Essay Comparing The Yellow Wallpaper And Metamorphosis

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Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” and Franz Kafka’s “Metamorphosis” contain similarities and differences. They both have the common theme of deterioration of the main protagonist’s life and mind, as well as the theme of ostracism of outcasts in society. They also both deal with the main character gaining freedom through the demise of their previous lives. Both authors use symbolism to show the desires of the characters. Something that would set these two stories apart would be the nature of their transformation, while the narrator in “The Yellow Wallpaper” had more of a pre- determined nature (meaning she was diagnoses) Gregor’s in “Metamorphosis” was more obscure and random. Also, these two characters seem to have opposite …show more content…

The woman in “The Yellow Wallpaper” is slowly deteriorating in mental state. When she first moves into the room with the yellow wallpaper it repulses her but one soon realizes the fascination she acquires. Her fixation enhances and she grows obsessed, taking over all her time. She images the wallpaper moving and a woman trapped behind it. Her full blow deterioration reaches when she images herself as the women behind the wallpaper. Similarly, Gregor in “Metamorphosis” watches his life slowly deteriorate. After realizing his transformation into a bug, he fixated on things that drew him more into his human life, such as his job and making the bus on time. He soon begins to realize he cannot live his life the same way he used to. He began to lose all ties to his human life. He was not welcome in the family home anymore and decided that it would be best for everyone if he was …show more content…

While the women in “The Yellow Wallpaper” nature was pre- determining, she was diagnosed, Gregor’s in “Metamorphosis” was not. Since the women’s nature was pre-determined there was already a ‘treatment’ “…locking Gilman away in his Philadelphia sanitarium for a month, enforcing strict isolation, limiting intellectual stimulation to two hours a day, and forbidding her to touch pen, pencil, or paintbrush ever again (John S. Bak)”. Although this was pre-determined and deemed to work in that era it was highly ineffective. We see this when she begins to imagine a woman in the wallpaper, becoming more ill. Moreover, Gregor’s transformation was not pre-determined and was very radical. The transformation into a bug was a change for him and his whole family and adjustment was necessary. This adjustment made it harder for the family to see him as he was previously, therefore no longer saw him as a part of the family and only a burden. “Gregor indeed seems to test his family [ on whether they can accommodate to his changed self-], especially his sister, and his tragedy lies in their inability to pass the test, i.e., to recognize and love the son and brother in the monster (Walter H. Sokel)”. As Gregor progresses through his stages as a bug you see the family lose interest in him and his well

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