Final answer:
One major theme in 'The Yellow Wallpaper' is the oppression of women in society, symbolized by the house and wallpaper. The woman in the wallpaper represents the voice of oppressed women. The significance of this theme is that it challenges traditional ideas of femininity and sheds light on the power dynamics between men and women.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Charlotte Perkins Gilman's story 'The Yellow Wallpaper,' there are several major themes developed throughout the narrative. One major theme is the oppression of women in society, which is depicted through the protagonist's experience. The house and the wallpaper symbolize the societal constraints placed on women, while the woman/women in the wallpaper represent the oppressed voices of women struggling to break free.
The significance of this theme is that it sheds light on the power dynamics between men and women in the late 1800s and challenges traditional ideas of femininity. The narrator's descent into madness is a reflection of the effects of this oppression on women's mental health.
One example is when the protagonist states, 'I have discovered something at last. Through watching so much at night, when it changes, I have finally found out. The front pattern does move—and no wonder! The woman behind shakes it!' This quote shows how the woman in the wallpaper is a symbol of the protagonist's struggle against societal oppression.