A woman driven mad by postpartum depression and dangerous treatment sums up the tale of "The Yellow Wallpaper." The story was influenced by the depression of 19th century women and their outlook on life. Through the phantasmagoric symbolism in “The Yellow Wallpaper” Gilman is able to say much about the destruction and autonomy of feminist self-expression, the restrictions of gender roles, and the patriarchal paradigm. Advocating for social, political, legal and economic rights for women's equality with men, Charlotte Perkins Gilman discusses the "female condition" in her 1892 short story "The Yellow Wallpaper," writing about a woman's life and what which caused her to lose her sanity. The narrator goes mad partly because her role as a woman prescribed in 1892 was severely limited. An example is her husband's prohibition on "working," which includes working and writing. This prevents her from starting to express what she really feels. While she is prohibited from working, her husband can still do his job as a doctor. This makes the narrator inferior to her husband and males in general. The narrator cannot be who she wants, do what she wants, and say what she wants without her husband's permission. This causes the narrator to feel trapped and has no way out except through the yellow wallpaper in the bedroom. The narrator becomes obsessed with the wallpaper which makes her believe that the paper moves. He states: “The front model moves – and no wonder! The woman behind shakes it!” The narrator believes that there are many women behind the yellow wallpaper, but only one can crawl around, the woman strangles to climb through the yellow paper because of its pattern. Sh... middle of paper... ps also a dependent subordinate in most cases. The social control of the accepted terms under which a woman can operate and live lends itself to the ultimate subjugation of women, particularly regarding her self-expression and dissent. Gilman does an extraordinary job of communicating effectively and turning this apparent truth into a disturbing tale of one woman's gradual spiral into the depths of madness. This descent, however, is marked by the undercurrent of opportunity. On the one hand, the narrator has lost all hope. On the other hand, he found freedom by losing all hope. This subversion of the patriarchal paradigm is tactfully juxtaposed against the backdrop of symbols of madness. Works Cited “The Yellow Wallpaper.” Short stories for students. Ed. Kathleen Wilson. vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 1997. 277-293. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Network. November 26. 2015.