John In The Yellow Wallpaper

When studying literature, a reader will occasionally come upon a story that cannot be taken at face value. The meanings of these stories are complex and must be thoroughly analyzed before making rash judgments. The same must be done for the characters of the stories. In order for readers to truly understand what these individuals are feeling and thinking, it is important to put one's self in their situation. The story "The Yellow Wallpaper" is a tale of a sick woman and her husband, John, which have just moved into a new house. As the plot progresses, it is easy to judge the way the two interact and treat each other. It is important to study John's behavior to actually understand what he is going through and how he is dealing with it. In "The Yellow Wallpaper," author Charlotte Perkins Gilman exposes audiences to the character of John by focusing on his strict words and actions. Upon analyzing this individual more thoroughly, readers may find a better understanding of who John is and why he acts the way he does.

Gilman's story is an emotional tale of a woman that is obviously afflicted by a mental illness. The audience witnesses the progression of her illness as her husband sits by and seemingly refuses to admit it is anything more than "temporary nervous depression" (Gilman 158). One is led to believe that John is neglecting his wife simply by the things he says. In one definition, the Encarta Dictionary describes "treatment" as "the particular way in which somebody or something is dealt with or handled" ("treatment"). In the time period during which "The Yellow Wallpaper" was written, it was very common to use a "wait and see" approach with many afflictions. Early in the text, John refers to his wife as a "little girl." Just by listening to his words, the audience can easily presume that John feels as though he is taking care of a little girl. Many times in the case of mental illness patients, clear connections can be made to the taking care of a young child. The Encarta Encyclopedia explains that "Only during the last 100 years has medicine developed weapons to fight disease effectively" ("Medicine"). Without the medications that doctor's use today to battle mental illness, John treated his wife as if the condition would eventually go away. Due to the fact that the entire story is in first-person narrative form, the audience is not exposed to the hardships that John is undoubtedly going through. No one is aware of his mental state and how he is dealing with the situation. His job as a physician was certainly a difficult one and to come home and take care of another patient would only add on to his stressful regimen.

Readers must also look deeper into John's actions. Due to his occupation, the audience can assume that he spends very little time at home during the day. Also, the narrator explains that she "supposes John never was nervous in his life" (Gilman 157). Although he may not appear nervous, John's strenuous occupation