SHORT STORY PAPER
Option THREE: The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Write a 5-paragraph paper (3 4 pages) using this story to answer the following question:
Is the narrator in Perkins Gilmans The Yellow Wallpaper ultimately liberated or oppressed?
Do not argue both. For the sake of argument, take a side.
You might define in intro (and as you go) what liberation or oppression means to you.
Your thesis should be ONE of these (reword as you like but dont change meaning):
Though oppressed in many ways, the narrator finds ways to be liberated.
Despite trying to liberate herself, the narrator is an oppressed woman.
INTRO should include the following:
Researched Introduction technique (or two or three).
Title of story in quotes, author, and genre (short story).
Thesis statement (toward end of Intro).
Preview sentence (end of Intro) mentioning your three topics.
o Each topic should have three examples so choose BROAD TOPICS.
o For example, dialogue, actions, her treatment, John, the nursery, her writing, the wallpaper.
o That way you can find three examples or details for each topic.
o For example, if the topic is She is oppressed because she couldnt have visitors, youd only have
one detail (Henry and Julia). But if the topic is She is oppressed by Johns treatment, Henry and
Julia would be one detail and you can add two others about the treatment (for example, she
cant choose room, her restricted schedule, no writing, etc.)
Intro techniques can include historical references, news stories, facts, statistics, quotations, etc.
THREE BODY PARAGRAPHS should include the following:
3-T Topic Sentence to start Body: Transition, Thesis reference, Topic.
In each Body Paragraph, have 3 examples of your topic from the story.
One or more quotes from story. Signal and discuss your quotes and examples.
o Signal Phrases mean introduce quote (who said it and when and where).
CONCLUSION should include the following:
Researched Material like Intro.
Your opinion on topic. To make that opinion more developed, ask yourself things like:
o Do I agree with the authors vision? How?
o Does this topic matter? Why?
o Why does this happen?
o What can be done about it?
o How does it affect me/us?
