“The Yellow Wallpaper” & “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”

“The Yellow Wallpaper” describes a story of a wife who demonstrates worsening sanity. Initially brought to a colonial mansion for the summer- she states being brought to live there for her health, which she describes as a ‘temporary nervous depression- a slight hysterical tendency’. However, after being brought to the room with the yellow wallpaper, we gain insight to her thoughts and her environment. According to her, there exists women who crawl within the wallpaper. Taking form during the night and crawling out during the day, who she then associates with herself at the end. This form of hallucination may indicate a worsening condition. While her physical seems to be performing better (better eating habits), her mentality begins to plunder. However, we must also consider the morphing of her own perceptions, including the environment itself. While the most obvious is herself proclaimed warped reality of the wallpaper, we see that she lacks a grounding in what is real and what is not. In the beginning she notes that the room may have previously been a children’s gymnasium, noting the windows to barred. We wonder if the windows were barred for a reason, would it be to lock her in? This could explain why John did not let her pick the other room, that is- for her safety. We also see how John is seemingly controlling, not allowing her to write nor exert herself in any form. This includes going out, from another POV this could seem as he is deliberately attempting to keep her in- shielded so to say. Her inability to write- can also be synonymous with her lack of control over her situation. He also would not give in to her pleas regarding removing the wallpaper. Stating she would find flaws in another object, which he would then need to remove- “He said that after the wallpaper was changed it would be the heavy bedstead, and then the barred windows, and then that gate at the head of the stairs, and so on.” This image her paints a picture of confinement. Such a reaction would seem it is not his first time dealing with these types of requests. One should also consider the state of the furniture within the room as well. She cannot move the bed, she believes it to be nailed down and the floor that is gouged, scratched and splintered. The paint of the walls in ripped in unseeingly places and the plaster dug out. While you may assume this was the state of the room prior to their arrival- we see the woman give into behaviors consistent with the state of the room. Including her creeping and ripping the wallpaper off with her teeth. While we are not sure if her room is an actual room or a facility, we can conclude from her setting and mental state that there is some form of confinement.

“An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” tells the story of Peyton Farquhar- a civilian (?) currently to be executed on a railroad bridge by soldiers from the army. Before and during his execution, Farquhar drifts his mind away from his impending doom as he looks into the water below, pushing distractions into his mind and focuses on his family life. Through the story, we read about Farquhar’s escape. From falling into the river, freeing his hands/neck and arriving home. Unfortunately, at the end we come to learn that he died on the beam- his body swinging. This indicates that what occurred after he closed his eyes, was a figure of his imagination. However, through his ‘endeavor’, we learn about him. He places a special emphasis on the sluggish river and the driftwood. He watches the driftwood float down- he does not take his eyes off it; in his mind he may associate with this inanimate object. Possibly synonymous with freedom and will, the driftwood is a reminder of what he desires. There is also a theme of fleeting time- his watch a constant reminder of reality. However, the entire story tells of Farquhar’s alternate perception of time- which in some form shows that time can be internal and personalized.