In the story, “The Cottagette,” the narrator express the joy she felt while living at High Court. On page 47 she sated, “Never did I know the real joy and peace of living, before that blessed summer at High Court.” This clearly indicates that the narrator is happy in the setting that she inhabited. Base on the mood of the narrator we can expect her narration to be optimistic. We can also expect her narration of the events to be clear and reliable.
The setting of “The Cottagette,” is a remote area that is far away from any other dwelling. This is obvious on page 47 when the narrator stated, “here this tiny shell of fresh unpainted wood peeped out from under the trees, the only house in sight except the distant white specks on far off farms,….”
In the story entitled, “The Yellow Wallpaper,” the narrator expressed to the reader the reason she and her husband were occupying this house for the summer. One statement that epitomize the narrator is on page 57 when she stated, “If a physician of high standing, and one’s own husband , assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression…..what is one to do?” Further down on page 57 the narrator indicated to the reader that she was on medication and required fresh air and exercise and was not allowed to work until she is well. This indicate to the reader the frailness of the narrator. She apparently is very dependent on her husband and others to care for her. She is also not allowed to make any decisions. Base on the mood of the narrator, the reader can expect her narration to be unreliable and at times events that are presented to be unrealistic.
The setting of “The Yellow Wallpaper,” is a huge colonial mansion in a remote location. This is indicated on page 58 when the narrator stated, “the most beautiful place! it is quite alone, standing well back from the road, quite three miles from the village. It makes me think of English places that you read about, for there are hedges and walls and gates that lock, and lots of separate houses for the gardeners and people.” Although she liked the garden she thought the house was haunted and she did not like her room with the yellow wallpaper.
In the story, “The Yellow Wallpaper,” the narrator is controlled by her husband. He decides what is best for and does not take into account her feelings. On page 58 the narrator stated, ” I don’t like our room a bit.” “I wanted one downstairs that opened on the piazza and had rose all over the window, and such pretty old-fashion chintz hangings! but John would not hear of it.” In her depressed state it would be a good idea for John to let his wife stay in the area of the mansion that makes her feel happy. Having her stay in the room with the yellow wallpaper will only make her unhappy and worsen her depression. The depressed feeling of the narrator is also affecting her marriage. On page 58 she stated, “I get unreasonably angry with John sometimes.” Also on page 65 she stated, “the fact is I am getting a little afraid of John.” “He seems very queer sometimes.” The narrator feels trapped I her room and her vision of seeing the woman trapped behind the wallpaper is an indication of how she felt staying in that room with the yellow wallpaper.
In comparison to the story entitled, “A Jury of Her Peers,” also depict the Mrs. Wright as having a unhappy marriage and she also was controlled by her husband. This is depicted by the narrator on page 274, “no Wright wouldn’t like the bird.” “A thing that sang.” “She used to sing.” “He killed that too.” Also on page 275 she stated, “but he was a hard man, just to pass the time of day with him… she stopped and shivered.” Both the narrator of “The Yellow Wallpaper and Mrs. Wright in “A Jury of her Peers,” had marriages where they were under extreme control by their husbands. In “A Jury of Her Peers,” Mrs. Wright got her freedom from an unhappy marriage by killing her husband. In the story of “The Yellow Wallpaper,” the narrator tore the wallpaper from the wall and after doing so felt she was finally free.
The differences is due to the characters and the plot of the story. In the story, “The Yellow Wallpaper,” John was depicted as being quite loving to his wife. This contrast to the unloving relationship depicted by Mrs. Hale of Mrs. Wrights marriage.
