The Yellow Wallpaper is a story

by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

LITER ATURE – 6A about a woman, Jane, who is

experiencing psychological
problems. Her husband
John decides that part of
her treatment should be to
go and stay in a house in the
START THINKING … country. John rents a property
1 Work in pairs. Discuss the questions: for this purpose. Jane keeps a
● In your opinion, if someone is feeling sad or depressed, is it a good or bad diary where she describes the
idea to take him/her somewhere quiet and isolated, away from people, like situation.
a house in the country?
● If someone made a decision for you, without asking your opinion, how
would you feel? Has this ever happened to you?

THE YELLOW WALLPAPER (1892) Charlotte Perkins Gilman

I will proudly declare that there is something strange about the greenhouses, too, but they are all broken now. There was some legal
house. Else, why should it be let so cheaply? And why have stood so 30 trouble, I believe, something about the heirs and coheirs; anyhow,
long untenanted? the place has been empty for years. That spoils my ghostliness, I
John laughs at me. John is practical in the extreme. He has no am afraid, but I don’t care—there is something strange about the
5 patience with faith, an intense horror of superstition, and he scoffs house—I can feel it… I get unreasonably angry with John sometimes.
openly at any talk of things not to be felt and seen and put down I’m sure I never used to be so sensitive. I think it is due to this nervous
in figures. John is a physician, and PERHAPS that is one reason I do 35 condition. But John says if I feel so, I shall neglect proper self-control;
not get well faster. You see he does not believe I am sick! And what so I take pains to control myself—before him, at least, and that makes
can one do? If a physician of high standing […] assures friends me very tired.
10 and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but I don’t like our room a bit. I wanted one downstairs that opened on
temporary nervous depression—a slight hysterical tendency— the piazza and had roses all over the window…but John would not
what is one to do? My brother is also a physician, and also of high 40 hear of it […] He is very careful and loving, and hardly lets me stir
standing, and he says the same thing […] I am absolutely forbidden without special direction. I have a schedule prescription for each hour
to “work” until I am well again. Personally, I disagree with their in the day; he takes all care from me, and so I feel ungrateful not to
15 ideas. Personally, I believe that congenial work, with excitement and value it more. He said we came here solely on my account, that I was
change, would do me good. But what is one to do? to have perfect rest and all the air I could get. “Your exercise depends
I did write for a while in spite of them; but it DOES exhaust me a 45 on your strength, my dear,” said he, “and your food somewhat on
good deal—having to be so sly about it, or else meet with heavy your appetite; but air you can absorb all the time.” So we took the
opposition. I sometimes fancy that in my condition if I had less nursery at the top of the house.
20 opposition and more society and stimulus—but John says the very It is a big, airy room, the whole floor nearly, with windows that
worst thing I can do is to think about my condition, and I confess it look all ways, and air and sunshine galore. It was nursery first and
always makes me feel bad. 50 then playroom and gymnasium, I should judge; for the windows
So I will let it alone and talk about the house. The most beautiful are barred for little children, and there are rings and things in the
place! It is quite alone, standing well back from the road, quite walls. The paint and paper look as if a boys’ school had used it. It is
25 three miles from the village. It makes me think of English places that stripped off—the paper—in great patches all around the head of
you read about… walls and gates that lock, and lots of separate my bed, about as far as I can reach, and in a great place on the other
little houses for the gardeners and people. There is a DELICIOUS 55 side of the room low down. I never saw a worse paper in my life. No
garden! I never saw such a garden—large and shady … There were wonder the children hated it! I should hate it myself if I had to live in
this room long.
2 6A.1 Read the text and listen.
Glossary
let rented 3 Read the text again and answer the questions.
scoffs to laugh at someone or something, or in a
way that shows you do not respect them 1 What does John think is the best treatment for
high standing have a very good position Jane’s ‘nervous condition’?
sly deceiving people to get what you want 2 To what extent does Jane agree or disagree with
fancy an irrational or imaginative wish or idea John’s treatment of her condition?
shady  describes an area where there is no light
3 How does she feel about the house and gardens?
from the sun
barred  with metal bars placed to prevent anyone 4 How does she feel about the room she is staying in?
leaving or entering
5 What do you think will happen to Jane?
stripped off remove a covering from a surface of
something

Citizen Z Level B2 Literature 6A PHOTOCOPIABLE © Cambridge University Press 2017

 6A LITERATURE

4 READ BETWEEN THE LINES Match the phrases 8 6A.2 Listen again and complete the sentences
from the story (1 – 5) according to whether you by choosing the correct option.
think they express (A, B or C):
1 According to Jane, her ability to write is mainly
A Frustration B Acceptance C Curiosity influenced by…
a John b Her strength
1 What is one to do?
2 Jane can’t be with her baby because…
2 … he scoffs openly at any talk of things not to be
felt and seen … a The baby upsets her
b Mary won’t let her see it
3 PERHAPS that is one reason I do not get well faster.
3 Jane doesn’t insist on using a different room
4 Why should it be let so cheaply?
because…
5 … there is something strange about the house—
a It would bother John
I can feel it …
b She’s too tired
5 VOCABULARY Complete the following extract 4 There’s a shaded lane that runs from…
with the words from the glossary. There is one
a The bay to the town
extra word you do not need.
b The house to the bay
high-standing | sly | strip off | shady | let

‘Wonderful house to ’, said the advert,

but the man who rented us the house was a bit WRITING 
An information leaflet
and didn’t tell us about the problems 9 WRITING The owners of the house provide a
with the wallpaper. As a result, after two months we leaflet with information about the house and
had to get someone to the paper. And the area. The leaflet will include information
what we were told was a ‘nice garden’ about the following:
was really a chaotic jungle of plants.
• The facilities the house provides
6 ROLE PLAY Write the conversation between • How many people can stay in the house
John and Jane’s brother when they are discussing • Local shops and restaurants
Jane’s health. Consider the following points then
combine them with your own ideas. Think of TWO more things the leaflet could
contain. Then, using the FIVE points as
• What is wrong with Jane?
headings, write your leaflet in 150-200 words.
• What medical advice is offered?
• How do they treat her?
• What do they decide to do?

7 Before you listen, discuss the following question: literature

How do you think Jane is going to be affected by The Yellow Wallpaper is considered an early feminist
living in the room with the yellow wallpaper? text – a story that represents a woman’s experience
and criticizes a male dominated society.
LISTENING 6A.2 Listen to the extract and decide
if sentences 1-4 are true or false. 10 Look at the list of ‘obstacles’ women writers
1 John is away in the day but spends the nights in the could experience below. Work with a partner and
house. rank them from 1-5 according to which you think
were the most difficult to overcome.
2 John has more than one reason for not repapering
the room Jane is in. a Women writers were expected to restrict
themselves to poetry or children’s stories.
3 John wants Jane to stop having ‘whims’ and ‘fancies.’
b All editors and publishers were men.
4 Jane can see people walking near the trees from
her window. c It was considered that women’s main work was
having children and looking after their husbands.
d Most literary clubs or organizations did not admit
women.
e A lot of men would not buy a novel if the author
was a woman.

Citizen Z Level B2 Literature 6A PHOTOCOPIABLE © Cambridge University Press 2017