The Yellow Wallpaper Insanity Analysis

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Doctor’s Control Behind the Narrator’s Insanity “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, raises many questions from readers and makes us think about what has really caused the narrator to become insane in her story. Due to her husband’s controlling nature as a physician, there have been many moments where he treats her like a child that should be kept away from the outside world, which eventually drove her to insanity. She says, “dear John! He loves me very dearly, and hates to have me sick. I tried to have a real earnest reasonable talk with him the other day, and tell him how I wish he would let me go and make a visit to Cousin Henry and Julia. But he said I wasn’t able to go, nor able to stand it after I got there; and I did…show more content…
He tells her that she wasn’t allowed to interact with other people outside of their home, and to not even think about it because it is not good for her health. (Gilman 4) She says, “I always fancy I see people walking in these numerous paths and arbors, but John has cautioned me to not give way to fancy in the least. He says that with my imaginative power and habit of story-making, a nervous weakness like mine is sure to lead to all manner of excited fancies, and that I ought to use my will and good sense to check the tendency.” (Gilman 4) She also mentions, “it is so discouraging not to have any advice and companionship about my work. When I get really well, John says we will ask Cousin Henry and Julia down for a long visit; but he says he would as soon put fireworks in my pillow-case as to let me have those stimulating people about now.” (Gilman 4) What John doesn’t realize was that his wife found something that was even more stimulating and troubling to her mind inside of their own room, which was figuring out the pattern of the yellow wallpaper. (Gilman…show more content…
(Gilman 8) However, it is clear that she was not capable of taking care of their baby because she was being treated like a baby by her husband. In the beginning, she says that doing congenial work or having excitement would make her better. (Gilman 1) However, she wasn’t allowed to make these kinds of decisions for herself since she was so restricted by her husband, which inevitably worsened her condition. In the end, John was finally able to see his wife’s illness as she is crawling and creeping around their room, tearing down the yellow wallpaper as if she were a helpless child. (Gilman
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