An unreliable narrator is a narrator who can’t be trusted. Either from ignorance or self-interest, this narrator speaks with a bias, makes mistakes, or even lies. Part of the pleasure and challenge of these first-person stories is working out the truth, and understanding why the narrator is not straightforward.
There is clearly an unreliable narrator in the story “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Here are some quotes in the story to show this.
1. “I get unreasonably angry with John sometimes. I’m sure I never used to be so sensitive. I think it is due to this nervous condition” This is evidence that she doesn’t even have a reason to be angry or mad at John! This shows that she is unreliable because she can’t be trusted or responsible for her own emotions when it comes to others.
2. “No wonder the children hated it! I should hate it myself if I had to live in this room long.” This shows that she’s always arguing and bickering about something in her head.
3. “It is fortunate Mary is so good with the baby. Such a dear baby! And yet I CANNOT be with him, it makes me so nervous.” This indicates that she may have some mental issues and is once again not trusted enough to be around or let alone hold a baby.
Another interesting side to the story “The Yellow Wallpaper” is the relationship between the protagonist and John, her husband. I believe that there is an interesting but weird, type of love in this relationship. Here are some quotes from the story that present the married couples relationship and what I understand about John.
1. “John laughs at me, of course, but one expects that in marriage.” I believe this meant that John doesn’t often take her too seriously at times because of the way she acts.
2. “John is a physician, and PERHAPS that is one reason I do not get well faster. You see he does not believe I am sick!” This shows that she doesn’t really believe John is a good physician because he doesn’t believe that she is sick.
3. “John is away all day, and even some nights when his cases are serious.” This proves that although they are married they’re still pretty distant with each other.
I feel that the narrator tries to show that John does actually care for his wife by trying his best to help her but can’t really pin point as to what is wrong with her. I do believe that he may be in a little bit of denial because it seems to me that his wife is sick but he wants to believe that she’s okay.
