Loss of Innocence

As we view the theme of loss of innocence over a larger variety of works in literature and other areas in the world, we see it’s appearance in many different forms. We’ve already established this ideal, which is why “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman provides us with a very unique outlet for these ideals. Now allow me to pose my main question about this story:

Is Jane Sane?

Other than the fact that my question rhymes, I strongly believe that Jane is not sane throughout the passage of the story mainly due to the point of view. As we read the story, we are able to narrow the point of view. The point of view is a first person narrative that Jane is telling the story in. “He said we came here solely on my account, that I was to have perfect rest and all the air I could get.“(Gilman 1) This first person narrative point of view is crucial for the story and how we read it. Most of the time we are under the possibly false pretense that Jane is a sane women, but what if she isn’t? As we read the story, we forget that it is indeed Jane herself who is writing and narrating it.

Through the yellow wallpaper and her manifestation with it, we slowly see her lose her her sanity, but never once question the validity of every statement she makes. For all we readers know, she could be manipulating us throughout the story. Regardless we can’t be sure or fully satisfied with our faith in Jane and her possibly psychotic world.

Now that we’ve established that she is insane to an extent, we can change our whole outlook or viewpoint on this topic. What does this all mean for loss of innocence for, not the story’s characters, but we the readers?

The readers lose their innocence of their bias, because depending on which angle one read the book from, one’s view on the intensity of Jane’s sanity changes. If you came into the story following Jane and believing her story like many of us did, you are in the innate bias of supporting her as the protagonist in the story. Most people will brush this off and continue on with their lives not comprehending more than her general conflict. But when you introduce this viewpoint and re-read the story, you realize that you may have been fooled the entire time. You lose your innocence and naivete to the underlying fact of the matter: Jane was the one directing her story and could have shaped it in any way she wanted.

If we have evidence that she did go insane with the yellow wallpaper near the end of the story, we can assume on those grounds that she wasn’t perfectly sane. And if she wasn’t perfectly sane, how can we validate any way she set up or explains parts of her story or her life.

And if that is the case, do John and the house or the wallpaper exist? Or are they just a figment of the white wall of the asylum jane is trapped in.

To next time,

Special K