Question

read the excerpt from \the yellow wallpaper.\
at first he meant to repaper the room, but afterwards he said that i was letting it get the better of me, and that nothing was worse for a nervous patient than to give way to such fancies.
which gothic element in this excerpt reflects a social attitude of gilmans time?
the qualities of the wallpaper create a sense of mystery.
the narrator feels an inevitable sense of doom.
john views his wifes concerns as unimportant and silly.
john appears to be a supernatural being.

Explanation:

In Gilman's time, women's concerns and mental health were often dismissed. Here, John (a physician and husband) disregards his wife's feelings (about the room and her health). This reflects the social attitude of men (especially those in positions of authority like doctors) minimizing women's experiences. The other options:

• The wallpaper's mystery is a Gothic element but doesn't directly reflect the social attitude of the time regarding gender - women's concerns.
• The sense of doom is a Gothic mood but not specific to the social attitude about women's voices.
• John is a human (a doctor), not a supernatural being.

Answer:

John views his wife's concerns as unimportant and silly.