Not a One-Size-Fits-All: Postpartum Depression and The Yellow Wallpaper
Major
English – Literature
Submission Type
Oral Presentation
Area of Study or Work
English-Literature
Faculty Advisor
Joanne Diaz
Location
CNS E103
Start Date
4-11-2026 8:30 AM
End Date
4-11-2026 9:30 AM
Abstract
Postpartum depression has often been dismissed throughout history, with women either being described as hysterical or told to suppress these thoughts and emotions because it is not what they should be feeling after giving birth to their child. Through exploring literature and film of both fictionalized and nonfictional accounts of a mother with postpartum depression, it is clear that there is still much that needs to be explored within this topic. These stories are all told through the lens of cis, straight, white women who are married at the time of experiencing this illness. This presents a limitation to these accounts as they do not offer a diverse representation. The reality is that postpartum depression is a common experience for many mothers, and no one's experience is the same as another's. I will present scenes from The Yellow Wallpaper that show how one woman deals with postpartum depression, along with giving historical and cultural context to the time this was written to further an understanding of what is being said in this short story.
Not a One-Size-Fits-All: Postpartum Depression and The Yellow Wallpaper
CNS E103
Postpartum depression has often been dismissed throughout history, with women either being described as hysterical or told to suppress these thoughts and emotions because it is not what they should be feeling after giving birth to their child. Through exploring literature and film of both fictionalized and nonfictional accounts of a mother with postpartum depression, it is clear that there is still much that needs to be explored within this topic. These stories are all told through the lens of cis, straight, white women who are married at the time of experiencing this illness. This presents a limitation to these accounts as they do not offer a diverse representation. The reality is that postpartum depression is a common experience for many mothers, and no one's experience is the same as another's. I will present scenes from The Yellow Wallpaper that show how one woman deals with postpartum depression, along with giving historical and cultural context to the time this was written to further an understanding of what is being said in this short story.