Symbolism in "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

"The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a short story of a woman who is said to have "temporary nervous depression" in the nineteenth century (Gilman 92). She and her husband, John, rent a house for three months while theirs is being renovated during the summer. John is a physician, and he believes if his wife gets plenty of rest and fresh air in this secluded atmosphere, her nervous disorder will greatly improve. However, staying in the house and in the specific room she sleeps in only makes the woman go insane. Gilman uses symbols illustrating the specific mind set the woman has throughout the story. The author does this to make her point clear to the readers about the way men act towards women during this time period.…