latter can be observed when the narrator describes the room in which she is put, having barred windows for protecting children, whereas it is clear for the reader that it is for insane individuals (Gilman 648). In other words, the point of view shows that the story is told from the perspective of an unreliable narrator. The general tone is desperate, angry, and sarcastic about the situation. In addition, the narrator uses personification through the utilization of verbs.
In conclusion, Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” is told from the first-person point of view of an unreliable narrator. There is extensive use of dramatic irony, which is reflected in the main character’s poor observational skills, where she finds alternative explanations for evident elements. The tone of the story is rather grim as well as sarcastic, where the narrator actively uses personification of things, such as odor, by applying verbs used for human activities.
Reference
Gilman, Charlotte P. The Yellow Wallpaper. The New England Magazine, 1892.