What Is The Theme Of The Yellow Wallpaper

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Written in the 19th century, the short story titled "The Yellow Wallpaper," by Charlotte Perkins Stetson highlights how a mentally disturbed and misunderstood woman's condition degenerates into madness while under the care of her busy but caring husband. The story brings out pertinent issues in the care and treatment of mentally ill female patients during the 19th century. In a bid to comprehend the article thoroughly, the paper analyses the historical background of the short story by examining how isolation affects a person suffering from depression, and the role the wallpaper plays in worsening the condition of the woman in the story. The essay also analyses the treatment procedure of the mentally ill in the 19th century and discusses how …show more content…

According to O’Connor-Salomon, Charlotte Perkins life was plagued with psychological issues that might have originated before her first marriage (251). O’Connor-Salomon narrates that Weir Mitchell could not conclusively treat Charlotte’s mental illness. Weir Mitchell was a famous shrink recognized for his work in hysteria and mentioned in "The Yellow Wallpaper" as the doctor that her husband threatens to take her to see if her condition did not improve. In the analysis of Charlotte Perkins work and previous writings, O’Connor-Salomon finds out that Charlotte considers herself a man and has no desire for marriage unless she is the one marrying the man. Just like the narrator in the story, Charlotte Perkins marries a doctor and suffers from mental illness. The analysis by O’ Connor- Salomon also indicates that the problems expressed by the author of the Yellow Wallpaper are recollections of her life and the challenges she has encountered over time. O’Connor-Salomon further observes that Charlotte Perkin tries to run away from her real personality and ends up blocking her feelings so that she can marry her second husband. It appears that Charlotte is living a life of self-denial, but places the blame on her husband so that she does not reveal her true …show more content…

The narrator’s vivid description of the wallpaper in the room, especially the color, is an indication that color has a negative effect on the narrator. Over the course of time, the narrator gets used to the color, but soon after, her behavior starts changing arousing suspicion from the other inhabitants of the house. The narrator resigns to fate and accepts the yellow wallpaper in their room by studying it carefully and watches the intricate designs of the wallpaper come to life in her mind. Scott explains that since the speaker in the story is idle, she busies herself with studying the wallpaper in detail to satisfy her curiosity. The cause of her behavior is the effect that yellow color arouses in her subconscious mind. Research by Eliot found that yellow color causes exhilaration, forceful actions, and active mental processes (1). The narrator's behavior to keenly study the wallpaper can be construed to mean that she is getting excited. The act of tearing the wallpaper can be taken to suggest that the yellow color is causing her to engage in violent deeds. Furthermore, after the narrator overcomes her distaste for the yellow color, she feels that she was getting better due to her newfound

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