There is a great deal of symbolism surrounding the deadnailed bed in the narrators room. The narrator briefly discusses the bed on page 6,“I lie here on this great immovable bed- it is nailed down, I believe and follow that pattern about by the hour”. The bed represents a lack of choice in the narrator’s life. She is not at all in charge of her destiny and in the end, this is what brings her to madness. She has societal pressures, a newborn baby, and her husband all holding her to expectations that are impossible to achieve. Once again, the narrator is in a prison and is unable to take charge of her life. Although she only mentions the bed briefly, the narrator still find it important enough to mention in her diary. It is clear that the oppression of her individuality and independence is taking a toll based on how she describes the bed. She doesn’t even feel confident enough to make statements that describe very basic features of the room. She has to add “I believe” at the end of her statement because she doesn’t trust her perception of reality. This is evidence of the lack of choice that has affected her so deeply that she no longer believes her experiences within the room are true.
