It is said that during this time period doctors would diagnose women with mental illnesses; specifically because of hysteria – which was caused by a wandering uterus. This adds to the idea that men don’t get mental illnesses only women do because of the genetic make up of women. We can also see throughout the story that John and his thoughts and feelings are mentioned more than the narrators. For instance, “John thought it might do me some good to see a little company” (1543) and “John says if I don’t pick up faster he shall send me to Weir Mitchell in the fall” (1543). Despite the narrator expressing her concerns that she does not want to go anywhere except for home it’s easy to see how John is taking over the way she should be thinking and
