Essay On Realism In The Yellow Wallpaper

Realism was originally a literary movement in the late 19th century. Realist literature is based on people and events that are plausible and believable. The subject of realist stories are usually everyday activities and events, and character is more important than plot. Realist authors avoid exotic and supernatural events, and usually stay away from stylization and symbolism. Instead, they write characters who are real in complexity, temperament, and motive. Realist literature can also focus on nature. The characters are often in conflict with nature, exemplifying that nature is very powerful and humans are subservient to it. Often the experiences of the characters focus on darker aspects of life and human misery: poverty, illness, violence, …show more content…
The arcs of the story are focused on what occurs in the woman’s mind. Her character is what develops, not the plot. Gilman gives us the progression of what might logically happen in the mind of a mentally ill woman. At first, the woman just thinks that the wallpaper in her room is ugly. Then she starts to get agitated with the wallpaper because she can’t seem to find a pattern to follow. The woman eventually gets to the point where thinks that there is a figure trapper in the wallpaper, trying to get out. “The faint figure behind seemed to shake the pattern, just as if she wanted to get …show more content…
“To Build a Fire” is about the reality of life and human suffering, with a character who is in conflict with nature. One of the message of the story is that humans are subservient to nature. There is no miracle or supernatural force that save the man, he just dies. In “The Yellow Wallpaper,” the character development is more important than the development of the plot. This story focuses on human misery and mental illness, two very dark elements of life. Human misery is a large part of the Realist movement, and these two stories are both outstanding examples of the reality of life; the realism of

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