The Yellow Wallpaper Mental Illness

Jayson Watson
“The Black Cat” by Edgar Allan Poe and “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman are short stories that are written in the same era and represent a similar gothic tone. They both have characters that have mantal issues. Although their mental illnesses do not start out the same, they have a similar dark and grizzly outcome. These psychological horror stories describe a descent into madness from a sympathetic first-person point of view. The theme and tone of mental illness, addiction, and oppression. while discussing the use of symbols that lead to their insanity.
There is a unique motive described by the narrators in both stories. They utilize first-person narration to explore the inner thoughts and experiences of the

confinement.

In “the yellow wallpaper”," the protagonist is confined to a room by her husband, who believes that rest and isolation are the best treatment for her nervous condition. This room is covered in oppressive yellow wallpaper. Despite her resistance, which represents the societal constraints placed on women during the time. The narrator becomes increasingly fixated on the wallpaper, ultimately seeing a woman trapped behind it. This fixation represents her own confinement and the breakdown of her mental state.
Similarly, in "The Black Cat," the narrator becomes increasingly consumed by guilt and addiction, leading to his own confinement in a self-imposed prison of his own guilt and fear. The black cat serves as a physical manifestation of his guilt and addiction, a constant reminder of his inner turmoil and confinement. The cat becomes a symbol of the narrator's self-imposed imprisonment, and as the story progresses, his confinement becomes more and more

In “the yellow wallpaper”, the narrator's confinement and lack of mental stimulation led to the deterioration of her mental health. She becomes increasingly delusional, seeing a woman trapped behind the wallpaper, and ultimately loses her grip on reality. The story suggests that extreme circumstances can push individuals to the brink of insanity, especially when they are denied self-independence.
In "The Black Cat," the narrator's guilt and addiction cause him to spiral into madness. He becomes increasingly violent and paranoid, ultimately leading to the murder of his wife and the destruction of his own life. The story explores the idea that mental illness can be self-inflicted.
Another theme that both stories share is the concept of societal oppression. The stories suggests that societal pressures and expectations can have a profound impact on individuals and can lead to self-destructive behavior and mental illness. In “the yellow wallpaper”," the narrator's confinement to the room is enforced by her husband, who believes that the rest cure is the best treatment for her nervous condition. This reflects the patriarchal attitude of the time, in which women were often denied control of their situation. The story suggests that societal constraints and expectations can lead to mental breakdowns and can be a form of oppression in themselves. In "The Black Cat," the narrator is a victim of his own societal