Mind over Matter
The Yellow Wallpaper, written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, tells about a young women suffering from nervousness (which was really post-pardom depression after having her baby boy) and a husband that is controlling of her due to the illness. The young women is lead to believe that she is very ill and what her husband says is best for her, is really the best for her. The character of the story gradually realizes that she knows what is best for her and that she is now as ill as her husband makes her out to be at the beginning of the story. The theme of the story is Mind over Matter, and the author best illustrates this by using setting and using first person point of view.
The young women is lead to believe that the most simple task, such as writing, would make her tired and weak.
John Hay Residence
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Young Women (organization)This part shows us in first person point of view of how the character really feels and what she thinks. Her husband John makes sure that she is well medicated on phosphates or phosphites (she never says which one) and tonics. "I have a schedule prescription for each hour in the day"(Gilman 471). John also hired his sister Jenny to look after his wife while he is away treating other patients, as well as take care of the house and baby boy. They young women is weak and tired because she receives little or no exercise. Today the common perspiration given by a doctor to a patient is to exercise. Not having any exercise for the three months that she is at the house causes muscle atrophy. "Personally, I believe that congenial work, with exercise and change would do me good" (470). The young women does not agree...