By Alexis Poe

Trapped in a room, one woman goes mad as she sees illusions of another woman behind bars in the wallpaper.

SE psychology associate professor Melissa Johnson will discuss her thoughts on what could have caused the woman to go mad in The Psychology of The Yellow Wallpaper Nov. 15.

Originally published in 1892, “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a journal of a woman who begins to have illusions when confined in a summer house. Her physician husband quickly dismisses them.

“‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ illustrates the role of women in society at that time and the way they were viewed by medical professionals,” SE library assistant director Tracey Minzenmayer said.

Johnson’s speech is one of many that will take place to promote a SE library exhibition called The Literature of Prescription: Charlotte Perkins Gilman and “The Yellow Wallpaper,” which is available until Nov. 21.

Johnson said she hopes to spark an interest in students to see the value in older literature and the way it illustrates how much times have changed.

“I think the oppression by her husband is what caused her to go crazy,” student Jazzmen Richardson said.

The event will be from 1-2:20 p.m. in ESED 1200 on SE Campus.