The Pen and Paper Cure

"But I must say what I feel and think in some way--it is such a relief!"
For many people, there are outlets to relieve feelings of doubt, insecurity, and pain. In "The Yellow Wallpaper," the narrator relieves such emotions on paper. She writes what she cannot say to those that surround her because they do not trust in her words. Her husband does not believe she is mentally ill, her doctor believes she is cured, and she realizes that she is still troubled. Writing is her sanctuary; it is the one place she can go and avoid judgment. I know, for myself, writing is an escape--it is a way for me to release all my feelings where I know they can still remain hidden from the world around me, safe from judgment and condemnation. Reality is a frightening place, but a room with yellow wallpaper promises safekeeping for her troubles. She doubts her real surroundings, but she can create an imaginary, safe world within the confines of her room and fill her empty pages with the thoughts that haunt her. Although she claims the "effort" to write is great, the readers can tell that it is the one thing she has under control in her life.