The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath Essay Example

to explore a female character's psyche intimately and experience her complex and realistic journey firsthand. The story's memorability and unchanging plot also leave a great impression on readers.

The fact that this novel is not entirely fictional makes it thought-provoking and raises inquiries. Esther, the protagonist, experiences the common emotions of inadequacy that most young adults encounter, making this book distinctive. It also breaks new ground by being the first novel to address these issues. Sylvia Plath's writing style is honest and authentic, as she removes any superficiality.

In her writing, Sylvia Plath utilizes it as a means to express primal fears and elemental forces, as stated in writers.com/literature/Plath. Throughout The Bell Jar, Esther Greenwood faces numerous obstacles and setbacks while seeking independence. In the course of her journey, she comes to realize that life is unpredictable and necessitates courage to navigate through its challenges; nevertheless, even when things don't go according to plan, one can still recover. As Plath portrays life's unexpected peaks and valleys in an emotional roller coaster ride for readers, the book's dominant theme remains resilience in the face of adversity despite Esther's past difficulties.

When Esther's father died when she was eight years old, the family was left with nothing and went through an emotional and physical decline. Due to this traumatic event, Esther often thought about her father and expressed her longing for him. Sylvia Plath's own experience of losing her father at a young age added credibility to the writing in the book. The main focus of the novel is on Esther's self-discovery and life journey.

During her trip to New York, Esther gains knowledge about various topics and starts experiencing

mental health issues. Despite being raised in a middle-class environment, she feels inferior to others and doesn't realize that it doesn't matter. She is equally intelligent and attractive as other girls and has similar scholarship opportunities. In the beginning of her socializing, Esther suffers from severe isolation when her friend Doreen abandons her for a boy.

Esther attempted to assimilate by spending time with another male companion. However, his attempted assault caused her to feel disconnected from herself and even more insecure. This incident sets the foundation for the entire novel as Esther struggles with her identity. After returning home, Esther feels estranged from her friends and misses her former self, leading to peculiar behavior.

Esther's impatience with daily tasks is exemplified by her decision to abstain from bathing and sleeping. As she explained, "It seemed silly to wash one day when I would only have to wash again the next. It made me tired just to think of it. I wanted to do everything once and for all and be through with it" (Plath 128). In fact, she was so disengaged that even getting out of bed seemed pointless.

Esther's loss of motivation and drive, resulting from her rejection from a summer writing course and her experiences in New York, is described as having left her with nothing to look forward to (Plath 117). She becomes zombie-like. While attempting to regain normalcy through novel-writing, Esther recognizes the importance of genuine life experiences for authentic writing. Without encountering love firsthand, she acknowledges that writing about it would be impossible.

The story's main conflict stemmed from Esther's battle with her own sexual identity. Despite frequently

expressing a desire to lose her virginity, she ultimately never acted on it because she lacked genuine desire. Her upbringing instilled the belief that virginity should only be relinquished within the confines of marriage, leading to this inner struggle.

The primary theme explored in the novel was Esther's pursuit of sexual experiences with various men in order to overcome her lethargy and virginity. Her desire to engage in sexual activity was triggered by Buddy Willard, whom she had a long-standing crush on, and who had reportedly slept with a woman around thirty times. The novel also delves into Esther's mental breakdown, caused by the traumatic effects of electroshock therapy. This event led Esther to believe that she had committed a wrong, resulting in a delay in her recovery.

During a period of delay, Esther contemplated suicide and made several attempts to harm herself through cutting, drowning, choking, and hanging. However, she discovered that her body had a reflex that prevented her from carrying out the act as it caused her hands to go limp at crucial moments. Despite her desire to die without hesitation, this reflex saved her life.

Throughout the novel, Esther's attitude echoes Plath's quote "I knew when I was beaten" (159), as she gives up quickly on her suicide attempts. Though initially intrigued by the idea, it becomes apparent that her suicide attempts are a fleeting distraction rather than a true desire to end her life. Despite knowing her limits, Esther's body appears reluctant to fully commit to death as a solution to her problems.

Esther's ultimate desire is to rid herself of her troubles, which led her to abandon any thoughts of suicide

and take the initial step towards full recuperation. Although her mental state may be questioned throughout the book, Esther never perceives herself as someone with a mental illness.

The main character in the novel believes she has problems that cannot be solved. She considers suicide as a simple solution, but later realizes there are no easy answers. The story is narrated from Esther Greenwood's point of view, allowing readers to fully comprehend her perspective. During her electro-shock therapy sessions, the reader is taken inside Esther's mind as she attempts to smile while experiencing stiff skin like parchment and having metal plates placed on both sides of her head by the doctor.

Following a moment of stillness, akin to an inhalation, I experienced the sensation of being grasped and violently shaken, as if the apocalypse had arrived.

The story is effectively told as it describes a shrill sound piercing through an atmosphere crackling with blue light. Every flash causes a powerful jolt, which feels like my bones will break and my sap will pour out like a split plant (Plath 143). Such a description effectively conveys the intensity of the situation to the reader.

By employing first-person narration, the reader is limited to Esther's knowledge and experiences, which can increase the story's impact. Through this point of view, we can better understand Esther's struggles, and it reinforces the story's theme. Essentially, readers assume the role of a psychiatrist exploring Esther's thoughts and emotions.

The reader must determine Esther's motivations, what drives her work, the reasons behind her emotions, and the factors aiding her recovery. The novel showcases Esther's interactions with all the characters. However, their perspectives remain unknown, leaving

it up to imagination to interpret their motivations. The book encompasses several characters who navigate Esther's mental collapse and eventual recuperation.

"The figures around me were not actual people, but instead they were shop dummies, painted in a way that made them resemble people and posed in positions that mimicked life" (Plath 142). Philomena Guinea serves as Esther's sponsor for college and is a source of inspiration for her. Despite being admitted to a mental hospital during the peak of her writing career, Guinea's decision to sponsor Esther's stay at the top mental hospital is a testament to her generosity. Esther does not view Guinea as a particularly significant person in her life and has no strong feelings towards her. In contrast, Esther's mother is portrayed as a diligent housewife who insists on teaching shorthand to Esther.

Esther perceives her mother as uninterested and self-centered, demonstrated while Esther ignores her mother's emotions during her mental breakdown. Esther and Buddy Willard, who Esther has long had a crush on, met through a family friendship between Buddy's mother and Esther's mother, who are friends. This crush helped Esther maintain a sense of normalcy during her college years.

Esther's popularity after being invited to the Yale junior prom was a positive influence on her. Buddy and Esther's relationship may have seemed like a contributing factor to Esther's breakdown, but it was not the sole cause. However, it did play a role in motivating Esther to take other actions. Ultimately, Esther's personal struggles were the root cause of her illness. Buddy played a supportive role in helping Esther discover more about herself through their shared experiences.

Buddy Willard stimulated

Esther's curiosity about sexuality, while her friend Doreen in New York provided her with light-heartedness and inspiration for carefree living. Her boss Jay Cee served as both a mentor and mother figure, as well as the provider of a job offer that Esther ultimately rejected due to fears about the future and a desire to avoid settling down.

Esther's initial experience with psychiatry, courtesy of Dr. Gordon, instilled a sense of apprehension towards mental institutions and practitioners due to his faulty administration of shock therapy, which was detrimental to Esther's well-being. The novel's actual rescuer was Dr. Nolan.

Esther's recovery was attributed to her friendship with a kind and understanding doctor, who provided her with the sympathy and guidance she needed. The story's plot centers on Esther's lack of a genuine best friend who would listen to her problems and offer advice without superficiality. This plot twist is unexpected.

What makes this story intriguing is the fact that Esther's unpredictable nature makes the plot directionless. The primary conflict in the story is Esther's battle with herself. Although she portrays it as her vs. the world, the conflict could go in any direction.

Feeling terribly inadequate, she believed no one had gone through what she experienced.

According to Plath (216), her inadequacy had been present all along, but she had not acknowledged it. It is normal for teenagers to feel this way, and had Esther seen Doctor Nolan initially instead of Doctor Gordon, her mental suffering might have been avoided. The plot traces Esther's mental illness journey and personal growth. The setting has little relevance in the story's development.

During the 1940s in Boston, the narrator had associates who attended

Chicago University, a place where she believed unconventional individuals arose (Plath 132). This episode may not have happened if it were not for the era's introduction of dual career homes and role transformations for women.

Back then, the standard was for the father to work and for the mother to tend to the children at home. The societal climate was also more conservative compared to today's norms. It was deemed abnormal for girls to date other girls and seeking professional help from a psychiatrist was frowned upon. Esther would have been considered normal during that era. She would likely have had more opportunities to communicate with her mother since society was less rigid 60 years ago. The overall atmosphere conveyed in this setting is somewhat somber.

If Esther had a bad day, she may have ended up in the hospital receiving shock treatments. On good days, she may have enjoyed conversations with Buddy's ex-girlfriend, Joan. In the film Girl Interrupted, Susana Kaysen experiences a similar roller coaster ride to Esther Greenwood. Susana also questions her life and sexuality, and at times finds comfort in discussing her feelings for a man she mistakenly thought she loved. Ultimately, both Esther and Susana embark on a journey of self-discovery.

Struggling to achieve independence, Esther Greenwood confronts intricate challenges and learns that life demands bravery in the face of uncertainty. Although she faces obstacles along the way, with help from Doctor Nolan and understanding from her loved ones, she ultimately overcomes them. While the novel's happy ending may be anticipated, Sylvia Plath's tragic fate casts a different perspective. Esther's process of self-discovery is an essential element in elevating this work to classic

status.

The New York Times describes Esther's insights gained from her life experiences and interactions with individuals as both readable and thought-provoking, particularly in relation to her time in the bell jar.

As per the New York Times, this is not a collection of disrespectful portrayals or popular fiction but instead a piece of literature.