Reviews with content warning for Forced institutionalization - The Yellow Wallpaper

Soul-wrenching, nauseating, visceral. The Yellow Wallpaper is terrifying and women understand why too well, specially if they’ve suffered a chronic condition. “It is so hard to talk to John about my case, because he is so wise, and because he loves me so.” Felt like a punch in the throat. Read it.

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alexisgarcia's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

this is phenomenal. i’ve read it a few times and every time it is just as good if not better. it portrays the way women’s health was constantly downplayed by misogynistic men. the deterioration of the main characters mental health is haunting. i think everyone should read this.

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xwritingstoriesx's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

4.25 stars. The Yellow Wallpaper follows a young woman struggling with a misdiagnosis of hysteria and the subsequent response to her treatment of the Rest Cure.

The book touches on the subjugation of women through the trivilisation and ignorance of issues which strictly affect women. The protagonist's subtle rejection of the domestic roles of marriage and womanhood allow the reader to understand the detrimental effects of such subduing oppression.

This is further established by the protagonist's attempts to conform to the expectations thrust upon her. She is prohibited from writing, an activity which allows self-expression and ties into her sense of personal identity, in order to placate her husband's concerns.

She is also stifled by the rest cure, a treatment plan which was disproportionately prescribed to women as a means to quell their female hysteria. The protagonist was discouraged from intellectual and physical stimulation which led to further deterioration of her mental condition. She was confined in every conceivable way.

The Yellow Wallpaper itself is a symbol of her own mental and physical imprisonment. Throughout her stay, her episodes of psychosis worsen and she wrongfully perceives shapes and figures within the wallpaper. This slowly evolves into the belief that a woman is trapped within the wallpaper and this figure is meant to represent herself.

The final scenes of the novella convey just how severe her psychosis has become and shows a complete integration between herself and her mental illness.

A crucial examination of female subjugation, domestication and vulnerability within the 19th century.

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belladonnashrike's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

5.0

I would’ve ripped that wallpaper out too, can’t blame her.

[excellent short story, I can see why it’s a staple in feminist literature as well as (psychological) horror. I love an unreliable narrator!]

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soyboi's review against another edition

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dark mysterious fast-paced

4.25

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