The Yellow Wallpaper By Charlotte Perkin Gilman

“The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkin Gilman is a story about a woman who was prescribed the rest cure by her doctor for her depression. She thinks that working and writing will help her to feel better but her husband, who is also a doctor, will not let her do anything. Her depression worsens because she does nothing all day and ultimately becomes mad. “If a physician of high standing, and one's own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression - a slight hysterical tendency - what is one to do?” (The Yellow Wallpaper p.648). While this story is entertaining, it is also a true story about Gilman who was prescribed this treatment by her doctor. Gilman could have written an essay or memoir about her experience but instead she wrote a story and published it in a magazine, which I think was the right thing to do and I will tell you why. “The Yellow Wallpaper” was written in 1891 when the rest cure was a popular treatment by doctors. They would often prescribe this to women who were depressed, telling them to go home and rest. They were not allowed to work or to do anything that required any mental effort. This is exactly what was prescribed to Gilman and as she says “I went home and obeyed those directions for
This is because many people may have thought it was boring and not read it, but because she wrote an entertaining story about her experience then it was popular. The fact that her story was published in a magazine made it accessible for many to read. Gilman wrote this story for women, to show them that sometimes work can be more helpful than rest. She wanted to share her story to help people so they would not have to go through the same experience that she did. Gilman also wrote this to show doctors that in some cases the rest cure can do more harm than