In Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper," the story of a 19th century mentally insane female is told. The reader can easily believe she is simply mad and that the story is written purely for entertainment. But that is not the case. This story dives into the true meaning of feminism, containing many layers of symbolism and deep meaning. By doing research on the time period in question, my interpretation of "The Yellow Wallpaper" has transformed from passive-curiosity to a serious understanding of the true meaning of feminism. Simply put, I believe the feminist movement is less about equality and more about female success and validation independent of men.

In interpreting "The Yellow Wallpaper,'' I have used a book, Rest in the Treatment of Nervous Disease, written by Silas Weir Mitchell, a physician and writer. Mitchell's book was written in 1875, more than 15 years before "The Yellow Wallpaper'' was published, but it serves as a truly interesting, although worrisome, vehicle for evaluating "The Yellow Wallpaper." 

 Here is why: In "The Yellow Wallpaper," the narrator receives a form of treatment described as  "rest treatment." That treatment is the brainchild of none other than Silas Weir Mitchell. In Mitchell's book, he claims "everything tired her [a female patient] ... to eat, to read, to digest," and that "the least effort quickened her pulse" (Mitchell 94). This form of treatment documented in a real medical journal is nearly identical to the treatment our narrator receives in "The Yellow Wallpaper.''

 Mitchell saw mental illness in women as a disease that could be cured through extreme bed rest (Mitchell 95). In modern medicine, this theory is considered absolute nonsense.  Simple biology tells us that our pulse rises when we are active. Furthermore, instead of rest, the patient now would likely be told to exercise more. Exercise is a proven way to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as improve mood and physical appearance. Mitchell goes on to say, with regard to "curing'' mental illness in women, that  "exercise without exertion is what we want.''(Mitchell 95). He explains that this cure can be achieved by massaging the women's skin, muscles, and belly. Mitchell's theory had no foundation in fact. His book proves conclusively that the treatment of women described in "The Yellow Wallpaper" was truly tragic. The treatment of mentally unstable women in the 19th century was incredibly backward, even dangerous. They experienced months of forced inactivity and over-feeding, a process that would wreak havoc on even the strongest of women, both physically and mentally. This practice demonstrates clearly how men at the time tried to keep women in a submissive position. 

A more recent secondary source, a newspaper article titled "Return of the Cave Woman," shows that, even in 1962, blatant female inferiority was believed by some and projected to the public. This article, written nearly 50 years ago, shows clearly that the themes of female inferiority presented in "The Yellow Wallpaper" were still realities even after the passing of the 19th Amendment in 1920, allowing women to vote. This article discusses why women were regressing to the stereotypical housewife ideal. The writer, a famous cultural anthropologist named Margaret Mead, asks the reader: "Why have we returned, despite our advances in technology, to the Stone Age picture" (Mead). She also questions fellow women, asking why do women "[restrict] their activities to the preservation of their own private -- and often boring -- existences" (Mead). In reading her article, I reached the conclusion that the male-dominance and systematic sexism (and racism) in the American culture during the 1960s helped force women back into the home. They did not have many other options. Near the end of the work, Mead emphasizes the intelligence of older women and how they "could draw on a lifetime of experience -- in childbirth, in healing those who were ill, in stanching the blood of the wounded" (Mead). She believes women have invaluable skills that can be taught to men, but by keeping women confined to their homes, this knowledge cannot be shared. Like Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Margaret Mead urges women to not only seek equal rights but to find ways to break free of womanly submission and become successful members of society without masculine intervention. 

In modern times, we see numerous forms of feminism arising and changing the playing field. In Catherine Rottenberg's "The Rise of Neoliberal Feminism" one such form is explored. Neoliberalism is, essentially, a form of economical governance where the federal government plays little or no role in a nation's economy. It is a fully free-market concept with few regulations. Rottenberg calls for a "high-powered woman who manages to balance a spectacularly successful career with a satisfying home life" (Rottenberg 428). Rottenberg argues that with a totally free market system, driven women can rise up and become extremely successful. She believes that the current economic systems hold back driven women and, like Mead wrote, systematically keep women in "the cave".

Rottenberg brought up another point that I found especially interesting. She notes that "potentially high-achieving women are no longer interested in investing in relationships during their college years ... [they] find 'hookup buddies' rather than boyfriends. [It] is "low risk and low investment hooking up" (Rottenberg 430). This particular line of thought, I believe, is meant to jab those who use pejorative terms like "slut-shame" to describe women more interested in professional achievement than personal relationships. Ambitious men often want low commitment hookups, so why, one might ask, can't women have them? The idea, to put it mildly, is intriguing.  The Rottenberg article, written in 2015, clearly shows how women have been fighting for independence throughout the centuries. Unlike the indirect advocacy laid out in "The Yellow Wallpaper" and "Return of the Cave Woman", "The Rise of Neoliberalism" blatantly and unapologetically calls for female empowerment and self-determination independent of men. Our society, the article demonstrates, has progressed to a place where women can directly disclose the true meaning of the feminist movement without hiding behind passive-aggressive equality chants. 

My final source is a photo-journal published by The Huffington Post, highlighting photos of prominent women in the feminist movement from the 17th century to modern day. Anne Hutchinson, who lived in the 1600s in the newly formed Massachusetts Bay Colony, is the first woman depicted (Huffington). By speaking out against puritan leaders, she "challenged traditional gender roles," refusing to be silenced by the male-hierarchy (Huffington). Amelia Earhart, also depicted in the journal, requires no introduction. She was the first female to fly solo across the Atlantic and disappeared on her trans global flight (Huffington). Then, in 1942, we see the iconic Rosie the Riveter in a drawing in which the fictional character says simply: "We Can Do It!". Her purpose was to convince women to play a bigger role in the economy and war effort while men were away in WWII. In the present day, we see media icon Ellen DeGeneres, the first openly gay star on TV, and Hillary Clinton, a woman who won more presidential primaries in 2008 than any other female in the history of the United States. Clinton also is the current favorite 2016 Democratic presidential candidate. This photo journal shows that the problems described in "The Yellow Wallpaper" were overcome through the dedication of many outstanding women. Even now, many women are working tirelessly to win equality and show their worth in the modern economic, social, and political realms. 

In examining my source material, I recognize the greater importance of "The Yellow Wallpaper." I have seen how unfair and even unsafe the treatment of women was in the 19th century, continuing through the 1960s and, to an extent, even now. Women long ago were believed to be frail, weak, and best suited for the home. Mitchell believed that bed rest and force-feeding would help heal a mentally ill female -- a dangerous and backward idea that is transparently shown in "The Yellow Wallpaper." Margret Mead cited the passage of the 19th Amendment 40 years earlier and questioned why women still thought they were better off staying in the home. Then, we see a paradigm shift in Catherine Rottenberg's "The Rise of Neoliberal Feminism." Modern women are clearly working for success and self-determination, not secretly hidden by the cloak of equality. The Huffington Post's "Women's History Month Photos: Iconic Images That Celebrate Female Achievement," visually shows this change. We move from photos of women defying men to women succeeding in their own right. I believe the feminist movement is dependent not so much on equality but on success independent of men. Equality drove success in the 19th century. Now, success is driven by economic independence. Women do not want men to give them success and power. They believe their own abilities are sufficient to achieve those goals. To me, it's clear that Charlotte Perkins Gilman would be pleased with the progress we have made and would be an eager supporter of the modern feminist movement. 

