1. What is the role of women based on these images?

2. Diagnose the Patient – Married, new mother in the late 1800’s
Diagnose the Patient – Married, new mother in the late 1800’s. Suggest a Cure
Loss of appetite Insomnia
Intense irritability and anger Overwhelming fatigue
Loss of interest in sex
Lack of joy in life
Feelings of shame, guilt or inadequacy Severe mood swings
Difficulty bonding with your baby
Withdrawal from family and friends

3. Read about The Rest Cure
Today Doctor’s would recognize that this woman is suffering from postpartum depression – caused by changing chemical and hormonal imbalances after a woman gives birth. Back then Doctor’s diagnosed it as a “nervous” conditions and many followed Dr. Silas Weir Mitchell’s Rest Cure.

4. Journal – The Rest Cure
How would it feel to do absolutely nothing for a day? A week? A month? Explain.
Why do you think the doctors of that time period thought that the "rest cure" was the best way for a woman to recover from a nervous illness?
2. Why would women follow such a "cure"? (Remember it is the late 1800’s)

5. Introduction to “The Yellow Wallpaper”
Our author for today was suffering from postpartum depression but it was diagnosed as a “nervous” condition. She followed Mitchell’s rest cure for a while but felt herself getting worse not better. She left her husband and stopped the cure and then wrote “The Yellow Wallpaper”. She stated that the story was to warn other women about the dangers of this cure and felt it was worth writing if she could save just one woman from it. After the story came out Mitchell actually changed aspects of his rest cure.

6. Read the summary of “The Yellow Wallpaper”
1. “John laughs at me, of course, but one expects that in marriage.” What comment does this make about the role of women in marriage? Over time how might that make the narrator or anyone feel?
2.What commentary is Gilman making about men in this story?
3. How does the story end? What inference can you make about Gilman’s perspective on gender assumptions and their ultimate effects?
4. Draw the yellow wallpaper or a scene from the summary.