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The Yellow Wallpaper Mental Illness

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Mental health has become an increasingly important issue in modern society. Especially hysteria, hysteria is a type of mental disorder with a variety of sensory, motor, or psychological disturbances. In the story, “The Yellow Wallpaper,” the author Charlotte Perkins Gilman implies social interactions and environmental factors are contributing to the deterioration of hysterical symptoms. Specifically, Gilman highlights the emotional negligence of the protagonist's acquaintances, the negative effects of the wallpaper on the protagonist's mental state, and the impact of social isolation on the protagonist. In “The Yellow Wallpaper,” emotional neglect from acquaintances can exacerbate hysterical symptoms. In the story, the protagonist’s husband …show more content…

(Böker 1) This is a clear demonstration that acquaintances’ consistent negligence could prevent individuals from expressing their thoughts, which would lead to the deterioration of hysterical symptoms. “The Yellow Wallpaper” also exposes the correlation between interior decoration and pathology, in which the colors and shapes of the wallpaper can aggravate the symptoms of hysteria. The protagonist of the story lives in a spacious, airy room with smoldering unclear yellow wallpaper, which makes her feel repulsive. The protagonist considers the design of the wallpaper a broken neck and two eyes gazing at her upside down. She also believes a woman is hiding behind the exterior pattern of the wallpaper. The meaningless repetitions of angles, curves, convolvulus, and the eternal multiplications of the wallpaper’s design became the source of infinite torment, which could compound the hysterical symptoms. (Shaalan 2) In addition, the yellow color can lead to negative feelings such as restlessness, irritation, sickness, vigilance, egotism, and anxiety. (Van Braam) Hence, it is distinct through the evidence that the symptoms of hysteria can be exacerbated by interior …show more content…

In the story, the protagonist is forced by her husband to live in the room she detests. She is unable to meet other individuals she loves, including her children and cousins Henry and Julia. Loneliness can lead to a variety of negative emotions intertwined, such as low self-esteem, aggressiveness, pessimism, mental tension, and social anxiety (Mushtaq), which will aggravate hysterical symptoms. Some people might say not only environmental factors and social interactions can worsen hysteria, but a biological difference between males and females can also impact hysteria’s development. As Oakley believes, “Although women are physically healthier than men, it appears that they make up for this superiority by a certain mental instability.” (Oakley 35) I agree that biological differences between males and females can affect hysteria development. Females suffer hysteria more than males due to women have stronger emotions, more complex descriptions of emotional reactions, and experience emotional events more deeply than males. However, women are not physically healthier than men. Health disparities between males and females are strongly influenced by historical time and geographic location. (Crimmins, Eileen) We can not assume women are physically healthier than men or presume women can compensate for this supremacy through specific mental instability. It is undeniable that

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