37 pages 1 hour read

Charlotte Perkins Gilman

An Obstacle

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1884

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Discussion Starters

1. Why might Gilman have chosen to work with rhyming six-line stanzas? What is the effect of this on the poem’s meaning? What is the effect on readers?

2. In what ways is the speaker Taking Inspiration From Nature as she Overcomes Prejudice?

3. What do you make of the poem’s ending? Is it too simplistic to suggest prejudice can be overcome by pretending it doesn’t exist, or is Gilman’s message something else?

blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
Unlock IconUnlock all 37 pages of this Study Guide
Plus, gain access to 8,150+ more expert-written Study Guides.
Including features:
+ Mobile App
+ Printable PDF
+ Literary AI Tools