“The Yellow Wallpaper” (Charlotte Perkins Gilman)
“The Black Cat” (Edgar Allen Poe)
Similarities:
- Both protagonists have engaged in actions contrary to societal expectations/norms.
- Imagery and Symbolism are prominent techniques.
- Interior monologues expressed by both protagonists.
- Both protagonists acted specifically against their spouses.
- Both protagonists utilized first person narration.
- Both protagonists are externally perceived as a threat to society and capable of harming others.
- Symbolic/allegorical creatures that behaved supernaturally. (The Fantastic)
- Both characters experienced gothic emotions.
Differences:
- “The Black Cat” protagonist glorified perversion to a greater extent.
- “The Yellow Wallpaper” protagonist embraced perversion, but as a strategy to achieve redemption(verb) to set herself free by force.
- “The Black Cat” protagonist is penalized for their wrongdoing (central Gothic irony) even though they had promoted societal deviation.
- “The Yellow Wallpaper” protagonist had benefited from their embracing of perversion since the antagonistic husband had fainted and his authority was challenged.
- “The Yellow Wallpaper” did not contain central Gothic irony.
- “The Black Cat” contained gore and horror.
- “The Yellow Wallpaper” encompassed terror because of the psychological aspect of the protagonist’s actions and hallucinations.
- “The Black Cat” protagonist engaged in Gothic actions such as acting chaotic and acting violent beyond expectation.
- Conclusion includes how the narrator similarities are notable and how the Gothic definitions applied to each story.
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