The Bell Jar is a timeless semi-autobiographical story of a young white woman fighting for her sanity in a misogynistic world. The novel touches on themes of mental health, sexism, young adulthood, depression, and grief. This book is a must read for understanding the struggles of mental illness and societal pressures faced by women.
The Bell Jar tells the story of a brilliant 19-year-old Esther Greenwood and her descent into psychosis.
We begin in 1950’s New York City, as Esther is partaking in a month-long editor internship at a fashion magazine. As the internship comes to an end, she slowly falls into a state of depression. Throughout the course of the book, the reader follows Esther’s deep spiral into depression and is taken on a journey of self discovery and the suffocating sensation of living inside “the bell jar”.
This metaphor is mentioned multiple times throughout the book, and describes an overwhelming grip of depression. Esther describes herself as being trapped under a glass bell jar, and isolated from the rest of the world. The glass acts as a distorting lens as she looks out, warping her view on the world.
As the story progresses, the reader is invited inside her haunted mind and witnesses her struggles, fears, and thoughts. Discussing mental health and mental illness was taboo in the 1950s, and it was revolutionary for Plath to write such honesty and transparency. Reading literature like this not only offers a deeper understanding for mental illness, but can help people feel understood.
Plath does an amazing job following Esther along the transition from girlhood to womanhood and describing the struggles of facing sexism in the 1950s. She openly criticizes societal norms and unrealistic expectations of women throughout the novel, which helped fuel the second wave of the feminist movement.
Reading this book made me feel seen as a woman. Esther struggles with imposter syndrome throughout the course of the book. She is faced with constant academic pressure to be successful, and at the same time, she’s pushed to be a proper lady, get married, and have children. I feel like these are pressures that I, and every woman face, and I really love books that address these issues without sugarcoating them.
Esther’s very raw and unfiltered view of the world brings this book to life. She openly recognizes and criticizes societal norms and sexism throughout the book, which is really refreshing. Esther also has a very blunt and straightforward personality. She admits to her own problems, and the reader full access to her mind, letting them know her every thought. It’s really interesting to read, especially because we get an understanding of what it’s like to be struggling with depression.
A disturbing aspect of the Bell Jar is the racist descriptions of several characters throughout the book. These racist innuendos are shocking to come across, and can give the reader a sense of unease. Plath wrote the book at a time of overt racism in this country, but that still doesn’t justify the racism found in the writing. This aspect of the book has definitely not aged well, but that doesn’t mean the book isn’t worth reading. It’s actually important to read and learn about history, because it allows us to improve. So, although these parts of the book may be triggering and potentially hard to read, it is still a worthwhile endeavor.
So yes, The Bell Jar is definitely worth your time. Although it’s not a lighthearted book, it’s an interesting and realistic tale of a young woman’s journey through life and depression. No matter who or where you are, The Bell Jar is a fascinating tale for anyone wanting a challenging and subversive story.
