Gender Roles, Symbolism, and Literary Value in Modern Fiction
Gender and Symbolism in “The Yellow Wallpaper” and “Cat Person”
Both The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Cat Person by Kristen Roupenian explore how gender roles limit women’s freedom and self-expression. In both stories, symbolism helps the reader understand the emotional and social struggles women face.
Symbolism of Imprisonment in “The Yellow Wallpaper”
In The Yellow Wallpaper, the narrator is a woman suffering from depression whose husband controls every part of her life. He dictates what she does, what she reads, and even what she thinks. The yellow wallpaper in her room becomes a powerful symbol of her mental and physical imprisonment. As she stares at it, she imagines a woman trapped behind the pattern, which represents herself. When she tears the wallpaper at the end, it signifies her desperate attempt to break free from her husband’s control and from society’s restrictive expectations of women.
Gender Expectations in “Cat Person”
In Cat Person, Margot also feels limited by social and gender expectations. She tries to be polite and to make Robert feel comfortable, even when she feels uncomfortable herself. The story uses symbolism—for example, the cat and the title itself—to illustrate misunderstanding and emotional distance. Both characters project their own ideas onto each other, which reveals how modern relationships are often shaped by insecurity and unequal power dynamics.
Both authors use gender and symbolism to reveal the challenges women face in expressing their true feelings. Gilman shows how rigid social control destroys a woman’s identity, while Roupenian shows how similar pressures still exist in modern life. Together, they suggest that gender roles continue to profoundly influence how women experience freedom, power, and self-respect.
Literary Value: Why “The Yellow Wallpaper” Endures
In my assessment, The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman holds the greatest literary value among the stories we studied, based on three key factors:
Universal and Timeless Themes
The story deals with universal and timeless themes such as gender inequality, mental health, and personal freedom. Although written in the 19th century, its message about how society controls women remains highly relevant today.
Symbolic and Psychological Depth
The effective use of symbolism gives the story emotional and psychological depth. The wallpaper is not just part of the setting—it becomes a symbol of the narrator’s inner world and her struggle to escape social oppression. When she finally tears it down, it represents both madness and liberation, showing how freedom can come at a high cost.
Impact of First-Person Point of View
The first-person point of view makes the story more powerful because the reader experiences the narrator’s thoughts directly. We witness how her mind deteriorates as she loses control, which creates empathy and emotional intensity.
Because of its strong message, symbolic power, and lasting impact, The Yellow Wallpaper continues to be an important literary work that helps readers think critically about gender, identity, and freedom. This is why I believe it possesses the highest literary value of all the texts examined.
Key Literary Terms and Definitions
| Term | Definition | Example (Text) |
|---|---|---|
| Narrative Point of View | Who tells the story. | Cathedral – 1st person narrator changes his view. |
| Types of Narrator | Reliable, unreliable, omniscient, limited. | The Yellow Wallpaper – unreliable narrator. |
| Metaphor | One thing represents another (no “like” or “as”). | The Yellow Wallpaper – wallpaper = prison. |
| Symbolism | Object or image represents an abstract idea. | The Swimmer – pools = time/loss. |
| Omission (Iceberg Theory) | Meaning is hidden under the surface. | Hills Like White Elephants – abortion not explicitly stated. |
| Allusion | Reference to another text or idea. | A Good Man Is Hard to Find – Bible/grace. |
| American Minimalism | Simple style, few details, emotional depth. | Cathedral – short, realistic, deep. |
| Ethical Systems | Deontology = duty; Utilitarianism = results. | Omelas – happiness derived from one child’s pain. |
| Southern Gothic | Dark Southern stories featuring violence and sin. | A Good Man Is Hard to Find – false piety, violence. |
| Irony | Opposite of what is expected. | A Good Man Is Hard to Find – “good” woman dies. |
Narrative Point of View
Definition: It refers to who tells the story and how much that person knows or feels. It helps the reader understand the story’s emotions and ideas.
Types of Point of View
- First-person: The narrator is a character, using “I.”
- Third-person limited: The narrator knows the thoughts of only one character.
- Third-person omniscient: The narrator knows everything about all characters.
- Objective: The narrator only reports what is seen or heard, without revealing thoughts or feelings.
Symbolism
Definition: Symbolism occurs when an object, color, or image represents a bigger, abstract idea or feeling.
Example: In The Swimmer (John Cheever), the swimming pools symbolize the passage of time and the main character’s loss of control over his life.
Irony (Dramatic, Verbal, Situational)
Definition: Irony is a literary device where something happens that is different from what we expect.
- Verbal irony: A character says the opposite of what they mean.
- Situational irony: The opposite of what is expected actually occurs.
- Dramatic irony: The reader or audience knows more than the characters do.