The wallpaper or as the narrator calls it "the paper" since the narrator (Jane) has been repressed by taking away her books and dairy, is not a great stretching the imagination to postulate that the paper becomes its text. Jane's mind turns to her surroundings and she chooses the wallpaper as an intellectual challenge. It is no coincidence that the woman in the wallpaper is trapped behind a pattern that we can say is the social norm and more like types of patterns that metaphorically limit our movements. The woman Jane imagines she sees trapped behind a pattern is simply a more direct representation of metaphorical restriction. Social interactions are also kept to a minimum. Her husband lectures in other cities, so the narrator (Jane) is often left without emotional support for days at a time. When John is at home, his conversations are condescending and he dismisses the woman's concerns about his condition, as stated in "The Yellow Wallpaper Summary - ENotes.com". Enotes.com. Enotes.com, nd Web.18 November 2015. The bed is another important symbol in the story: it is large, heavy and is chained to the floor, perhaps a representation of female sexuality.