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In the current essay, two short stories will be compared and contrasted: “A rose for Emily” by William Faulkner and “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkin. Both stories are focused on female protagonists who experience some form of life-changing isolation. However, two authors use different literary elements in order to examine the interconnecting theme. William Faulkner demonstrates the danger of social isolation that Emily voluntarily chose in order to escape a new reality. In the novel by Charlotte Perkin, the protagonist, a woman, was forced by her husband to experience social isolation.
The short stories demonstrate how two protagonists, women, became insane as a result of being isolated from society. Isolation, in which they both exist, were imposed by men: in the case of Emily, it was her father and their past, and Jane is suffering from the decision of her husband John, who separated her from the world. It should be noted that both stories display the typical situation for the nineteenth century: women did not participate in public life equally with men, who dominated and decided upon their lives (Gust). Both characters, Emily and Jane, escape the reality and the hardship of isolation. Emily finds her piece in her house, being fully isolated from other people. Whereas Jane retreats in her thoughts and the yellow wallpaper’s imaginary world, she stares at day after day. The main difference lies in the way two authors depict social isolation by using different literary elements. Faulkner portrays a woman who made her own choice refusing to be in society. Perkin shows a forced life in isolation, which also ends in a loss of reason.
In conclusion, it should be said that two short stories show women in long social isolation that result in insanity. Faulkner and Perkin describe the terrible consequences of such a life, which is unnatural for human beings. In my personal view, Perkin’s story has a stronger hold on the theme of isolation, as Jane could not make another choice. She was unable to take responsibility for her life and change it. The short story shows the dramatic tragedy of the situation.
Work Cited
Gust, Ingrid. “Comparison & Contrast” A Rose for Emily & The Yellow Wallpaper”. Medium, 2020. Web.
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