What clue does the narrator's repeated lament "What can one do" give us about her personality?

At the beginning of the short story, the narrator mentions that her husband is a respected physician, who believes that she is suffering from "temporary nervous depression" and that she has a tendency to become slightly hysterical. Her husband's brother is also a physician, who agrees that she is simply suffering from distress and needs time to relax in order to recover. The narrator disagrees with her husband's assessment, but she is powerless to affect her situation and current circumstances. She also mentions that her husband requires her to remain in the upstairs bedroom of an old country home and forbids her from exercising or socializing with others, against her will. The narrator once again expresses her disapproval before submissively saying, "But what is one to do?" (Stetson, 2). The narrator repeats the question several times, which emphasizes her powerless, helpless situation.
Not only is the narrator a woman, therefore having fewer individual rights than men at the time, she is also not considered an "expert" in the field of health like her husband. She is portrayed as a marginalized member of society, who is not taken seriously and lacks independence. The fact that she completely disagrees with her husband but is powerless to change her situation warrants her submissive response. Her response indicates that she is obedient, tired, and submissive. She is not willing to argue and fight with her husband, which is why she resigns and accepts his decisions. The narrator is forced to remain secluded in the upstairs bedroom and gradually loses her mind.

In "The Yellow Wallpaper," the narrator's repeated lament of "what can one do?" initially suggests a submissive personality, as she attempts to adhere to the medical advice of her doctor husband. The idea of openly defying or arguing with him to advocate for herself is not an option, which is indicative both of personality and of the time period in which the story was written. Although she is compliant in all direct interactions with her husband, she is reluctant to fully submit to his wishes and suggests that the rest cure is hurting, rather than healing her condition. Her choice to keep a journal indicates a rebellious aspect of her personality, since she is forbidden to write until her condition is cured.
As the story progresses, the narrator no longer utters the question of what one can do; seclusion, inactivity, and boredom drive her to action as she fully departs from reality. Her initial meek dismay at being shut in the nursery is replaced with a sense of power and autonomy as she breaks free of the imaginary bars that imprisoned her in the yellow wallpaper. Her independence manifests itself in a mental breakdown, and although she has clearly gone mad at the conclusion of the story, she has also gained freedom. The absence of her earlier lament demonstrates a strong desire to act and be heard; she simply does not possess a meek personality that can be appeased by passively waiting to be saved.