The Yellow Wallpaper Lesson Plan

What does it mean that jumping out the window “might be misconstrued"?

Even at this stage of insanity, the narrator is preoccupied with how society will perceive her behavior. She chooses not to jump out of the window because society might "misconstrue it"--viewing it as a suicide attempt, a sign of depression, or even just a sign of insanity, whereas she would have jumped out of anger. Ironically, society's interpretations were more likely to be true than her own interpretation of what jumping out of the window would mean. Throughout the novel, the narrator has demonstrated a clear sense of depression and has expressed guilt for her "failure"...