In the short story “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, the narrator’s identity is questioned. If the reader interprets the mention of Jane at the end of the story as self-reflective, a contrast between the Jane she refers to and the character who haunts the room becomes evident. This division within the main character can be best understood as follows: there are actually two women within this unnamed speaker, and as one’s actions diminish, the other becomes dominant. The reader can perceive two distinct identities within the narrator’s captive body: the proper-Jane persona, who is named and obedient as Dr. John’s wife, and the nameless, wild, and hysterical woman, who the storyteller sees lurking behind the wallpaper’s pattern. As proper-Jane’s characteristics fade away, those of her unsociable double seamlessly take their place in the speaker’s mind.
The main character in The Yellow Wallpaper is described as a woman with various roles in society – she is a mother, daughter, sister, cousin, sister-in-law, and physician’s wife. Despite her ordinary nature, she gradually sheds the qualities expected of a respectable woman in Victorian society. By the end of the story, this character, who could be referred to as Mrs. John, transforms into a primal and villainous figure who embodies everything deemed unacceptable in that era. She neglects her child, ignores her household responsibilities, grows increasingly paranoid, and exhibits arrogance in believing she understands her own medical condition better than her doctors do. Alongside her obsession with the yellow wallpaper, the protagonist starts staying awake at night and sleeping during the day. She occasionally sneaks around during daylight hours, acknowledging that such behavior is far from typical. Additionally, she develops a cynical and distrustful attitude toward John and her sister-in-law Jennie, stating that one should not trust people too much. This mindset is certainly not fitting for a naive and delicate woman of that time period. The character’s reputation and good name, which are crucial aspects of a gentlewoman’s identity, are the first casualties as she transitions into her transformed self.
The narrator’s 19th century patriarchal society caused her to lose her surname (which belonged to her father) upon marriage. While Mrs. John cherishes her last name as part of her proper-Jane identity, she had no say in replacing it with her husband’s name. This loss of legal identity may contribute to the narrator’s personal transformation, but it is not unique to this story’s protagonist. However, throughout the story, John also attempts to strip the narrator of her given name by using pet names like darling, little girl, and blessed little goose. By doing so, he perpetuates the separation between his wife’s sense of self and her name and identity. In society, proper names are given to humans, pets, and even inanimate objects like cars, boats, and estates. Taking away the protagonist’s name is a form of degradation, placing her below even a beloved dog. This violation may be a reason for the narrator’s secretive behavior, which not only resembles animalistic tendencies but also places her physical self on the same low level as her emotional self has been instructed to be.
John also goes as far as referring to the speaker in the third person (“Bless her little heart,” he said, giving her a big hug, “she shall be as sick as she pleases!”). This creates a division between his delicate and proper wife and the woman he is speaking to. The narrator later follows this example and says, “I’ve got out at last, in spite of you and Jane.” When her names are taken away from her, the main character is left without a clear description of her own identity. She tries to name her developing condition, her emerging self, but is interrupted by John. “I beg of you, for my sake and for our child’s sake, as well as your own, that you will never even consider that idea!” he protests. His reaction is not surprising in a society where the mentally ill are demonized and confined to crowded institutions.
Thus, Mrs. John is sentenced to a societal form of obscurity; she has lost her previous title and the person she is becoming is so different from her social class that it simply cannot be labeled. The main character’s tendency to sneak around during the day illustrates her crisis of identity, and it is not solely due to the inherently repulsive nature of her actions. The stealth implied by her creeping echoes the enigmatic nature of anonymity, and the fact that she performs these actions in plain view of the sun reflects her unchanging physical appearance. In essence, the paradox of trying to be secretive in broad daylight mirrors the process of transforming into a different individual while inhabiting the same body. The literal truth is evident in both cases: despite Mrs. John’s sneaky behavior, she is still visible; and despite her mental and emotional changes, she remains Mrs. John. However, the contradiction is also confirmed within the text – the protagonist locks the door to avoid being seen as she creeps, just as the reader is certain that the proper-Jane persona has been replaced by this nameless and hysterical spirit.
The protagonist in The Yellow Wallpaper suggests that her transformation is complete by questioning if others emerged from the wallpaper as she did. She also mentions the difficulty of returning behind the pattern at night. These thoughts clearly demonstrate a complete shift in her consciousness, as she moves away from her usual self and revels in her newfound freedom from the wallpaper pattern.
Therefore, the woman in The Yellow Wallpaper overcomes the challenge of her anonymity by transforming from a society woman without a recognized identity to a distorted version of a Victorian lady, one who is so extreme that she is not even acknowledged by her name. As a result of losing her name, abandoning her previous mannerisms, and embracing her unsophisticated but still human alter ego, Mrs. John becomes the anonymous victim of the unknown repercussions caused by an unidentified condition.
