Mental Illness In The Yellow Wallpaper

248 Words1 Pages
Mental illnesses were often perceived as disturbing and abnormal. Due to the fact that they were not common and lack of knowledge, society feared those who suffered from the various mental illnesses. Without a physical reason to be considered ill, many who had mental illnesses were described as crazy. If they were socially ‘lucky’ enough to not be deemed ‘crazy’, they were often shunned by their peers as shown when John’s wife wishes she had “more society” suggesting she is shunned and kept out of sight (Gilman 473). In the yellow wallpaper, John’s wife senses there is something suspicious about the house, but since she is struggling with a mental illness, John ignores her and says “she felt a draught” (Gilman 474). Often mentally ill patients