“The Yellow Wallpaper”“The Yellow Wallpaper' was written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. The story was written in the late 1800s and focused on a struggling woman with nowhere to turn. The narrator tells the story to give us readers an inside look at what he feels and what his reactions are to his surroundings. Her husband John, to whom she went for help, is a doctor and as a husband dismisses the concept of mental illness as a "mildly hysterical tendency" (p. 316). He takes her to an isolated house with no contact with the outside world, only with him and his sister. In which they both come to the same conclusion and see his illness the same way. Gilman makes a rather compelling statement about gender roles in this peaceful time. In his story there was the debate between mental illness and physical disorder and the concept of freedom in madness. By focusing on male dominance over the narrator, Gilman shows that a troubled mind, with no outlet to the outside world, has no defense other than to retreat into its inner sanctuary. In this era, male dominance was very prominent. Women were only meant to be seen, but not heard. Women could not defend their opinions or beliefs by opposing their males regardless of the relationship they shared. The narrator realizes this from the beginning of the story. At the beginning she even says, “John laughs at me, of course, but that's what's expected in marriage” (p. 315). This definitely shows that she understands her submissive position in life and that, in general, men regarded women as senseless people. During this time, as typical as John was, Gilman shows the effect gender roles play on the narrator's psyche. John goes on to say… halfway down the paper… a choice or statement about it, but seeking his freedom only through madness. She had to go crazy just to break free from John and his controlling ways. Furthermore, from everyone else who agreed with him on the issue of one time he refused to see that he had a problem. Now that John is no longer able to make decisions for her, she goes on to say, “It is so pleasant to be out in this great room and crawl about as I please” (p. 327)! For the narrator she is now in her inner sanctum that is the "great room" and in the madness that is within her, she is now truly free. Works Cited Work Located "The Yellow Wallpaper" (pp. 315-328), The Norton Introduction to Literature, 10th portable edition, Alison Booth/Kelly J. Mays. http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/giallowallpaper/canalysis.html http://www.biography.com/people/charlotte-perkins-gilman-9311669