American Gothic Research Paper

American Gothic is a genre of literature that arose in the late 18th century. The genre was inspired by European literature, most specifically Romanticism. Authors wanted to capture the darker side of Romanticism, and write about emotions rather than logic and reason. American Gothic is composed of mystery and terror, usually incorporating death and the darker side of nature. Some of the famous authors known for Gothic Literature are Edgar Allen Poe, who wrote The Raven and The Tell-Tale Heart, and Emily Dickenson, known for her poetry. While they are famous American Gothic authors, none are as influential as Charlotte Perkins Gilman and her story The Yellow Wallpaper, which tells the story of a young woman, who moves into a new home with her

The author writes, “You see he does not believe I am sick! And what can one do? If a physician of high standing, and one's own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one..what is one to do?” (Gilman 2). Gilman’s words describe how women were viewed as weak and fragile.This undermining the young woman faced, is something that many women with mental illnesses face. A study done by Medscape states that, “Only 18% of those with mental health problems are in work, the lowest employment rate of all disabled groups.” The low amount of employment for people with illnesses, more specifically women, is because people don’t view those with mental illnesses as normal; they’re viewed as “strange” and “weird”. Gilman wanted to highlight the way society is towards mental

The young woman constantly has to listen to everything her husband tells her to do. In the story it says, “There is something strange about the house - I can feel it. I even said so to John one moonlight evening, but he said what I felt was a draught, and shut the window” (Gilman 2). Gilman is showing how even when the young woman has something to say, her husband shuts down what she has to say. This shows the superiority men have in relationships. In modern society, this superiority men face, influences the work force. A study done by AAUW says, “In 2015, women working full time in the United States typically were paid just 80 percent of what men were paid, a gap of 20 percent.” Since have a larger status, they influence the amount of money women