Charlotte Perkins Essay

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Charlotte Perkins Stetson [Gilman] Charlotte Perkins Stetson [Gilman] was an independent woman and a prominent social activist who had suffered from cancer that lead her to a depression. She was “an important figure in feminist activism and literature” (PowerSearch Document); she used her stories as an instrument to advocate her opinion on the feminist’s place in the society of nineteenth century. Her books were highly known today for her examination of “the role of women in society and put forth her social theories” (Gale-Free Resources) and one of her famous works is The Yellow Wallpaper in which she describe a women who was having nervous break-down. Through this story, the yellow wallpaper, she portrayed the unfair roles of women in the society as well as false medical treatment of the time. Charlotte Perkins Gilman was born in Hartford, Connecticut in 1860, and she was “the daughter of Frederick Beecher Perkins, a librarian and writer, and Mary Perkins” (Charlotte Perkins Gilman). Her father always left the family for many long periods of time and he then later abandoned the family when she was little. This occurrence had a very serious effect on Gilman’s life as a girl and what made her an independent woman. According to Overview of Charlotte (Anna) Perkins (Stetson) Gilman, she was inspired by her mother’s self-reliance and her aunts; they are: “Harriet Beecher Stowe, the prominent abolitionist who wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin; and the feminist activists Isabella Beecher Hooker and Catherine Beecher” (PowerSearch Document). Gilman’s aunts were all independent social activist who had effected the social movement in some way during the 1800’s. Harriet Beecher Stowe was the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin which was profoundly book about anti-slave during the period of 19th century. Her other two aunts were Catherine Beecher, a well-know advocate of "domestic

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