Question

Which sentences in this excerpt from "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman suggest that the narrator’s husband has a condescending attitude toward her?

A) What is it, little girl?" he said. B) "Don't go walking about like that—you'll get cold."

C) I thought it was a good time to talk, so I told him that I really was not gaining here, and that I wished he would take me away.

D) "Why, darling!" said he, "our lease will be up in three weeks, and I can't see how to leave before.

"The repairs are not done at home, and I cannot possibly leave town just now. E) Of course if you were in any danger, I could and would, but you really are better, dear, whether you can see it or not. I am a doctor, dear, and I know."
"I don't weigh a bit more," said I, "nor as much; and my appetite may be better in the evening when you are here, but it is worse in the morning when you are away!"
F) "Bless her little heart!" said he with a big hug, "she shall be as sick as she pleases! But now let's improve the shining hours daytime by going to sleep, and talk about it in the morning!"

Answer 1

I'll go over the choices one by one since you're gone

A) What is it, little girl?" he said. ---> yes, "little girl" is a really condescending thing to call a grown woman

B) "Don't go walking about like that—you'll get cold." --> maybe but not enough to really say either way

C) I thought it was a good time to talk, so I told him that I really was not gaining here, and that I wished he would take me away. --> this isn't talking about how the husband talks to or thinks about her, so no

D) "Why, darling!" said he, "our lease will be up in three weeks, and I can't see how to leave before. ""The repairs are not done at home, and I cannot possibly leave town just now. "---> ehh you could make an argument about "darling" but he's not really using it in a dismissive way here

E) Of course if you were in any danger, I could and would, but you really are better, dear, whether you can see it or not. I am a doctor, dear, and I know."
"I don't weigh a bit more," said I, "nor as much; and my appetite may be better in the evening when you are here, but it is worse in the morning when you are away!" --> condescending, as he is basically dismissing her feelings because he's a doctor and she's not

F) "Bless her little heart!" said he with a big hug, "she shall be as sick as she pleases! But now let's improve the shining hours daytime by going to sleep, and talk about it in the morning!" --> I've lived in the south long enough to know that "bless her heart" is super condescending