‘The Yellow Wallpaper’: analysing character

English

In 'Fiction: Inner Musings', pupils develop narrative writing skills. In 'Writing Masters', pupils experiment using language and structure to write interesting and creative texts.

In 'Fiction: Books that Changed My World', pupils explore how authors use language for effect in their writing. In 'Fiction: Inner Musings', pupils develop focus on using author's language choices to make nuanced evaluations about a text.

In this unit, pupils explore and practise emulating a range of different narrative voices. They explore narrative voice in 'Alias Grace', 'The Yellow Wallpaper' and 'Klara and the sun' before crafting their own narrative voices. At the end of the unit, they write a narrative with a compelling voice.

Fiction: inner musings

Historic or outdated representations of people that may portray inequality or injustice.

Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

Subjects which particular individuals may be sensitive to, eg, adoption, migration, bereavement or death, divorce, poverty, deprivation.

Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Depiction or discussion of sexual or domestic abuse or violence, including  threats of or the aftermath of.

Depiction or discussion of sexual violence

the wallpaper in the room she is staying in 

the fact the house has been declared haunted

What is particularly concerning the narrator in 'The Yellow Wallpaper'?

listening carefully to others' viewpoints

aggressively disagreeing with others' viewpoints

The narrator's voice is valued in the relationship.

The narrator has most control in the relationship.

The narrator's husband, John, has control in the relationship.

What is true of the narrator and her husband's relationship in 'The Yellow Wallpaper'?

What does the narrator of 'The Yellow Wallpaper' implicitly tell us about her husband?

She tells us her husband is "loving and careful".

What might show the narrator's lack of agency in 'The Yellow Wallpaper'?

everything we are told is filtered through their consciousness

What does it mean if we have a first person narrator?

not acknowledging someone's point of view

What might dismissive behaviour look like?

the ability to take action or choose an action

doing what they are told to do by their friends

doing something as directed by their horoscope

Content guidance

Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Depiction or discussion of sexual violence

Adult supervision required

Introduction

What will you need for this lesson?

Are you ready to learn?

Equipment

Content guidance

Supervision

Worksheet