The Yellow Wallpaper by Charolette Perkins Gilman shows a direct depiction of depression between the main character Jane and the descriptions of the wallpaper itself. Jane describes herself in a paradox, she is locked away in a room that is a completely different world than what lies outside of it. She sees several things within the design of the wallpaper. As a reader we have to infer from the reading whether or not this is either fact or fiction. In the short story it seems to be a direct relation of her depression. Jane who is mentally unstable or plagued with depression is seeing what her mind is showing her through this wallpaper. Depression is a profound illness that takes over your entire body. Many people who are diagnosed with depression often express symptoms of feeling alone. “John says the very worst thing I can do …show more content…
Although it seems more people are depressed in our time we also have made serious progress in understanding depression individually and as a whole. People who suffer from depression often express feelings of emptiness, sadness, worthlessness and report suicidal thoughts. Feelings of being overwhelmed are also symptoms. Jane’s sister in law Jennie said “the paper stained everything is touched” (653). Depression is very overwhelming as if you are stained with depression just as the crumbling wallpaper stains everything it touches. We today would look at Jane and would diagnose her with postpartum depression. The wallpaper seems to give Jane a sort of anxiety because of how much she focuses in on all the horrible factors of the yellow wallpaper. She was improving with her depression and went on to say “John is so pleased to see me improve! And said I seemed to be flourishing in spite of my wall-paper.”(653). She was referring to her depression but used the word wallpaper instead. This clearly shows the direct depiction of Jane’s depression through the