Week 1- Yellow Wallpaper

In lecture today, I learned a lot more about 19th century women and their lifestyles. After learning about how much of a domestic life these women had to live, it is not wonder why so many women had to be treated with the "rest cure". Learning the background and history of the rest cure gave a more clear sense in what the "Yellow Wallpaper" was about. Throughout the whole reading, I figured out that the author had depression. The yellow wallpaper,I feel, depicted how women during that time felt trapped at their homes. During lecture, we talked about how houses makes one feel. Although homes were supposed to make one feel comfort, security, and a place of fond memories, these women, like Charlotte, did not feel so. It may be because of her depression that Charlotte sees figures in the wallpaper. With that being said, I feel that the wallpaper is a symbolism of women's suffering. The woman said to "shake the bar during daylight" makes me feel that she is trying to escape out and do what she pleases. However, because of the domestic lifestyle, women were not supposed to do such things but to stay home and be housewives. Charlotte, feeling the confined at home all times, not having anyone to talk to about how she feels about certain things (not even her husband), not being able to write, worsens her condition but no one knows. In the end, when she finally tore out the wallpaper, her suffering also ended.