Introduction
Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Edgar Allan Poe wrote the Yellow Wallpaper and the Tell-Tale Heart stories in different times. The two short stories are set in separate settings and times despite the striking similarities. The Yellow Wallpaper has contributed significantly in the evolution of American Literature. This story was published for the first time by the New England Magazine in 1892 (Trinastic 1), about five decades after the publication of the Tell-Tale Heart. The narrators in the stories draw interesting similarities and differences that offer the premise for the development of this paper.
Similarities
In the Yellow Wallpaper, the narrator describes a woman in a depressed condition. She is under strict surveillance from her husband, John, who also serves as her physician. The narrator reminds her audience about the state of loneliness that has engulfed this woman. In the Tell-Tale Heart, the narrator illustrates a character overwhelmed with mental wonder and thoughts (Trinastic 7). In fact, the narrator depicts the character inherently mad. The young man seems to be aware that people perceive him as livid. However, he denies this perception when he demonstrates that he can think and reason like any other person. Both narrators have interesting symbolism. In the Tell-Tale Heart, the text provides resistance by the character against what the society construe about him. In the story, the narrator gives full details of his actions, and the way he killed the old man for whom he attaches value, love, and respect (Poe et al. 4). In addition, he describes the man’s physical appearance, calling his eyes evil. Generally, the narrator’s work is unique and fits in the choice of themes and pattern of ideas. On the other hand, the narrator in the Yellow Wallpaper gives a glimpse of the background of a particular family, and the type of relationship, which exists between the husband and his wife. The couple takes vacation in an expensive apartment that appears to be above their standard and the narrator wonders how they could afford it. The wife suffers from mental illness and the doctor attending to her happens to be her husband. She complains that John gives little concern to her status, looks down upon her, and gives her little regards. She lives in depression, while the status demands that she does nothing involving. She feels that she should have the opportunity to write, an activity that would help her restore the peace of mind. She stays in a symbolic room of yellow wallpaper, which is repulsive. The yellow paper in the wall depicts a woman who is struggling to come of the paper. Soon, the narrator realizes that the story of the woman in the wall resembles her own story. John comes in when she is writing and disrupts her peace. She claims that John uses much of a man authority to deny her concord and contentment.
Differences
While the narrator is the Yellow Paper illustrates the troubles of a woman in depression, the narrator in the Tell-Tale Heart illustrates a young man in a dangerous mental condition, which the community calls madness (Poe et al. 12). Even though he denies it, his actions, for example, killing the old man confirms that he is insane. On the other hand, The Yellow Wallpaper demonstrates a woman hospitalized due to her mental condition. This generally means that the two texts make a common horizon of using insane characters in addressing the concern of the society (Trinastic 13). In addition, the narrator uses one character at the central role of representing the themes in his text and utilized all the stylistic devices to communicate the same. On the other hand, the narrator in the Tell-Tale Heart organizes his work around the aggressive young man, who makes things happen. In retrospect, the two used first person in communicating their ideas. In the Tell-Tale Heart, the narrator is more active and aggressive in actions and speaks out what he does (Poe et al. 13). For example, he claims he loves the man but is uncomfortable with his evil eyes. He kills the old man and confesses his deed, hence demonstrating a free person to act at will. However, The Yellow Wallpaper demonstrates a defenseless woman who lives in solitary confinement. She lacks freedom and has no liberty to do what she feels good for her. She lacks happiness, and complains about the husband who is authoritative and careless. This is a show of difference of personal liberty of choice and action. The woman in the story seeks freedom and love.
How I compare to the narrator
In the Yellow Wallpaper, the narrator wallows in depression without the support of her family. Her husband, John, appears to be detached from the challenges his wife is undergoing. This claim is evident when the narrator is said to lack company and activity. The narrator complains about the patronizing and controlling ways of her husband. John disregards the opinion of his wife on the matter affecting her life and controls her wishes. A case in point is the refusal of John to switch bedrooms so that he cannot indulge in her fantasies. Throughout the story, we see the narrator struggling for a voice. She wants to be heard but no one is there to listen to her. At this point, the life of the narrator departs from my life. Unlike the narrator in the Yellow Wallpaper, I get a lot of support from my family whenever I am stressed.
I believe that the family is a source of consolation and moral support when its member plunges into mental or psychological stress. My family has been very instrumental by encouraging me positively to overcome stressful moments. The narrator in the Tell-Tale Heart has a cold heart. I differ from this narrator because I can never get to the point of killing someone for whatever reason. I find his attitude and character disturbing. First, the man admits his deep love for the old man and that he had never been wronged. But the narrator’s obsession with the old man’s vulture-like eyes which eventually inspire him to kill the old man makes us wonder the kind of heart he has and the sincerity of his statement. I believe in love and no matter how things may be, one has no moral obligation to kill in the name of love as the narrator wants us to believe him.
Conclusion
The study has shown that the narrators of the Yellow Wallpaper and the Tell-Tale Heart share similarities in terms of symbolism and use of words. The two stories illustrate the predicament of individuals that suffer from mental health problems. The Yellow Wallpaper has demonstrated the struggle by a depressed woman to come out her cage.
Works Cited
Poe, Edgar Allan, Charles Baudelaire, and Albert Anderegg. "The Tell-Tale Heart." 2013.
Print.
Trinastic, Michael K. The Yellow Wallpaper. Diss. Duke University. 2011. Print.
