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While analyzing the short story, The Yellow Wallpaper, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, I had trouble coming up with a theme. There were several ideas that came to mind, but they were hard to generalize. Finally, I decided that a theme for The Yellow Wallpaper could be: Although one allows oneself to be controlled by others seemingly for one's own well-being, the time comes when one feels suppressed, empty, and a need to escape arises. I feel this theme is well-illustrated in this short story. The woman's husband, John, who is a physician, really cares for his wife, yet he is too authoritative. His wife, though she may disagree, is submissive and does what he asks. "John says I mustn't lose my strength, and has me take cod liver oil and lots of tonics and things, to say nothing of ale and wine and rare meat" (111). She follows his every instruction. Along with controlling his wife's actions, John manipulates her thoughts. "I sometimes fancy that in my condition if I had less opposition......

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Approximate Word Count: 721
Approximate Pages: 3 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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