Question

In "The Yellow Wallpaper," what does the repetition of the statement "What can one do?" tell the audience about the narrator's personality?

Answer 1

Could you give a paragraph or two of "The Yellow Wallpaper"? It would help me answer your question better.

Answer 2

Let’s take a look at some quotes from the narrator about her husband John to see the subtle way she shapes the reader’s feelings about the people in her life.

John laughs at me, of course, but one expects that in a marriage. (3)
I sometimes fancy that in my condition if I had less opposition and more society and stimulus—but John says the very worst thing I can do is to think about my condition, and I confess it always makes me feel bad. (4)
Dear John! He loves me very dearly, and hates to have me sick. I tried to have a real earnest reasonable talk with him the other day, and tell him how I wish he would let me go and make a visit to Cousin Henry and Julia.

But he said I wasn’t able to go, nor able to stand it after I got there; and I did not make out a very good case for myself, for I was crying before I had finished. (10)
We know, from these passages, that 1) the narrator and John have frequent disagreements over her condition, 2) John doesn’t take her seriously, and 3) their arguments make the narrator cry.

The narrator’s powerlessness, emotional distress, and pleas to John that she needs to get away – all of these make us sympathize with her, as does her effort to convince herself (and the reader) that she still loves the man in spite of his treatment of her. (“Dear John”? Come on.) John comes across as a big ol’ jerk for not believing his wife when she tells him she’s still feeling bad.

Answer 3

I gtg. Sayonara!