The Yellow Wall-Paper

by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
The Yellow Wall-Paper cover
Good Books rating 4.0
Technical
  • ID: 5682
  • Added: 2025-10-24
  • Updated: 2025-10-24
  • Reviews: 3
Reviews
app.thestorygraph.com · Unknown · 2025-10-24
powerful 4.00

The Yellow Wall-Paper is hailed as a masterpiece with a packed message, exploring themes like post-partum depression, societal expectations for women, and mental illness. Some readers found the illustrations in certain editions distracting, while others appreciated the story's depth and character development.

The Yellow Wall-Paper is often praised for its profound exploration of mental health and societal expectations for women. Many readers find the story's themes of post-partum depression and the historical treatment of mental illness to be both haunting and insightful. The character development is strong, with the protagonist's experiences resonating deeply with readers. However, some editions with illustrations have been criticized for detracting from the story's mood. Overall, the book is seen as a powerful and thought-provoking read, though opinions on specific editions may vary.

Quick quotes

    It’s like reading a story written from the perspective of a Schizophrenic suffering from positive symptoms at night and negative ones by day until they alternate so much they are no longer discernable.

    i dont ever want to have kids lol. the lack of support to women who experience postpartum depression is just enough for me to go wtf hell no

    It also whispers the presence of a lot of hidden topics like post-partum depression, societal expectations for women regardless of social standing, gaslighting, feminism, delusions of grandeur and cognitive dysfunction, it’s certainly a masterpiece written in a few pages with a packed message one must be focused to notice.

theparisreview.org · Unknown · 2025-10-24
harrowing 4.50

The Yellow Wall-Paper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a chilling exploration of a woman's descent into madness, highlighting the oppressive nature of 19th-century medical practices and societal expectations. The story's power lies in its first-person narrative, which immerses the reader in the protagonist's deteriorating mental state.

Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wall-Paper is a short but impactful story that delves into the psychological torment of a woman subjected to the 'rest cure' prescribed by her physician husband. The narrative unfolds through the protagonist's journal entries, revealing her growing obsession with the yellow wallpaper in her room. This obsession serves as a metaphor for her suppressed creativity and identity, reflecting the broader societal constraints placed on women during the 19th century. The story's brilliance lies in its ability to convey the protagonist's mental unraveling in a way that feels both intimate and universally resonant. Gilman's critique of the medical and social norms of her time remains relevant, making The Yellow Wall-Paper a timeless piece of feminist literature.

Quick quotes

    The color is repulsive, almost revolting; a smouldering unclean yellow, strangely faded by the slow-turning sunlight

    It is the strangest yellow, that wall-paper! It makes me think of all the yellow things I ever saw

    I've got out at last,' said I, 'in spite of you and Jane. And I've pulled off most of the paper, so you can't put me back!

horror.org · Unknown · 2024-09-16
disturbed 3.50

The reviewer initially loved 'The Yellow Wall-Paper' for its critique of the rest cure and its chilling, ironic tone. Upon rereading, they found it deeper and more symbolic but were disturbed by Gilman's eugenicist views in her other works.

The reviewer first read 'The Yellow Wall-Paper' years ago and was captivated by its unnerving tone, creepy ending, and clear critique of the rest cure. The story's irony, urgency, and anger resonated deeply, making it feel haunted and chilling. However, upon rereading in 2020, the reviewer found the story deeper and more symbolic, noting details like the former nursery setting. They were intrigued by Gilman's other works, such as 'Concerning Children,' which revealed disturbing eugenicist views. The reviewer also noted that Gilman's short fiction often centered around the economic liberation of white women, offering solutions through cooperation and community efforts. Despite the initial admiration for 'The Yellow Wall-Paper,' the discovery of Gilman's problematic views tempered the reviewer's appreciation.

Quick quotes

    The rest cure caused the illness it claimed to eliminate. Beautifully clear.

    The story is based on Gilman’s experiences with Dr. Silas Weir Mitchell, late-nineteenth-century physician to the stars.

    There are degrees of humanness ... If you were buying babies, investing in young human stock as you would in colts or calves, for the value of the beast, a sturdy English baby would be worth more than an equally vigorous young Fuegian.

Appears in Lists