SumBlog6

Charlotte Perkins Gilman wrote one of my favorite short stories that has stayed with me since I first read it in high school. "The Yellow Wallpaper" differs from her other writings - for example "Women and Economics" not only in content but mostly in style. The Yellow Wallpaper although quite short always seemed much longer to me; its story and main character have depth. Vivid images are painted in this story such as a woman sitting, watching the outside world ....

and the imprisoned shadows on the wall....I always get an empathetic, eerie feeling as the story progresses. We're not really sure what to think. I feel as though I'm on her side, fighting as to why she's been put there and also against her own demons in the room. I began to wonder whats real and what's in her head. 

I think this story was important for the time because not only is it a multi-layered intriguing story, but it tells us about women at the time. It makes us think about women's roles and rights. Was this woman crazy? Was she driven crazy by people or society? Who has the right to put her away in this type of "prison"? I think perhaps many women in this time suffered from what was called "nerves." She knows she's been put on medication for her condition, but obviously isn't fully aware of what's she's doing - if indeed she is wearing down the wallpaper. I'm left to wonder if it was real or not. This story of a woman put in an attic for her nervous condition makes me think of old ads from America which also play on this notion. Is telling a woman, (or man) that there a nervous condition that should be dealt with before normal introduction in society a type of opposition? I would argue yes to some degree. This was a time when people were given medicines and remedies for all kinds of problems, real or maybe not real!