The Yellow Wallpaper And One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest Essay
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First person narrative importance in The Yellow Wallpaper and One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest
A nameless woman who is living in high society in the 19th century narrates the Yellow Wallpaper. The importance of first person narration within the short story correlates with the recurring theme of mental illness. The narrator’s name is never exposed; This is an important aspect within the narrative as it relates to the patriarchal society in which women were subject to in the 19th century and the unimportant requirement of a name. Consequently depicting the lack of identity women were given. Furthermore, in Ken Kesey’s novel ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest’ the antagonist, the narrator constantly refers to Nurse Rachett as ‘The Big Nurse’. This is vitally important as it illustrates the emphasis and power she has acquired…show more content… Within the Yellow Wallpaper the protagonist who is tormented by depression after her recent marriage, declares that she is ‘sick’. However it is through her actions, which display the prominent signs of mental illness “I got so angry I bit off a little piece at one corner—but it hurt my teeth”. Similarly within ‘One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest’ Chief describes the fog machine which he constantly sees “They start the fog machine again and its snowing down cold and white all over me like skim milk” Although the fog can be viewed as metaphorical for the prescription drugs which are being appointed daily. Alternatively, this could be forming an initial characterisation of the Chief, and showing that he is schizophrenic and suffers with paranoia. Through first person narration the audience can experience the ambiguity of mental illness. Other patients do not see the ‘mechanical device’ Chief Bromdon see’s and they instead comply to the hospitals rules. Many of the patients are also there by choice, which shows that they do not mind the