The narrator and her husband go to an isolated house for the summer with the hope that she will "get better". The setting that Gilman portrays is one of things that are falling apart and decaying within the narrator's reach. It's set in a room that would be the only place he interacts with. This is a great clue to foreshadowing because it provides information about the decay of the narrator's mind and body. The isolation of the home plays a big role in how she interacts with her husband, sister-in-law, and brother. Gilman not only isolates the house, but also isolates the room where the narrator stays. “I don't like our room at all. I wanted one downstairs that opened up to the square and had roses all over the window, such cute, old fashioned chintz! But John wouldn't hear of it. He said there was only one window and there was no room for two beds and there was no room nearby for him and another." (77) She is left alone by her husband because he believed she would get better with interaction The room, however, would leave a strong memory on her