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Mental Health In Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper

2118 Words9 Pages

Mental health has been a prominent theme used in many works of literature. Through their writing, authors are able to bring to light the stigma surrounding mental health. Through vivid imagery, colorful language, and thoughtful narratives, literary works are able to provide a glimpse into the complexities of the human mind. In Charlotte Perkins Gillman’s story The Yellow Wallpaper, Gillman tells the story of a woman who is on bedrest due to what she is told is a temporary nervous condition. By telling the story through the lens of the narrator, Gillman is able to convey the story on a much more personal level, allowing her audience to experience what it is like in the mind of a woman suffering from what appears to be postpartum depression, among many other harrowing psychological …show more content…

She begins to hide the true nature of her condition for him, “John does not know how much I really suffer. He knows there is no reason to suffer, and that satisfies him,” (Gilman, 465). In doing so, she begins to emotionally isolate herself from her husband. Anxiety is not always taken seriously, but it can have serious effects. Anxiety disorders “may lead to social isolation and clinical depression, and can impair a person’s ability to work, study and do routine activities. It may also hurt relationships with friends, family and colleagues,” (Better Health Channel, 1999). Overall, the narrator’s extreme anxieties damage her quality of life. She lets her fears take control, and by not telling John, it does much more harm than good. This eventually leads her mental state to continue declining, until she reaches her final breaking point, her psychotic break. Exploring mental health in literature provides a powerful lens into the human mind. Through these works, writers have the power to bring to light the harsh realities of people who suffer from these

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