What's Really Wrong With The Woman Behind The Yellow Wall Paper

"The Yellow Wall-Paper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman was written in 1892 a time when Psycological disorders were looked on as a symtom of a physical illness that could be treated with excersize and fresh air. While this is a great improvement upon the middle ages practice of "beating the hell out of" someone to release the demons, the "rest cure" and tonics did little to help the aflicted people (173). The main character's husband, John, has sequestered her to colonial mansion to rest after his diagnosis of: "temorary nervous depression, and slight hysterical tendency" (169). From a modern Psychologist, however, there is evidence to support an argument that she is in fact suffering from post-partum depression and paranoid schizophrenia.

Today psychologists use a refernce called the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, currently in it's fourth edition (DSM IV), to diagnose mental conditions so that patients will be given the appropriate treatment. It is similar to the Phisician's Desk Refference or PDR. The main character in "The Yellow Wall-paper" shows many symptoms that are out of the ordinary; different than what our society deems normal beha

Reading further we come to the cause of the depression, "Such a dear baby! And yet I cannot be with him, it makes me so nervous." Postpartum depression sometimes takes place in women after they give birth. It is characterized by symptoms that range from mild to intense suicidal depressive psychosis. Though the cause is unproven neurochemical and pre-existing psychological conditions have been implicated. For example if the main character was already dealing with a mild form of schizophrenia, the dissociation she would feel from others, particualarly her child, could trigger the depressive episode.

At the point in the text where we find out she has a child we are only mildly aware of her depression. According to the DSM IV depression is characterised by depressed mood, feelings of worthlessness, of guilt, loss of interest, pessimism, sleep problems, diminished ability to think or concentrate, and weight loss or gain. Thought the story the main character exhibits each of the symptoms at least once. She often feels tired or exhaused when trying to write. Later she has difficulty concentrating and looses intrest in her writing, " I don't know why I should write this. I don't want to. I don't feel able" (174) John recommened that she sleep as much as she can but she often finds herself staring at the wall paper instead.

Our evidence of her dpression becomes interspersed with the begginings of her obssesions about the wall paper, and ultimately her full blown schizophreia. In her discussions about her sleeping habbits she reveals to the reader that in te moonlight while she is supposed to be asleep she sees te woman behind the paper. This is the

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