The Bell Jar
Research Paper: The Bell Jar, By: Sylvia Plath
Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar is a work of fiction that spans a six month time period in the life of the protagonist and narrator, Esther Greenwood. The novel tells of Esther’s battle against her oppressive surroundings and her ever building madness, this is the central conflict throughout the narrative. After coming home from a month in New York as a guest editor for a magazine, Esther begins to have trouble with everyday activities such as reading, writing and even sleeping. Her mental state decreases rapidly until she eventually attempts suicide. During the rest of the novel Esther recounts her experiences in recovery until she finally plans to leave the hospital. Even though Esther’s condition seems stable at this point, she is aware that her depression could return at any time.
Critic’s reviews regarding the novel offer various points of view and ideas pertaining to The Bell Jar. Critic Diane S. Bond writes of society’s stereotypes of women, and how this was a main factor in Esther’s madness. She explains how instead of being her own person, Esther conforms to the role that is culturally engrained in society, in other words she does what she believes is expected of her. Bond describes how, “Esther fails to establish an autonomous, or separative, self, and ultimately resorts to culturally-ingrained stereotypes of women” (49). While Bond blames society’s expectations for the heroines breakdown, Paula Bennett blames the time period of the 50’s, “The oppressive atmosphere of the 1950s and the soul-destroying effect this atmosphere could have on ambitious, high-minded young women like Plath” (223). There are many examples from the book that support these ideas. While in New York, Esther is concerned because she is not enjoying herself. She feels that she should be excited and accomplished like the other girls, however she finds her work pointless and she feels lost. Basically, Esther believes something is wrong with
Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar is a work of fiction that spans a six month time period in the life of the protagonist and narrator, Esther Greenwood. The novel tells of Esther’s battle against her oppressive surroundings and her ever building madness, this is the central conflict throughout the narrative. After coming home from a month in New York as a guest editor for a magazine, Esther begins to have trouble with everyday activities such as reading, writing and even sleeping. Her mental state decreases rapidly until she eventually attempts suicide. During the rest of the novel Esther recounts her experiences in recovery until she finally plans to leave the hospital. Even though Esther’s condition seems stable at this point, she is aware that her depression could return at any time.
Critic’s reviews regarding the novel offer various points of view and ideas pertaining to The Bell Jar. Critic Diane S. Bond writes of society’s stereotypes of women, and how this was a main factor in Esther’s madness. She explains how instead of being her own person, Esther conforms to the role that is culturally engrained in society, in other words she does what she believes is expected of her. Bond describes how, “Esther fails to establish an autonomous, or separative, self, and ultimately resorts to culturally-ingrained stereotypes of women” (49). While Bond blames society’s expectations for the heroines breakdown, Paula Bennett blames the time period of the 50’s, “The oppressive atmosphere of the 1950s and the soul-destroying effect this atmosphere could have on ambitious, high-minded young women like Plath” (223). There are many examples from the book that support these ideas. While in New York, Esther is concerned because she is not enjoying herself. She feels that she should be excited and accomplished like the other girls, however she finds her work pointless and she feels lost. Basically, Esther believes something is wrong with
Cited: Bennett, Paula. My life, a loaded gun : Dickinson, Plath, Rich, and female creativity. Boston: Beacon Press. Bond, Diane. “The Separative Self in Sylvia Plath 's The Bell Jar.” Women’s Studies Vol. 18 (1990): 49-64. JSTOR. Harford Community Coll. Lib. 2 Apr. 2008 . Budick, Miller. “The Feminist Discourse of Sylvia Plath 's the Bell Jar.” College English. Vol. 49.8 (1987): 872-885. JSTOR. Harford Community Coll. Lib. 2 Apr. 2008 . Perloff, Marjorie. “A Ritual for Being Born Twice: Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar.” Contemporary Literature. Vol. 13.4. (1972): 507-522.