"I was supposed to be the envy of thousand of other college girls just like me all over America," says 19-year-old Esther, the heroine of Sylvia Plath's novel The Bell Jar (HarperCollins, 2009, ISBN 0061849901) about her summer stint as a guest editor for a New York fashion magazine.
But Esther's month of glitz cannot cover the darkness looming within her. The Bell Jar tells the story of Esther's life from her summer internship through the following January as she descends into a devastating depression.
Overview of The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Set in the 1950's, The Bell Jar offers a glimpse of what life was like for mentally unwell when mental health care was in its infancy. The largely autobiographical nature of The Bell Jar makes Esther's story even more intriguing as the reader steals a glimpse into the life of one of modern fiction's most celebrated writers.
Book Club Discussion Questions for The Bell Jar
- What exactly is a "bell jar"? What do you think is the meaning of Sylvia Plath's statement: "I've gone around for most of my life as in the rarified atmosphere under a bell jar"? Why is the bell jar a perfect metaphor for Esther's life?
- With what terms does Esther describe herself? How is she like (or unlike) Doreen and the other New York City girls? How is she different from them? Compare and contrast Esther with Joan and the other patients in the hospital. Do you think Esther describes herself accurately, or does she deceive herself?
- What instances of distortion appear in Esther's story? How is this significant? Do you think Esther ever achieves an undistorted image of herself? Why or why not?
- Are Esther's feelings of inadequacy justified? How does she judge herself? Is she accurate and fair in her self-judgment? Are her judgments consistent with reality? Why or why not?
- What triggers Esther's first thoughts of suicide? What setting, person, or life event accompanies her suicuidal thought? Does her initial trigger affect her later thoughts and plans regarding suicide?
- Besides Deer Island Prison, what other examples of prison are mentioned or alluded to in the novel? What images of emotional imprisonment, isolation, and/or punsihment are presented?
- What are the most important relationships in Esther's life? Is she consistent in her behavior towards these relationships? Her attitudes toward these relationships? Why or why not?
The Bell Jar is considered a modern classic thanks to Sylvia Plath's masterful manner of drawing the reader into Esther's insanity. Plath weaves Esther's story in such a calculated and intricate way that she nearly deceives the reader into thinking that Esther's insanity is completely real, and even rational. This vivid and disturbing depiction of a young woman's mental breakdown remains un-eclipsed by any other modern writer.
Francine Morrissette - Francine Morrissette is a freelance writer from southern Maine who has published articles on a wide range of topics including health, ...
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