The wallpaper, particularly in the short story, is the most contextualized symbolism in the story that aligns with gender. According to the Encyclopedia of Literature Themes, the women in the background can be thought of as mental projections of the narrator's situation. Because the woman is trapped inside the wall, she is trapped in his attic (“gender in” Esposito). Furthermore, it is also stated on the topic that “they [the women trapped in the wall] can also be read as a metaphor for the position of women in the United States in the 19th century. The women trapped behind that wallpaper represent the lack of power and freedom that women had at that time” (“Gender in” Esposito). Gilman's personal life and experiences had influence on his writing of this novel. Written in the Encyclopedia of Literature Themes, "The Yellow Wallpaper is an autobiographical tale based on Charlotte Perkins Gilman's personal experience with illness in the 'rest cure'" ("illness in" Esposito). With the information about what it's like to receive all the stimulation forcibly from a male spouse, she was able to create a short story that follows the basis of a real situation and the entire breakdown along the way.