Perkins-Gilman

Question 1

-She relied upon a Marxist and materialist emphasis on the
economic and political basis for gender inequality.
-Considered the role of social evolution and women’s
emancipation.

Answer 1

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK of Perkins-Gilman

Question 2

-Humans are the only species where the female is economically
dependent on the male.

Answer 2

WOMEN AND ECONOMICS
1. Economic Dependence of Women

Question 3

Women’s contributions to household maintenance are taken for
granted and categorized as a natural extension of their gender
roles, not as valuable economic activity.

Answer 3

WOMEN AND ECONOMICS
2. Household Labor as Unrecognized Labor

Question 4

-Traditional gender roles confine women to domestic duties,
which limits women’s access to education, professional
opportunities, and economic participation.
-Stunts women’s productive and intellectual development.

Answer 4

WOMEN AND ECONOMICS
3. Gender Roles and Economic Inequality

Question 5

-Gilman advocates for women’s full participation in the public
workforce as a solution to their economic dependence. She
argues that economic independence is essential for women to
achieve equality with men.

Answer 5

WOMEN AND ECONOMICS
4. Call for Economic Independence

Question 6

-Gilman argues that human society has developed an excessive
focus on sex distinction, where the roles, behaviors, and even
physical traits of men and women are exaggerated beyond what
is natural or necessary.
-This focus has led to the over-emphasis on the differences
between men and women, often to the detriment of both sexes.

Answer 6

WOMEN AND ECONOMICS
5. Excessive Sex Distinction

Question 7

THE YELLOW WALLPAPER
-The “rest cure,” prescribed by her husband, John, who is also her physician
reflects how medical authority is intertwined with patriarchal control.

Answer 7

THE YELLOW WALLPAPER
1. Patriarchal Control and Medical Authority

Question 8

THE YELLOW WALLPAPER
-Her descent into madness reflects the damaging effects of enforced
passivity and lack of intellectual stimulation.

Answer 8

THE YELLOW WALLPAPER
2. Women’s Mental Health and Autonomy

Question 9

THE YELLOW WALLPAPER
-The yellow wallpaper becomes a powerful symbol of the protagonist’s
entrapment. As she fixates on its chaotic patterns, the wallpaper represents
the oppressive structures of patriarchal society, trapping women in domestic
roles
-The “woman” she sees trapped behind the wallpaper mirrors her own sense
of confinement and desire for freedom.

Answer 9

THE YELLOW WALLPAPER
3. The Symbolism of the Wallpaper