Society or Historical conections

During the time that The Yellow Wallpaper was written, women were thought of less than men. They were thought to sit at home and cook and tend to the house. They couldn't even do things such as watch a sports event because they thought that if a women saw a muscular man she would faint. Women at this time also began to rise up and speak for there rights. Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper is thought by some to be about the fight for women's rights. Some people look at certain things in the writing and think that those symbols represent something in the struggle for women's rights. In the Yellow Wallpaper, it says, "If a physician of high standing, and ones own husband, assures friends and relatives that there os really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression--a slight hysterical tendency-- what is one to do?" (1) This shows that Jane has no power. She says what is one to do. She is basically saying she can't do anything about it. Also in The Yellow Wallpaper, it says, "Personally, I believe that congenial work, with excitement and change, would do me good. But what is one to do?" (1) Jane again says, what is one to do. This again is telling you that her opinions will not really matter to John.

For more information view these cites. They have great information on the fight for women's rights.
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/timeline/progress/suffrage/
https://www.nwhm.org/education-resources/history/woman-suffrage-timeline
Society- the people of a particular country, area, time, etc., thought of especially as an organized community

Symbolism

One example of symbolism in the yellow wall paper could be the bars on the window. The bars on the window could represent that women are held back in society. When there are bars in front of you, they could prevent you from going somewhere. The bars keep Gilman in a room where there is nothing to do, such as the bars of society hold the women back from doing things. The men are on the outside, they can do so much more than the women who are just sitting inside a room all day. The men have more options and can go places unlike the women.  The men can walk around outside and can come and go as they please. Just like John, he could go in and out of the house but, Jane could only stay inside of the house. These bars hold women back. I have used this quote from the Yellow Wallpaper before, but you can get so much from it, "There comes John, and I must put this away,-- he hates to have me write a word." (2) This shows right here that Jane is not even able to write. She is being held back from writing. Another thing it says in the Yellow Wallpaper is, "He is very carful and loving, and hardly lets me stir without special direction." This shows that John does not even want Jane to move around a lot. (2)

Symbolism- the use of symbols to express or represent ideas or qualities in literature.




For additional information, check out these cites. They really helped me get some good ideas.
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/composition/liselle.htm
http://teaching-direction.blogspot.com/2010/02/symbolism-in-yellow-wall-paper-by.html

Protagonist

The protagonist in The Yellow Wallpaper is Jane because she is the narrator and the main character. Jane is trying to get help, from her doctor husband, to fix her problems but the help doesn't seem to be working. John is making Jane sit in a room for a long period time. During this time she is not allowed to write but she does secertly. Jane and John both think Jane is improving, but it doesn't seem that way from how Jane describes her everyday actions. For instance, Jane begins smelling the wallpaper and she also rubs against it. She also thinks that there is a girl in the wallpaper who moves in the wall paper and sometimes outside. The story revolves around Jane and her obsession with the wallpaper. In the Yellow Wallpaper it says, "Then she said that the paper stained everything it touched, that she had found yellow smooches on all my clothing and Johns, and she wished we would be more careful!" (8) We can see from this paper that maybe Jane is rubbing up against the paper. Also in the Yellow Wallpaper it says,  "But there is something else about the paper- the smell! (8) This is showing that she is even smelling it.

For additional information check out these sites: These websites could possibly patch up any confusion you having.

http://parrishco.com/academic/a-literary-analysis-of-the-yellow-wallpaper/

http://www.gradesaver.com/the-yellow-wallpaper/study-guide/character-list/

Protagonist- The main character in a novel, play, movie, etc.

Theme

I think that the theme of The Yellow Wallpaper is that you should always treat all living things with respect. Jane was basically tortured in that room. Her life in the room seemed depressing. She started to turn to the walloper for something to do. She started to get obsessed with it. She was tearing it  down and wanted it all to her self. We should treat people with respect so as you see, something like Jane's actions will never happen to a person. People should not be just stuck in a room all day by them selfs. In The Yellow Wallpaper it says, "There comes John, and I must put this away,--he hates to have me write a word. " (2) This shows that Jane has nothing really to do during her time at the house. Also it said "I don't like our room a bit." (2) Jane did not even like the room she had to stay in during the begging of the story. 

Charlotte Gilman

Click on these links for more information. These websites helped me get an idea about the theme.http://www.novelguide.com/the-yel
http://www.teenink.com/nonfiction/academic/article/317600/The-Yellow-Wallpaper-Feminist-Criticism/



Theme- The main subject that is being discussed or described in a piece of writing, a movie, etc.

Gilman's Life

Charlotte Gilman, the author of the Yellow Wallpaper, was born on July 3, 1860. Gilman was born into a family of very educated women. Her family suffered from many different things. Her family had many different problems like some members committing suicide and others having to be hospitalized. Gilman her self became diagnosed with post-pardum depression. She was treated by doctors but, since all of the doctors were men and Gilman lived in a time were women were thought to be inferior to men, Gilman was never taken seriously. The doctors would never never take her opinions or thoughts of what was going on in her life into consideration and always thought they new better. In the Yellow Paper, it says "You see John doesn't believe I'm sick." (1) It also says in the Yellow Wallpaper, "I don't like our room a bit. I wanted one down stairs that opened on the piazza and had roses all over the window, and such pretty old fashioned chintz hangings! but John would not hear of it." (2)  Gilmans treatments for her illness for were very cruel. Finally on the date August 17,1935, Gilman died. Her work the Yellow Wallpaper was published after her death.

Author- a person who has written something; especially: a person who has written a book or who writes many books

For additional information, click on these links- 

http://www.biography.com/people/charlotte-perkins-gilman-9311669
This website helped me find out things about Gilman.
http://www2.webster.edu/~woolflm/gilman.html
This website provides information on Gilmans life.