Depression as One of The Main Themes in The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Introduction

What is the theme of The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman? There are many themes in The Yellow Wallpaper, but one of the main themes is how depression can drive the mind to experience conflicts that will eventually lead to a mental breakdown. When Charlotte Perkins Gilman got married and had a baby, which was considered the norm, her husband isolated her by keeping her locked up in their home, away from any social interactions with others. Gilman started to lose her grip on reality, becoming increasingly unstable. This nervous condition was downplayed by her husband, who was a doctor and was treating her as well. Gilman felt imprisoned in her own marriage, unable to speak up because her husband controlled her well-being. During this time, Gilman had to respect her husband’s decisions and not question him. He continuously assured her that resting would cure her and that she would begin to get better once she followed his instructions.

Depression as One of The Main Themes in The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Gilman continues to see the hideous "Yellow Wallpaper" as a force driving her into deeper depression and insanity. She begins to notice a pattern that brings conflicts and starts to question her husband’s motives. This story gives Gilman the motivation to fight and find a solution for why she feels this way. During this time period, there was little understanding of what was truly happening to women in society. The demands from her husband restricting her activities were of no help in determining the cause of her problems. Locking her up in her room symbolized the cruel and oppressive behavior of Gilman’s husband. Her mind began to wander into irrational thoughts, which did not help her understand her reality. This story illustrates how Gilman never gave up and refused to bow down to this disease.

Gender and Social Conformity

Women in society are often seen as fragile beings who lack the formal education to diagnose someone else's underlying medical conditions. There are social conformities that women face and encounter every day. We live in a world divided by gender, where men often believe they have the right to dominate a woman’s way of thinking. Gilman felt trapped in a yellow cage with barred windows. Her husband keeping his distance only deepened her depression. The lost companionship and self-worth played a role because there was no emotional affection in the relationship. She was the wife, and he was the husband who had complete control of everything.

Writing as a Form of Resistance

When Gilman starts to write her thoughts and ideas on paper, she begins to better understand how to help herself escape the prison she is living in. Her entire identity needs to be rebuilt to regain her existence back to life. She realizes that her husband lacks empathy toward her and sees her only as an object, not as a human being. In the 19th century, social norms expected women to serve their husbands and be obedient spouses. The private lives of married couples were kept secret, never making the public aware of private matters happening in the home.

A New Perspective on Depression

Gilman’s journey paved the way for herself and helped other women who suffered from depression. By taking a proactive approach, she gained a sense of questioning and rebelling against her husband’s motives and societal norms. Her desire was to gain control and evaluate the cause of her problems within her state of mind. Learning to encounter these elements allows us to provide the necessary medical attention to help overcome mental illness in society. The Yellow Wallpaper provided a new perspective to women encountering depression and postpartum depression. Anyone dealing with depression experiences a terrible feeling, and not having any clue about what is going on is even more depressing. Her husband keeping her confined in the room was no help, as it prevented her from interacting with her baby and others, which made her fall into a deeper psychosis that affected her mental state. Gilman was exposed to different social learning behaviors within her family. Things started to change when she got married, and her husband limited her social activities. Gilman talked about those special things she would do, like gardening and being able to interact with others socially.

Conclusion

In conclusion, many of us grow up believing that our own family is “normal,” but in reality, many families have imperfections, knowing that their family unit is not happy and that there is no love between the husband and wife. It’s like a contract between adults for a sense of normalcy. This typical behavior within the family displays no connection of affection, and we tend to suffer emotionally and psychologically, displaying a physical attachment to a low sense of worth, realizing that what we are experiencing is, in fact, abuse. These traumatic experiences need life-changing support to avoid passing these ineffective patterns down to other family members by stopping this dysfunctional behavior.

Final Thoughts

It’s important to note that through the themes of The Yellow Wallpaper, Gilman helped others understand what depression is and the different patterns of complicated behavior to which she was subjected every day while living in a confined prison. We have a right and a responsibility to confront these obstacles by learning how to develop coping mechanisms to help ourselves provide a healthy and stable relationship with ourselves and with other family members.

References:

• Gilman, C. P. (1892). The Yellow Wallpaper. The New England Magazine.
• Showalter, E. (1985). The Female Malady: Women, Madness, and English Culture, 1830-1980. Virago Press.