Today, Sara and Chelsey discuss “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. We’ve read this story more times than we can count—as students and as teachers, and today we’re sharing new insights and appreciation for its themes, tone, and terrifying ending. We cover connections to Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s biography, historical context, and deeper analysis as we talk through this 1892 classic and classroom staple. In Short Story Club we do share spoilers, so read this story for free and then tune in to our discussion—or listen to see what you remember from a previous reading experience. As always, we offer pairings with similar themes to add to your TBR.

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Skip to the pairings: [48:10]

Books mentioned:

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“The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Read “The Yellow Wallpaper” for free

“The Yellow Wallpaper” audiobook on Hoopla

Chelsey:

Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily and Amelia Nagoski (Amazon)
Talking Back: Thinking Feminist, Thinking Black by bell hooks (Amazon)

Sara:

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado (Amazon)
Mrs. March by Virginia Feito (Amazon)

Picks of the week:

Chelsey - “The Yellow Wallpaper” The Musical and All’s Well by Mona Awad

Sara - Gaslight (1944)

85. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and perfectly psychological pairings

Novel Pairings