What readers say
4.5/5 ⭐️ a sad-girl reading curriculum essential, and it’s clear as day why. it reads like a modern “weird-girl” lit-fic. (think moshfegh’s ‘my year of rest and relaxation’, awad’s ‘rouge’) i was surprised at how modern this read in terms of plot and prose. i really enjoyed this, and can see why it’s such a classic. esther greenwood is an it-girl socialite and college student- embedded in new york’s fashion scene as a magazine writer in the 1950s. she doesn’t quite feel like she belongs, viewing herself at a distance, unfamiliar with the face she sees reflected in the mirror. there are many things to celebrate- her invitations to high profile events, her Yale boyfriend, her own scholarship education. but for every positive there seems to be a negative situation to counteract. esther contemplates suicide lightly at first, but her obsession with the idea spirals until she finally attempts. this sends her into a psychiatric hospital where we follow her for the rest of the novel. by this part of the story, esther is so far removed from who she once was that she doesn’t even recognize herself in magazine photos. i think that this is a very real depiction of depression, there were quite a few lines that i ended up understanding all too well. it was also really interesting to read in the preface about plath’s life and death, and how esther became a reflection of herself and own personal experiences.
An absolute 5/5. This is a true American classic, and a must-read for any literature buff. Plath is a mastermind in reflecting her own experiences and ghosts through a warped mirror to create an impactful, captivating story. Readers follow young Esther Greenwood as she works her way through the peaks and valleys of her social life and mental health. We see the bell jar raise and lower a number of times, each splintering and then mending cracks in Esther’s mind. The question is whether she will be able to lift, or rather break out of, the bell jar that forever hangs over her head. It is true that the foreword and epigraph of books add a deeper meaning to the work, and this holds for the Bell Jar. The story of Plath’s life and motivations not only added a deeper meaning, but unearthed an entirely new one for Esther Greenwood and her trials. I think we all can identify with the struggle to remain motivated and inspired, and this book can show us that we all face our demons.
A griping beginning and an interesting story line, however I found the ending incredibly disturbing and for some reason would have felt it to be more striking if the main character had successfully killed herself. Though I’m unsure why. The rationality behind Easter’s thoughts could only have been written by someone and mad as herself and it’s no surprises Plath’s life had so many parallels.