Essay Comparing The Yellow Wallpaper And The Invisible Man

Two stories written in the late 1890’s which share some peculiarities involving intricate main characters were Charlotte Perkins Stetsons’ The Yellow Wallpaper (published in 1892) and H.G Wells’ The Invisible Man (published in 1897). There are many similarities and differences between the narrator of The Yellow Wallpaper and Griffin, the main character in The Invisible Man, prevalent throughout both stories such as the setting the characters find themselves in, the treatment of other characters, and the need for control of others. Although both characters can be vetted against each other, Griffin tips the scale in his favor being more morally reprehensible due to his actions and reasoning behind them. Although for very different reasons, both

Griffin brought his isolation upon himself by conducting an experiment stemming from his belief in the power he would have over his fellow man and the need to become famous. While speaking with Dr. Kemp, Griffin said, “I told no one living because I meant to flash my work upon the world with crushing effect and become famous at a blow” (Wells). Griffin must live in an environment where he must be silent for fear of being discovered, eat very little due to the food not being assimilated with his body, and often finds himself naked, cold or hurt due to situations he puts himself in. This is very different from the vision he had for himself on the onset of his experimentation. In contrast, the narrator from The Yellow

Griffin needs to control everything around him including the people. This distinctive trait reveals itself early on at the inn with Mrs. Hall and the other characters in Iping. Something as simple as the time it takes to fix a clock needs to be controlled by Griffin, "Why don't you finish and go?" said the rigid figure, evidently in a state of painfully suppressed rage. "All you've got to do is to fix the hour-hand on its axle. You're simply humbugging--" (Wells). In a more dramatic example, he chooses Marvel to do his bidding for him against his will saying, “Pull yourself together, for you have to do the job I have chosen for you” (Wells) and if Marvel refuses, Griffin threatens to kill him. On the other hand, the narrator becomes mentally ill due to her lack of control and ability to do the things she wants to do. She often hides her feelings from John and her sister in law. The character writes, “There comes John’s sister. Such a dear girl as she is, and so careful of me! I must not let her find me writing” (Perkins). Because of the lack of control, she creates this sense of a woman trapped in the wallpaper, and her attempt to free her is the symbolism of trying to regain control of her life again. In the end, after peeling the wallpaper down, she reclaims control and freedom declaring, “It is so pleasant to be out in this great room and creep around