“I think that we're all mentally ill. Those of us outside the asylums only hide it a little better - and maybe not all that much better after all.” -Stephen King
I thought of this quote while we were discussing Gilman's "Yellow Wallpaper" in class. I feel that this is what is at the heart of a truly great horror story: intimacy and relatability. I feel that Gilman's story does have elements of sexism and oppression, mostly i felt that the story was really taking the reader on a journey into insanity. This, above else, is a scary story. As Ryan said in a previous post, the diary-format makes this story haunting because we are able to connect to Jane on an intimate level. Also, i feel that writing any great horror story should start within. While many people have phobias of various things, i think that almost everyone has a deep-rooted fear of being too socially unacceptable, too wrong, of being seen as 'crazy'. I also feel that almost everyone has felt 'crazy' at one time or another and reading about a woman's descent into madness hits home for many.
Also, this is a classic tale about going stir-crazy. There is a reason that movies are made about skiers getting trapped in their cabin by an avalanche and slowly going mad. Or stories about deserted islands? This tale is no different although Jane is not trapped anywhere exotic, she is simply in her vacation house. The thought of being locked away, or of being completely alone and feeling trapped is a fear of idleness. This shut-in feeling can cause fear of insanity for many people who have ever spent a weekend snowed-in. I feel that this intimate look at a woman who has gone insane from being locked away is what makes this piece so frightening and haunting. The story could be about any one of us.
I agree. What is truly scary about this story is, due to the intimate nature of the narrative/diary format, that we do not realize the magnitude of the situation from a removed perspective initially. Once we arrive at the climax of this work, we are torn as readers. Half of us wants to remain loyal to the narrator, who have trusted and subscribed to for the entire story. The other half adopts the social perspective that the behavior of the narrator is unacceptable. Clearly, the author throws the reader from one perspective (identifying with the character) to the polar opposite (finding the character unreliable and insane). Gillman effectively creates her horror story by tricking her readers into asking themselves "who or what can I trust?" This insecurity makes for good horror stories.
ReplyDeleteI agree with both of you. I think it is the way the story is told as if nothing is wrong that makes it so "creepy" (pun intended). We totally accept and believe everything that the narrator is telling us until the end. This is a great story to read twice. The first time to really get the effect of believing the narrator, and the second to catch all the warning signs that you probably missed because you trusted the speaker so completely.
ReplyDeleteThe Yellow Wallpaper always brings me back to Lovecraft because of the intimate and personable descent into madness.
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