The narratives in each writing by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is specific to the type of text. For example, in “The Cottagette” as well as in “The Yellow Wallpaper” the first person narrative is used to explain to the reader the situation without giving the background, more as it actually happens in the text. Gilman uses this technique in order to unravel the narrator in “The Yellow Wallpaper” by depicting her mental breakdown as it happens. From the beginning the reader can assume she is trustworthy as a narrator, but only after continuing along can the reader see the unreliability of the narrator. However, in “The Cottagette” we find that Malda is more reliable but fickle in her decisions; regardless she is trustworthy as a narrator. Unlike the short stories, in Women and Economics, Gilman uses the third person narrative in order to explain her theories on “social intercourse” and the relationships between families in the household. Gilman uses words such as She or he to set up situational context to engage the reader of her proposition.This is essential for this type of writing because Gilman must be able to relate and express her opinions on social relationships and gender roles. In Women and Economics, Gilman states boldly “take kitchens out of the home” to make for a “true personal expression”. I believe this relates to “The Cottagette” because Malda is told by her friend Lois that in order to get Ford Mathews to marry her, she must be a homemaker and a cook. Malda then begins to leave behind her love of art to cook more. Later on, Ford Mathews says that he does not need her to do this, and loved seeing her as she was before when she was expressing herself by drawing. Gilman pushes the message that they are equals and that Malda is able to express herself with him, without having to be a homemaker. Malda even states at the conclusion “Was there ever a man like this?”.
Intro to Women Writers-Hybrid Sp 2014
Writing Women of the Long 20th Century
It’s important to understand the kind of community where Malda, Lois, and Ford lived–what makes the kitchenless cottagette possible there?
You raise an interesting point: the two short stories are first-person, but the sociological argument is third-person. Do you think a text needs to be first-person to convey emotion, and third-person to be argumentative? What characteristics do we typically assign to first-person and third-person?
I think the kitchenless cottagette is possible there because it wasn’t a typical family home arrangement in which they were staying, so it wasn’t expected of Malda to be a homemaker until Lois pushed the topic.
I don’t think that the text necessarily needs to be in the first person to convey emotion, but in these text it helps to understand and sympathize with the protagonist. I feel that in the Women and Economics text, the third person helps because Gilman is able to express her thoughts about civilization and the way gender roles are upheld, so in this case it definitely helps the argumentative points she is trying to get across.
The characteristics we assign to first person can be seen as elements of surprise or emotion, as the reader is going through the thoughts and actions along with the protagonist. For the third person, normally is associated with someone talking about something, which can be better for an argumentative cause or explanation. Although these can vary, I feel that in certain text (such as Gilman’s) the way in which she gets her main ideas across is through the use of the first or third person.