Comparing The Bell Jar And Into The Wild

Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured and far away” (Thoreau). Both Esther Greenwood of Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar and Christopher McClandless of John Kraukaer’s Into the Wild had their own “music” different than societies. This “music” lead to Esther’s suicide attempts and Christopher’s journey to Alaska. While media influences both Esther Greenwood’s and Chris Mcclandless’ withdrawal from society, Esther is primarily driven by the expectations of a 1950’s woman and Christopher the materialism of the 1980’s.
In Plath’s The Bell Jar, the media, most notably newspapers and photographs influences Esther to attempt suicide. After starting her internship in New York City, Esther immediately becomes enamored with the case of the Rosenbergs. The Rosenbergs were just electrocuted for espionage and prevalent throughout all news mediums. Esther becomes fascinated with being burned alive. Esther contemplates death by electrocution stating, “The idea of being electrocuted
makes me sick, and that’s all there was to read about in the papers—google-eyed headlines staring up at me on every street corner” (Plath 1). Esther initially seems repulsed by the idea of becoming electrocuted, stating the idea “makes [her] sick” (Plath 1), however is fascinated by what it might be like. She “couldn’t help wondering would it would be like, being burned alive all along your nerves” (Plath 1). Esther keeps the thought in her mind suggesting a fascination with the macabre. Esther continues her trip in New York City, but continues “hearing about the Rosenberg’s over the radio at the office till [she] [can’t] get them out of [her] mind” (Plath 1). She compares the story of the Rosenberg to the time she saw a cadaver with her boyfriend, Buddy Willard. When she saw the cadaver, she “felt as though [she] were carrying [it] around with [her on a string” (Plath 1). Esther feels the same way about the Rosenberg’s. This story implants the first ideas of death and ways to die in her mind. These thoughts manage to permeate all those thereafter. Esther returns to Boston and attempts suicide. Esther visits Dr. Gordon and hears the news she will have to go electroshock therapy. Esther is full of dismay, however more fascinated with the newspaper. The headline reads, “Suicide Saved from 7-Story Ledge” (Plath 136). Esther is fascinated by this story, particularly the jumper’s motivation for suicide. Esther can relate to the man as she has just tried to commit suicide. The newspaper manages to make Esther ponder methods of suicide, thinking that, “ the trouble about jumping was that if you didn’t pick the right number of stories, you might still be alive when you hit the bottom. [She] thought seven stories might be a safe distance” (Plath 137). The story of the suicidal man causes Esther to think about her own life and the methods to end it. Esther’s fascination with the story and knowledge about how to die suggests she may intend to end her life the same way as the man. After Esther’s poor experience with her first shock treatment she decides to cease treatment. After Esther decides this she reads, “Scarlet Succumbs After 68-Hour Coma” (Plath 146). Esther then finds the photo she took of herself that afternoon and compares it to that of the dead scarlet. She believes they both “matched, mouth for mouth, nose for nose” (Plath 146). Here Esther can see herself as a dead person. After viewing the newspaper’s photo she believes she is dead. This moment prompts Esther to consider ending her life with the Gillette razor blades. After comparing herself to the photo Esther tells herself, “I will go somewhere and do it”. Esther then goes into her bathroom and attempts to end her life. Esther views herself as someone dead and is inspired to become it. Media has profound influence on Esther’s suicide attempts. Not only in methods to do it, but thoughts regarding it.
Similarly, In Krakauer’s Into the Wild, media, specifically literature causes Chris McCandless’ withdrawal from society. After graduating from college, Christopher excommunicated his family, and donated all his money to charity. Chris McCandless then wandered around the west coast with the goal of heading to Alaska. On the way to Alaska he stopped at the Slabs. At the Slabs, a giant flea market, he worked selling books for Jan Burres. Burres noted that, “Jack London was [McClandless’s] favorite. He’d try to convince every snowbird who walked by that they should read Call of the Wild” (Krakauer 44). Jack London’s works inspired Chris ever since he was a child. McCandless was “mesmerized by London’s turgid portrayal of like in Alaska and the Yukon” (Krakauer 44). London’s glorification of Alaska contributed to its allure. Since Chris was a child he believed Alaska was the greatest place on earth. He “was so enthralled by these tales” (Krakauer 44), he desired to emulate London’s adventures in his stories. The daring feats of the characters made Chris want to experience Alaska himself. London’s accounts of Alaska inspired Christopher to leave society for the adventure that is Alaska. At the beginning of each chapter Krakauer quotes passages highlight in books found with McClandless’s remains. These stories had an integral part of shaping him. Christopher had brought them with him his entire journey. One passage that resonated with Chris was from Leo Tolstoy’s Family Happiness. McClandles highlighted, “I wanted movement and not a calm course of existence. I wanted excitement and danger and the chance to sacrifice myself for my love” (Tolstoy 15). This quote exemplifies the feelings of McClandless. Chris agreed with Tolstoy in wanting adventure and danger in his life. This encouraged Chris to head into Alaska, with only the bare essentials. He realized by withdrawing from society he might lose his life but is willing to make the sacrifice. Tolstoy encouraged Chris to follow his impulse and go on his trip to Alaska. He was comforted by the fact he might have to sacrifice himself. Another quote highlighted by McCandless is from Pasternak’s Doctor Zhivago. The passage starts by drawing a comparison between maturation and being a small child lead by a parent. Chris highlighted, “At such a time you felt the need of committing yourself to something absolute--life or truth or beauty” (Pasternak 103). After he finished college McCandless was at a crossroad between law school, employment, and adventure. McCandless, after reading this, realized he had to make a commitment to something pure and beautiful. A sentiment he associated with Alaska. Pasternak’s view of commitment inspired McCandless to follow his goal and go to Alaska. The works of London, Tolstoy, and Pasternak inspired Chris to abandon society and experience the beauty, pureness, and adventure of Alaska. While the media influenced both Chris and Esther, they each struggled with different expectations of society.
Esther Greenwood is also driven to kill herself by the pressures of being a 1950’s woman. In 1950’s America woman had a very different role than they do today. PBS describes the 1950’s as the era of “happy homemakers” (PBS). During this time “domesticity was idealized…and woman were encouraged to stay at home” (PBS). A woman with a career was seen as “selfish, putting themselves before the needs of their family” (PBS). Throughout the text Esther struggles with her aspirations of being a writer and of becoming a virgin, wife and mother. While in New York City Esther gets food poising from the ladies day luncheon. As an apology, they send her a book. Esther reads a story about a fig tree shared by a convent and a Jewish man. Esther compares herself and Buddy to the Jewish man and the nun. She believes, “[They] had met under [their] own imaginary fig tree” (Plath 55). However, unlike the bird coming out the egg in the story, Esther imagines “a baby coming out of a woman” (Plath 55). Esther feels she is expected to have a child with Buddy. She feels she must endure motherhood to meet societies expectations. However, whenever she imagined the baby, “Something awful happened and [they] went their separate ways” (Plath 55). Esther feels that if she gives up becoming a poet, something awful will happen. Esther imagines a baby is expected of her, but with it comes repercussions. Esther feels trapped. She does not know any other way than suicide to satisfy both needs. As Esther continues her internship she goes on a date with Constantin the UN interrupter. Here Esther references the fig tree metaphor again. Esther sees her life “branching out before [her] like the green fig tree in the story” (Plath 77). Esther cannot decide between which branch or path to take in life. From every branch an opportunity lies waiting. Esther believes there are multiple figs and, “one fig was a husband and a happy home and children, and another fig was a famous poet” (Plath 77). Esther feels conflicted between societies expectation of a stay at home mom and her dream of becoming a poet. Esther “[sees] herself sitting in the crotch of the fig tree starting to death, just because [she] couldn’t make up [her] mind” (Plath 77). Esther compares to death to her dilemma. Esther feels constrained between what society wants her to do and her own dreams. She feels she has no choose, and the only option is death. When Constantin brings Esther up to his apartment it reminds her of a Reader’s Digest Article. The article states that, “a man’s world is different from a woman’s world…and only marriage can bring the two worlds…together properly” (Plath 81). This article given to Esther by her mother expresses the views of society at the time. Men and Woman have different roles and lives. Marriage is the only way to bring the two together. Esther feels alienated by this conclusion stating, “I never want to get married” (Plath 83). Esther does not want the security and normality of a relationship. She wants a career and “excitement. like the colored arrows from a Fourth of July rocket” (Plath 83). She lusts for a career as a poet, or professor not a mom. Esther cannot seem to reconcile what society views as a goal to what she wants. While Esther struggles with the pressures of being a 1950’s woman, Christopher struggles with something entirely different.
Unlike Esther, Christopher McClandless was driven to Alaska by the materialism of 1980’s America. The 1980’s was described as the “decade of materialism” (McKeage 1). New electronics were emerging and success was, “[defined]…in terms of the amount and quality of one’s possessions” (McKeage 1). After graduating from Emory University in 1989 Mclandless’ parents offered to pay his tuition and buy him a new car. He “upbraided [them] for expressing their desire” (Krakeur 20). Christopher was repulsed by the idea of receiving anything in his life. He did not believe gifts could buy someone’s love. Just previously Chris told his parents that he “would no longer, receive or accept gifts” (Krakauer 20). Christopher was that people believed materials were the way to buy someone’s love. In a letter to his sister Connie, he stated, “I’m going to have to be real careful not to accept any gifts from them in the future because they think they have bought my respect” (Krakauer 21). Chris viewed that in society materialism has replaced sincerity. Shortly after his graduation, Christopher decided to pack his car and travel out west. He felt “emancipated from the stifling world …a world of abstraction, security and material excess, a world in which he felt grievously cut of from” (Krakauer 22). Christopher felt excluded from the world where one’s worth was measured by one’s possessions. The materialism of society, forced him to head to Alaska and live a simple life. In Thoreau’s Walden Chris highlighted, “I sat at a table where rich food and wine in abundance…but sincerity and truth were not; and I went away from the inhospitable board” (Thoreau 117). Above this Chris wrote, Truth. Christopher viewed this as a metaphor between a lavish banquet and society. Chris lived in a world where with plentiful money and possessions. However, he felt because of this people are disingenuous. Christopher’s repulsion to materialism lead to his withdrawal from society.
Lastly, through both texts the power of media and society is revealed.
From literature, newspapers, to even photos the thoughts and actions of others can have profound effects. Esther and Christopher both experienced this first hand. While media affected each of them, different facets of society affected their choices to leave. Esther never thought she could reconcile her dreams and the roles of a 1950’s woman. However, Chris was repulsed by the importance of materialism in society. He wanted to live a live that was true and pure. He lusted a sincere adventure something he didn’t believe was found in mainstream society. Over time, the roles of woman and materialism have changed. Many women now have successful careers. While, minimalistic life styles are growing in popularity. Perhaps the works of Plath and Krakauer have changed the expectations of
society.