The Bell Jar (Modern Classics)

One of The Atlantic’s Great American Novels
“A coming–of–age masterpiece.” —Boston Globe
"It is this perfectly wrought prose and the freshness of Plath's voice in The Bell Jar that make this book enduring in its appeal." —USA Today
Sylvia Plath’s masterwork—an acclaimed and enduring novel about a young woman falling into the grip of mental illness and societal pressures
Esther Greenwood is a bright, beautiful, enormously talented young woman, but she's slowly going under—maybe for the last time. Sylvia Plath brilliantly draws the reader into Esther’s breakdown with such intensity that her neurosis becomes palpably real, even rational—as accessible an experience as going to the movies. A deep penetration into the darkest and most harrowing corners of the human psyche, The Bell Jar is an extraordinary accomplishment and a haunting American classic.
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Community Reviews
Never did figure out the point of the story. What made Esther have a breakdown. I did not enjoy the book.
This book was tragic for many reasons, not only because she suffers from a very real and perceptible mental disorder, which, in the 1960s, wasnât always viewed as such. Her role from observer to someone being kept under observation for the rest of the novel offers a change of perspective. Estherâs condition was so wrought with generalities in the eyes of the doctors and facilities that were charged with her care that no one really saw her as an entity outside of her condition. Esther, to me, had the makings of a creative giant, someone who endeavored to form ever-lasting ripples in whatever field she chose. However, her potential was outlined with frailty and a lack of confidence.
She envisions her world with the forethought that her dark brooding nature would either be broken or would be forced to conform. However, her bell jar inhibits her from seeing that she is surrounded with other female figures who were seemingly shattering conventional roles or were at least on the precipice of revolutionizing the female role. From the ambitious Jay Cee in New York, to her own single mother, to Philomena Guinea, to her own psychiatrist Dr. Nolan, Esther has plenty of role models to choose from but her oppressive stance and unforgiving nature lead her further into disruption. That to me, is the real tragedy.
Esther is not a feminist nor is Plath depicting her to be one. Plath is honest with Estherâs weaknesses as much as she is straightforward with Esthersâ strengths. The crux of the novelâs message revolves around what any addict or mental patient must fear, that even when youâre on your way to getting better, thereâs always that subtle fear of relapsing. This couldnât ring more true knowing that Plath ends her own life within a month after the book is published.
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