Out Of My Mind

Throughout history people have always seemed to follow what notions that were considered cool. Though I doubt that cool was the word used to describe these notions, they were still in some form or another. One of the greatest farces ever committed in the name of these popular perceptions was medicine. At one time, medicine seems to have always involved some sort of harmful chemical: not to mention that the majority of doctors were men. Men knew what was best and women were meant to stand by what their husband said. This brings one particular husband to mind. John, the husband in Charlotte Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper," is responsible for his wife going completely and utterly insane.

During the turn of the century, which is when this story

takes place, what scientists knew about the human mind wouldn't fill the inside of a matchbook. This was for certain the case when it was a woman who was the patient. If there were any change in the normal behavior of a woman as deemed by society, the woman was considered hysterical. When dealing with these patients, society went along with stupid notions on how to deal with problems of the mind. The main character in "The Yellow Wallpaper" is considered hysterical and slightly depressed. There is only one course of action for such symptoms. That's one of complete rest. In those days the "rest cure" was very popular. It involves being set apart from anything that might have even the slightest possibility of stress in it. The main character in "The Yellow Wallpaper" is indeed set apart from all activity as directed by her husband. He sat his wife up in a large, old house for the summer, keeps all company that is thought to be excitable away, and separates her from her child. He even takes away her writing. She quickly finishes one paragrph with: "There comes John, and I must put this away--he hates to have me write a word." (834). A child of the times, she also follows the acceptable rule that states she needs rest and that

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