29 September 2021 

            Relating a Freudian lecture to a short story gave a beneficial insight on how to properly write and identify the rhetorical situation of many different pieces of writing. Here, I, the rhetor, wrote in a professional yet assertive tone to not only my academic professors, but to my fellow scholars and other individuals interested in this paper. I had written an academic essay discussing specifically about how Freud’s own professional criticism of doctors could be used to analyze other texts, as well as identify instabilities between the text’s characters. I had made sure to clearly indicate to my broad audience how the relationship between the narrator and her husband in “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman demonstrated Freud’s criticism that most doctors become frustrated with hysterical patients and disregarded such cases as unimportant due to a lack of understanding. I had done so by providing a clear, specific thesis on the topic and supported it with evidence from both Freuds first lecture and Gilman’s short story. I also provided an analysis for each piece of evidence to ensure that my own ideas would be displayed. 

            Writing this paper was my first introduction to Freud and how his lectures at the time were seen as ludicrous to those in the medical field. When Freud had given these lectures at Clark University, he had made sure that they were public so that all who showed interest were free to learn, just as I did with my paper. I had written this essay to shine a light on just how common Freud’s criticism of most doctors was outside the world of psychoanalysis. By demonstrating how Freud’s criticism was evident in “The Yellow Wallpaper”, I was able to illustrate to my audience the injustice many patients who suffered from hysteria had gone through. I hoped to seek from the audience a better understanding of Freud’s criticism and compassion for the mentally ill. I wanted my audience to be able to have a deeper sense of empathy and understanding for those who suffer from mental illness. 

            By writing this essay, I was able to open my mind to new ways of comprising sentences and phrases in a more clear and concise manner. Rather than using broad terms such as “one” or “this”, I was able to create sentences that sounded much more professional and scholarly. Through the multiple drafts I had written, I was able to identify areas of my paper that needed more explanation of Freuds criticism, as well as areas that needed more of my own ideas on the topic. I was also able to refine my ability on how to cite texts properly in MLA formatting. On the other hand, I do not believe I made my stance clear enough through the entirety of my paper. In future writings I hope to be able to articulate my stance on an issue throughout my whole paper rather than just certain parts.  

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