The 1800s were a time of great oppression and prejudice against women. Women had their role in the community and had no room to grow or explore their abilities. They were considered weak and fragile compared to men. In many ways, women were not treated as the equal counterparts of men, economically, educationally, and medically. In 1860, a great activist/theorist, author, teacher, and artist was born by the name of Charlotte Anna Perkins, later known as Charlotte Perkins Gilman. One of his most famous pieces "The Yellow Wallpaper" was a fictional story based on his personal experience of oppression and an example of modern advances in medical technology that allow us to see different aspects of his story. The unnamed women in “The Yellow Wallpaper” “Yellow Wallpaper” suffered from postpartum depression (PPD). Medical knowledge had not yet discovered the real effects that PPD had on a woman. PPD is a serious disease that occurs after giving birth. The mother feels hopeless, useless and alone. In most cases the mother loses connection with the outside world and feels isolated. This disease affects the bond a mother should feel with her child. Not only the mother is affected, but also the child. A child of a mother with PPD is behind developmentally and often shows emotional detachment. If not treated properly, PPD can progress to postpartum psychosis (PPP), which is what you see happening in "The Yellow Wallpaper." Charlotte Perkins Gilman explains her experience with PPD and the treatment they used on her, which inspired her story "The Yellow." Wallpaper". Dr. S. Weir Mitchell, famous neurologist and specialist in female nervous disorders, applied the “rest cure” to Gilman. The doctor “Sent me home [aft... middle of paper.. er inner conscience. The woman inside her who has long wanted to release, her creativity and her intellect, has finally been made to lose control of herself. In the end, the woman lets herself go completely. She doesn't care more what others think. She surrenders completely and uninhibitedly to herself and allows her feelings to be expressed. "Then I peeled off all the paper I could reach while standing on the floor. It sticks horribly and the design is just amazing." The woman does what she wants and destroys what limits her. One could argue that she has gone mad and subsequently aggravated her illness, but I think Gilman's intention is to show the celebration of her newfound independence. Her husband faints at the sight of her. Now she is in control, symbolically rising above her husband. “I had to insinuate it every time!”