Feminism

The Bell Jar

The Bell Jar

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  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2021-06-04 07:53:44
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Sylvia Plath
  • ISBN：0571081789
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Summary

We follow Esther Greenwood's personal life from her summer job in New York with Ladies' Day magazine， back through her days at New England's largest school for women， and forward through her attempted suicide， her bad treatment at one asylum and her good treatment at another， to her final re-entry into the world like a used tyre: "patched， retreaded， and approved for the road" 。。。 Esther Greenwood's account of her year in the bell jar is as clear and readable as it is witty and disturbing。

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Reviews

Tom Leaverland ，

Sad af bro。

Natalie Mason ，

I loved reading this book I felt like I really understood Esther。 I also really liked the contrast between the beginning and end of the book。

Nola S ，

This book is hard to get into， and I can't even say it's worth persevering through because there is no massive plot twist or seat grabber。 The plot and character evolution are very subtle。 Personally， I enjoyed it thoroughly but is most definitely not for everyone。 With all that being said I recommend to all my wannabe female manipulators who think that they are crazier than they actually are。 This book is hard to get into， and I can't even say it's worth persevering through because there is no massive plot twist or seat grabber。 The plot and character evolution are very subtle。 Personally， I enjoyed it thoroughly but is most definitely not for everyone。 With all that being said I recommend to all my wannabe female manipulators who think that they are crazier than they actually are。 。。。more

Helena Zahar Vaz ，

4，5

Thomas Gayton ，

One of my favourites

Maria ，

I really like Plath's poetry， bit this was my first time reading her prose。 This is a semi-autobiographical book about a young woman who moves to New York City and falls into a deep depression over the course of a few months。The protagonist struggled with closeness-distance in relationships and had this unsettling way of oscillating between very intense emotions。 I wonder if she is supposed to suffer from borderline personality disorder？ Because she seemed like she suffered from many of the asso I really like Plath's poetry， bit this was my first time reading her prose。 This is a semi-autobiographical book about a young woman who moves to New York City and falls into a deep depression over the course of a few months。The protagonist struggled with closeness-distance in relationships and had this unsettling way of oscillating between very intense emotions。 I wonder if she is supposed to suffer from borderline personality disorder？ Because she seemed like she suffered from many of the associated symptoms。Overall a very moving story and extremely well-written at that。 。。。more

Natalia Micheli ，

I am I am I am

Beverly Manring ，

This is a book I have wanted to read for so long。 I listened to it ， this book definitely doesn’t need my recommendation to make other people read it。 This is in my opinion， the story of a young girl， very very sad story of a young lady who demonstrated endless amounts of money doesn’t buy one true happiness， she was never really felt comfortable in her own skin。 Written superbly。 Glad I finally listened to it and understand why it should be required reading。

Lauren E ，

“To the person in the bell jar， blank and stopped as a dead baby， the world itself is the bad dream。”Reread after 20+ years， 2 kids， and Red Comet- the newest Plath bio。 A totally different experience。 As Sylvia would put it: vital。

Johan Ulfsparre ，

So ever since I first heard about the bell jar I was immediately drawn to the story and Sylvia Plath and her tragic life。 I would have to say that my favorite part of the book was the language。 I just fell in love with Plath’s way of describing scenarios， yet still keeping it entertaining。 Even though Ester had to go through some horrible stuff like the electric chair， I still found it very important that Plath brought it up。 I have also heard that some people have said that this book is based o So ever since I first heard about the bell jar I was immediately drawn to the story and Sylvia Plath and her tragic life。 I would have to say that my favorite part of the book was the language。 I just fell in love with Plath’s way of describing scenarios， yet still keeping it entertaining。 Even though Ester had to go through some horrible stuff like the electric chair， I still found it very important that Plath brought it up。 I have also heard that some people have said that this book is based on her own life and that is just heartbreaking。 I definitely think I will look in to Plath’s other work and reread the bell jar soon again。 。。。more

Emma Grayson ，

promising young woman， esther， realizes she doesn’t know what to do with her life， almost overwhelmed by the possibilities， and begins spiraling into lunacy in almost a dumb， depressed stupor。 scarily relatable at this point in my life but absolutely poignant and modern and relevant。

Iselin ，

I read this the summer of 2017 but I removed my review and rating from back in the day a few years ago upon reading it again。 I really don’t know how I feel about it anymore and I think I’m going to re-read it properly this year。

Jonathan Pool ，

The Bell Jar must be one of the most difficult novels to read for the first time and not have significant preconceptions。 The volatile relationship between Plath and poet husband Ted Hughes; Plath’s death， and Hughes control of Plath’s estate have been much written about and discussed。 One review of The Bell Jar made the observation that “the short time span between the publication of the book and Plath's suicide resulted in ‘few innocent readings’ of the novel”。While my overall response to the The Bell Jar must be one of the most difficult novels to read for the first time and not have significant preconceptions。 The volatile relationship between Plath and poet husband Ted Hughes; Plath’s death， and Hughes control of Plath’s estate have been much written about and discussed。 One review of The Bell Jar made the observation that “the short time span between the publication of the book and Plath's suicide resulted in ‘few innocent readings’ of the novel”。While my overall response to the book was much as I had anticipated， the structure of the book and the writing style surprised me。This is a book that flows very easily， and even in the descriptions of depression， and the treatments being used in the 1950’s， there is a surprising amount of humour that comes through。 I had expected this to be a book focused entirely on the descent into depression， and yet it is also very much a feminist book which charts the， for the most part， lousy attitude of the men that our protagonist， Esther Greenwood， encounters as a young woman。 “I hated the idea of serving men in any way” 。 That’s no wonder if Eric， Marco， Irwin and Buddy were representative of men in these formative years。The semi autobiographical roman-a-clef story revolves around Esther and she is a spiky individual， sometimes the architect of her own misfortune， and a girl whose disrupted childhood （from the age of nine） accounts for her struggle to fit in and conform。 She has friendship group issues， career indecision， sexual worry- both about intercourse and in understanding different sexualities。 In short she has a number of normal， natural anxieties that best huge numbers of college/school leavers， and the tentative first steps into adulthood。 Ester announces herself to the reader with a stated aspiration for “a life of marvellous elegant decadence that attracted me like a magnet” I guess the perennial debate， and I don’t have a convenient answer， is at what point， and what triggers a person， Esther， to develop psychological issues that need specialist treatment in private clinics， residential hospitals？ Esther exhibits some neurosis in the first part of the book， on a week long work internship in New York， but I didn’t pick up that her anxieties following setbacks in her writing aspirations， were of such a magnitude as to necessitate and justify the specialist treatment she was given。I was particularly impressed by the character portrayals of a number of the supporting cast。 It was a pity that these other characters were not further developed。Constantin: a man who had intuition ; something that American men lackedJay Cee （Ester’s New York mentor）: “she looked terrible， but very wise” Dr。 Nolan: Asked by Esther， what does a woman see in a woman that she can’t see in a man？ Dr Nolan “ tenderness” A bleak book summed up ”to the person in the bell jar， blank and stopped as a dead baby， the world itself is the bad dream” 。 Its also a memorable book， unique（？） in its depiction of the intersection of feminism and depression。 。。。more

Bouny ，

Beaucoup de justesse， beaucoup de sincérité。 Happant et envoutant， un véritable chef-d'oeuvre。 Beaucoup de justesse， beaucoup de sincérité。 Happant et envoutant， un véritable chef-d'oeuvre。 。。。more

isobel senhaji ，

catcher in the rye but for clinically depressed women…。。i get it

Luanna ，

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 "Para a pessoa dentro da redoma de vidro， vazia e imóvel como um bebê morto， o mundo inteiro é um sonho ruim。 Um sonho ruim。 Eu lembrava de tudo [。。。] Talvez o esquecimento， como uma nevasca suave， pudesse entorpecer e esconder aquilo tudo。 Mas aquilo tudo era parte de mim。 Era a minha paisagem。" "Para a pessoa dentro da redoma de vidro， vazia e imóvel como um bebê morto， o mundo inteiro é um sonho ruim。 Um sonho ruim。 Eu lembrava de tudo [。。。] Talvez o esquecimento， como uma nevasca suave， pudesse entorpecer e esconder aquilo tudo。 Mas aquilo tudo era parte de mim。 Era a minha paisagem。" 。。。more

Christy ，

It's a classic for a reason。 Well written， thought provoking and engaging。 You can't help but get wrapped up in Esther's struggles and ask yourself what's real or not。 It's a classic for a reason。 Well written， thought provoking and engaging。 You can't help but get wrapped up in Esther's struggles and ask yourself what's real or not。 。。。more

soph reads ，

so beautifully written and just an incredible story。 i could not put this book down， i always thought about it and just wanted to read more of it！ the ending i thought would take a different route， but i liked the ending， it felt like i lived through the ups and downs of Esther Greenwood's life with her。 i 100% recommend to anyone， but be sure to have an awareness of the difficult topics brought up in this book。 so beautifully written and just an incredible story。 i could not put this book down， i always thought about it and just wanted to read more of it！ the ending i thought would take a different route， but i liked the ending， it felt like i lived through the ups and downs of Esther Greenwood's life with her。 i 100% recommend to anyone， but be sure to have an awareness of the difficult topics brought up in this book。 。。。more

Amy Rosina ，

I find this quite similar to The Catcher In The Rye， which is a great thing。 Really enjoyed reading this， though it can be very dark at times。 Take it as it comes and read this when you are feeling strong and happy！

Marie ，

As someone who got two English lit degrees from a women’s college， I’m not sure how I avoided this book for so long。 I’m glad it took me awhile to read it， though; I’m not sure I would’ve really appreciated the absolute heaviness of the topics and the writing when I was younger。 Plath makes you feel like you’re right there under the bell jar with Esther。 Of course， that might also be because women’s healthcare is still under attack， and we’re all just one Supreme Court ruling from actually being As someone who got two English lit degrees from a women’s college， I’m not sure how I avoided this book for so long。 I’m glad it took me awhile to read it， though; I’m not sure I would’ve really appreciated the absolute heaviness of the topics and the writing when I was younger。 Plath makes you feel like you’re right there under the bell jar with Esther。 Of course， that might also be because women’s healthcare is still under attack， and we’re all just one Supreme Court ruling from actually being under the bell jar just like Esther。 。。。more

Tommen ，

Absolutely beautiful prose

Sstellaaq ，

I had high expectations since The Bell Jar is loved by many but I really didn't like it。 Now when I think about it I have only had it recommended to me by white women。 It was racist and it gave me very much "white feminism" vibes。 Maybe it would have been more mind blowing if I had read it when it came out， but reading it today was just very frustrating。 I wished someone would have warned me about the racism。。。 I had high expectations since The Bell Jar is loved by many but I really didn't like it。 Now when I think about it I have only had it recommended to me by white women。 It was racist and it gave me very much "white feminism" vibes。 Maybe it would have been more mind blowing if I had read it when it came out， but reading it today was just very frustrating。 I wished someone would have warned me about the racism。。。 。。。more

Jennifer King ，

Just finished this book and it was oh， so disturbing。 A brilliant glimpse into the life of a fictional character and her downward spiral due to mental illness。 My heart hurts for those who struggle with this disease and I am so thankful for advances in medical treatments and psychiatry。 Now I’m ready to read something lighthearted！

Bill Khaemba ，

Utterly depressing， beautifully told from the perspective of a young promising woman in 1950s New York。 Lyrical and sad we dive into the darkest parts of her psychosis， I can see why it resonates with so many readers and definitely groundbreaking for its time tackling mental health， so glad I finally read it。

Burcu Başol ，

I am obsessed with Sylvia Plath's work。 I love her writing and I am lost in her poetry every single time I read。 She inspires me to write poems。 This is the first work I read from her outside of her poems。I started knowing nothing about this book I knew no background or what about。 As soon as I started I felt that something is off with the main character。 I enjoyed all the glamorous descriptions of clothes and parties and even her daily life even at the times nothing is going on it felt like I a I am obsessed with Sylvia Plath's work。 I love her writing and I am lost in her poetry every single time I read。 She inspires me to write poems。 This is the first work I read from her outside of her poems。I started knowing nothing about this book I knew no background or what about。 As soon as I started I felt that something is off with the main character。 I enjoyed all the glamorous descriptions of clothes and parties and even her daily life even at the times nothing is going on it felt like I am in her brain lingering around and exploring the world， events from her eyes， as an observer inside her brain which I love it。I love that， especially because this is a fictional autobiography of Sylvia Plath。 I learned that she suicide shortly after this book been published。 Which made this book more important and intriguing in my eyes it felt so intimate to read this after knowing this information I feel like I am reading her journal。 But I must say that it annoyed me the way she belittles everyone around her and how highly she sees herself and belittle herself at the same time。 The more I read I found more things about myself and the depression I have been through so the book becomes more relatable to me and my life。 I saw all the insecurities and how one becomes depressed and suicidal at the same time seeing all that disturbed me because I can see in myself and my life。 In conclusion， she's without a doubt a wonderful poet and novelist。 I would suggest this book to people who are interested in her， her works， and depression in general。 But stay away from it if you're actually depressed yourself because it doesn't really feel good。Happy Reading！ 。。。more

Saartje de Groot ，

It was well written， but after each read I would feel very negative

Worood ，

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath is one of the novels I will never forget， and I think anyone who has read it can say the same thing。 The way Sylvia Plath uses metaphors for so many obstacles that Esther Greenwood faces in the novel， and the biggest one being the fact that she's trapped in 'a bell Jar' which is （how I interpreted it） this cycle of depression that she can't seem to get out of， and when it feels like she's finally out of this place， she doesn't know when the bell Jar will descend agai The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath is one of the novels I will never forget， and I think anyone who has read it can say the same thing。 The way Sylvia Plath uses metaphors for so many obstacles that Esther Greenwood faces in the novel， and the biggest one being the fact that she's trapped in 'a bell Jar' which is （how I interpreted it） this cycle of depression that she can't seem to get out of， and when it feels like she's finally out of this place， she doesn't know when the bell Jar will descend again。 I love how this novel is written in a way where her break into insanity isn't rushed and unreasonable， and the fact that its written in the 1st person， you kinda follow along this journey of her inner thoughts gradually getting more and more concerning， but again， with the timeline of events that lead up to certain things， you grow this sorrowfulness for her， you find yourself justifying some of her actions because you know and understand what caused her to do it。 。。。more

Natália Somsedíková ，

This book is so painful but so truthful ❤️ depression is a real tortutre

Tom Gaetjens ，

Strong observational writing and well-rendered characters。 As is so often the case， there's a good reason this is a classic and it's not merely the sensationalism of the semi-autobiographical parallels。 Strong observational writing and well-rendered characters。 As is so often the case， there's a good reason this is a classic and it's not merely the sensationalism of the semi-autobiographical parallels。 。。。more

Franco Colombo Russell ，

I've always been a fan of Plath's poetry， and this is my first time reading a novel in a while。 Although I pretty much heard a lot about this book and know a lot about her personal story， The Bell Jar addresses several issues such as depression， sexuality， women and growth that are so relatable and relevant to our society。 Her storytelling is fantastic: great visual imagery and descriptive narration with a personal focus on the main character; Esther。 The story is both overwhelming and empowerin I've always been a fan of Plath's poetry， and this is my first time reading a novel in a while。 Although I pretty much heard a lot about this book and know a lot about her personal story， The Bell Jar addresses several issues such as depression， sexuality， women and growth that are so relatable and relevant to our society。 Her storytelling is fantastic: great visual imagery and descriptive narration with a personal focus on the main character; Esther。 The story is both overwhelming and empowering as the reader navigates through the life of Esther and the discoveries of her personality and mental health。 I love this book and I highly recommend it if you love Sylvia Plath and you are interested in knowing more about her life。 ❤️ 。。。more

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Bell Jar

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Bell Jar&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The Bell Jar&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0