She has become sick and depressed as a result of the birth of her child, and the expectations of her as a mother, a wife, and a woman require for her to have the “rest cure” that is eventually her downfall. What is important about women in the historical context? Alongside its exploration of mental illness, The Yellow Wallpaper offers a critique of traditional gender roles as they were defined during the late nineteenth century, the time in which the story is set and was written. "The Yellow Wallpaper" written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, we are introduced to a woman, the narrator, who suffers from postpartum depression, a disorder in women that results from childbirth. To be trapped in one's own mind may be the worst prison imaginable. In “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, the yellow wallpaper in the narrator’s bedroom is constantly mentioned. The main character who is woman represented women of her time, while the wallpaper represented the position played by women in the society. Postpartum Depression In the short story. Greg Johnson recounts a story in “Gilman’s Gothic Allegory: Rage and Redemption in 'The Yellow Wallpaper'” about Emily Dickinson’s mother. How are mothers represented? ''The Yellow Wallpaper'' describes a young wife and mother at the end of the 19th century who descends into madness. What about single/independent women? It is these patronizing attitudes that Gilman is fighting against, and she does so by illustrating the ways that rigid gender roles have a negative effect on both women and men. However, the story itself presents an interesting look at one woman's struggle to … Gilman uses the protagonist in the story to represent the oppression of women in the Victorian Era and show her readers how oppression would often times lead to the loss of self-expression and insanity. "The Yellow Wallpaper" Asked by Joshua C #440058 on 4/29/2015 6:00 PM Last updated by jill d #170087 on 4/29/2015 6:43 PM Answers 1 Add Yours. In “The Yellow Wallpaper”, there were multiple symbolisms. Gilman’s story ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ which is about mental breakdown of a woman as a result of too many expectations from society was very influential in shaping America’s national identity. In Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper", the narrator of the story is constantly at battle with many different forces, such as John, her husband, the yellow wallpaper that covers the walls of her room, and ultimately herself. Beginning with the wallpaper, it represents the barrier that the male-dominated society has erected against women. The color yellow in the wallpaper indicates a sickly color and represents the mental state of the narrator, and a … In fact, it is significant that the entire story revolves around wallpaper, which would be considered by many to be merely feminine frivolity. In “The Yellow Wallpaper,” Gilman is showing her readers that the male doctors were not listening to their female patients. Charlotte Perkin Gilmans short story The Yellow Wallpaper centers upon the topic of the oppression of women in the 1800s. The Yellow Wallpaper Character Analysis Essay 501 Words | 3 Pages. The Yellow Wallpaper: Male Oppression of Women in Society Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper is a commentary on the male oppression of women in a patriarchal society. Yellow Wallpaper and Postpartum Depression 711 Words | 3 Pages.