In Erik Margraf’s essay on The Awakening, he points out that naturalistic writers frequently “focused their attention on heredity and environment respectively as the primary forces that determine the individual. ” This emphasis in part on environment is a major theme in three texts that have female protagonists—The Awakening by Kate Chopin, “The Yellow Wallpaper” … Read more
In the late 19th and 20th century, there were two definitions of feminism. One definition of feminism was that women were the same as men, and deserved civil rights accordingly. The other definition of feminism is that women are different than men, and in some cases, superior; and thus, deserved civil rights. In Herland, by … Read more
The Presence of Ignorance in American Literature The dictionary definition of ignorance is a lack of knowledge or information, but a more relatable defining of the word is to disregard what is obvious to one’s own or another’s detriment. Ignorance was such a common trait among people during the time period from 1865 to the … Read more
The narrator in, “The Yellow Wallpaper,” suffers from depression, although her husband, who is a doctor, does not consider it an illness. Therefore, he keeps her on a strict rest cure. She is not allowed to do work of any form, not even care for her baby. All she allowed to do is rest in … Read more
Birds: Birds are symbolic of the Victorian era women present in the story, just as the cages they are placed in mirror the societal restraints placed upon these women by the creole society. As the birds scream “Go away! Go away! For God’s sake” it is understood that this restriction of sorts is not always … Read more
