“The present of past things is the memory; the present of present things is direct perception, and the present of future things is expectation” (Augustine, Confessions, 20:26). Hence, an individual’s relationship with time and reality is subjective, to their interpretation of the world, and how the environment that they are present in affects their perception of themselves, others, and the world. Thus, when someone's perception of time is tainted or clouded by traumatic events, it can shift their interpretation of everything. In this paper, I will highlight the portrayal of mental illness in the texts “The Yellow Wallpaper” and Slaughterhouse-Five to underline the contrasting relationship between time perception and understanding of self. Firstly, I will analyze the character depiction of events and perception of reality in “The Yellow Wallpaper” and then in Slaughterhouse Five.…show more content… Firstly, when analyzing perceptions of events in “The Yellow Wallpaper," the story begins with the woman describing why she finds herself unwillingly confined in the house and her sentiments about the yellow wallpaper. For instance, when she states, “[j]ohn says the very worst thing I can do is to think about my condition, and I confess it always makes me feel bad.” (Gilman 69), and “[y]ou see, he does not believe I am sick! and what can one do?” (Gilman 69), which highlights her husband’s neglect. Hood further emphasizes this by stating, “[h]is refusal to take his wife’s depression seriously is just as damaging as her actual symptoms because he has the power to completely negate her suffering." 1. The 1> is a
