Symbolism in "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.

"The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a short story of a woman who is said to have "temporary nervous depression" in the nineteenth century (Gilman 92). She and her husband, John, rent a house for three months while theirs is being renovated during the summer. John is a physician, and he believes if his wife gets plenty of rest and fresh air in this secluded atmosphere, her nervous disorder will greatly improve. However, staying …

…is told to stay in. Gilman is very adamant about explaining her view and making the readers understand how the men in that time treat women. We see that John is in control of the woman's life in this story. Gilman wanted to reveal the oppressions women faced in this era and she accomplishes this by using symbols such as bars on the bedroom windows and isolating the woman while she stays in the house.