Emotional Breakdown In Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper

“The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a thrilling story narrated by a woman who experiences an emotional breakdown without an obvious reason. The reader can only assume that it is because she is mentally sick, being diagnosed by her husband as having “temporary nervous depression — a slight hysterical tendency” (Gilman). Although the narrator never specifies what has caused this condition, it is possible that her husband’s diagnosis is true or she could be experiencing depression after having a child. The story begins as the narrator moves into a new house for the summer with her husband, John, who is a physician. He recommends for his wife to get rest, fresh air, sleep, and exercise in order to get well. He stresses the