Most helpful customer reviews
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Post Partum Madness?, Mar 15 2002
Gilman was a feminist, a radical suffragist and a woman who was told that all of her thoughts and energies ought to be solely focused on something that she wasn't really interested in being: a mother. She suffered from post-partum depression and severe anxiety later in life. The title story, "the Yellow Wallpaper" is a semi-autobiographical account of what happened when she had to go through a "rest cure" for her "hysteria." The title story is her most well-known, but the other writings are very good too, and worth a second look. She wrote prolifically-- and deserves to be better known. The first time I ever encountered this story was at a dramatic interpretation contest in high school-- and when the girl performing this did her descent into madness, it made the hair crawl on the back of my neck. If you really think about what's going on, you too will be creeped out.
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2.0 out of 5 stars
Repetitive Feminism, Dec 14 2001
Charlotte Perkins Gilman stands out as a feminist. She is known for her short stories, but is also wrote a novel, Herland, and a couple articles on women in society during the late 1800's. Her short stories are not all based on feminism, but rather life lessons. Her novel is creative but unrealistic. Her articles, "women and Economics" and "The Man Made World" are very repetitive. She expresses the same views with every point she is trying to make: the point being that men dominate almost every aspect of life, politics, marriage, money, society, and family life.
Her fiction is enjoyable reading. It not only could appeal to women but also men, because it does not focus only on feminist views. She expresses ideas on life that men and women share. There is always a clear image of what is going on in the story.
Her articles are very bitter, and her arguments are based on the same idea, that men rule and it is unfair to think that women are incapable of what men do. She talks mostly of what women don't do, and nothing of what women are able to do. Reading one section of both of her articles put together is like reading the whole thing. Young women today may find it hard to relate to her views, because things have changed drastically from 1890 to today.
As a feminist Charlotte Perkins Gilman was outspoken and strong with her one view. If there is an interest in Gilman, read her novel or short stories. They are much more interesting then her repetitive feminist articles.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Wonders of The Wallpaper, Dec 13 2001
By A Customer
We all know that for every action there is a reaction, especially when treating medical patients. The patient either has a positive or negative reaction. Charlotte Perkins Gilman describes the affects of the medical treatment for women in The Yellow Wallpaper. She writes about a woman that supposedly needs medical treatment and is treated by her own husband. I feel that Gilman uses setting to create a place where the woman feels that she cannot be healed. Also, she has the woman act sane and aware in the beginning of the short story to point out that she does have a chance to be cured. Gilman's work is a great example of showing the medical treatment style in that time and the affects it has on patients. The doctors are not listening to their woman patients, not realizing that woman respond better when they talk out their problems and have someone to listen to and understand them.
Gilman's use of an unlikable setting sets the stage for disaster, which is a great technique. Gilman has the woman set up in a romm that is absolutely dull and depressing. The woman is not satisfied with her room and wishes to be somewhere more pleasant to spend her time. "I don't like our room at all...The paint and paper look as if a boys school used it...it is dull enough to confuse the eye in following..." (Pg, 43) The room has bars on the windows, the wallpaper is torn, and the headbaord is chewed on. It is no place for a patient. I feel that anyone would just want to die.
In the beginning of the story, Gilman has the woman patient sounds sane as if she could be cured in no time at all. The husband does not listen to his wife and he states that she need not do anything to stress herself out. It means that she should not lift a finger. The woman states, "Personally, I disagree with their ideas. Personally, I believe that congenial work, with excitement and change, would do me good." (Pg, 42) I feel that Gilman shows the reader right away the correct medical treatment method. Gilman also slips in the damaging affects that are caused by the phosphites the woman takes. She writes, "My brother is a physician...and says the same thing. So I take the phosphates and phosphites." (Pg, 42) I believe it again points out that Gilman is mocking the medical treatment.
John, the woman's husband, went to medical school and the treatment he uses now is what he learned there. The author is pointing out that it is not personally his fault for the results of the patient, meaning his wife's results. It seems that Gilamn is focusing on the fact that medical doctors are not listening to women patients and becoming aware that women need to be open with their problems. Otherwise they cannot be curred.
It seems that Gilman is trying to explain the problems of the medical treatments for women, in my opinion, is outstanding. Mixing a light tone of writing, using setting poperfully, and ensuring the woman in the story that she is sane for the start. Overall, the short story is a success in acheiving those goals
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