The story Yellow Wallpaper is about a sickly woman whose husband forces her to stay in an uncomfortable situation. The story addresses gender roles from the mid-19th century, and how women were treated as inferior to their male counterparts. The story does not seem to be made as a social commentary about the time period, but rather a story based during the time that can be reflected onto and seen as such. The author's initial purpose was not to create a story based on gender roles and women's rights, but rather to create a story around her own time being sick and how she came back. However, after its writing the story was credited as giving a good view into women's rights and gender roles during the 19th century.

Throughout the story, the narrator unquestioningly follows her husband's every command. Whether it is making her go to this big, empty house that she doesn't want to stay at, or even telling her to ignore feelings that she can't control, her husband's word is what she follows. "But John says if I feel so, I shall neglect proper self-control; so I take pains to control myself- before him at least, and that makes me very tired"(Gilman 209). She continues to do what he says throughout the story, because her husband is right. Even though she felt like the treatment he was giving her was uncomfortable and not helpful, she kept to his word and followed the doctors' orders. Whatever her husband said was what must have been right, so she listened to him and did what he said.

 During the time of its writing in the 19th century, gender roles were completely different then today. Women were expected to stay at home, cook, clean, take care of the children, and do anything else at home. Men however were expected to go to work, make money, and be the head of the house. One could argue that to an extent the same thing still goes on today, but the major difference is that in today's society doing these things is a choice. Men can raise a child, women can go to work, and everyone is equal in the eyes of the law. Back then, women had fewer rights and could not actually obtain a job or own a house, among many other things. The story shows how women were expected to do household activities, even though the narrator doesn't because of her sickness. Instead, Jennie takes care of the house and fulfills all of her duties because she cannot. Her husband John however still has a job and makes money for their family. 

John in the story is incredibly plain, the blankest slate of a husband one could think of. His profession as a doctor was the way him and the narrator made money, and they were fairly well off for themselves. During that time it was normal for a man to make enough money to live comfortably and take care of his wife while his wife stayed at home. Women weren't allowed to have a job, let alone be doctors until many years in the future. Women could not vote, could not go to court and sue, they couldn't even own property for themselves.

The most important aspect of this story is the yellow wallpaper. "I never saw a worse paper in my life. One of those sprawling flamboyant patterns committing every artistic sin. It is dull enough to confuse the eye in following, pronounced enough to constantly irritate and provoke study, and when you follow the lame uncertain curves for a little distance they suddenly commit suicide- plunge off at outrageous angles, destroy themselves in unheard-of contradictions. The color is repellent, almost revolting; a smoldering unclean yellow, strangely faded by the slow-turning sunlight. It is a dull yet lurid orange in some places, a sickly Sulphur tint in others."(Gilman 210). The story contains many more evolving descriptions of the paper as the narrators sanity seems to slip away. Even through this torture of being stuck with the wallpaper and relentlessly asking to be let out, her husband keeps her in the room while she convinces herself it is for her sake. It would be unheard of for her to disobey her husband's wishes, he was a doctor and her husband so she believed his order must have been the best thing for her.

The irony of the yellow wallpaper never seems to fade in the story. Yellow is seen as a color of warmth, cheerfulness, and childishness. As children once lived in that room on the top floor, the color was appropriate. However, in its unfortunate decay and hideous pattern, the cheerful yellowness faded to a mellow dreadfulness. The narrator's happiness faded as well as she was trapped in the room following her husband's instructions. She knew it was not the best for her, but wouldn't speak up to tell John that the treatment was not right.

From the start of the story you can tell the dynamic of the couple's relationship is different than marriages today. "John laughs at me, of course, but one expects that in marriage."(Gilman 208). Back in the 19th century, before the full fight for woman's suffrage, it was normal, and almost expected, for a man to treat his wife like she is below him. The man was typically the one to own all the property, have a job, and be the head of the family, while women were typically caregivers and home keepers. In today's modern society, roles have changed. It is now normal for both men and women to work, raise children together, and have equal rights and roles in a relationship.

Yellow Wallpaper helps to give us a clearer understanding of the rights and expectations of men and women during the 19th century. It was once thought that a women's place was at home, while a man's was making money. Times have changed and expectations have evolved so that these guidelines to what we do are more even. Men can do what is thought of as a woman's job and vice versa. The social and legal constructs of gender rights are being broken down as time goes on. Today people can do what they want under the law and men and women are equals. Times have changed from the gender roles of the 19th century, and women don't have to feel inferior in rights to their husbands.

