The Bell Jar

The Bell Jar is a kaleidoscope of a novel. As new fragments of light and new colors appear with every shifting of the scope, with every page of The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath explores a new pivotal lesson. Plath expertly weaves theme after theme in the cloth that became The Bell Jar, which celebrates its 60th anniversary in upcoming weeks. The Bell Jar was revolutionary for its time and remains revolutionary to this day. Sylvia Plath traversed themes of mental health, depression, and a new side of femininity that had never been explored during her time. The novel stayed amazingly relevant as time went on, connecting with a new generation, with every turn of the page.

The Bell Jar follows the young woman, Esther Green, a college student aspiring to become a poet. After winning an essay contest, she is granted the gift of a lifetime- a month spent interning at a magazine in New York City. Esther does not adapt to this environment easily at all. Having grown up in the Boston suburbs, she is unfamiliar with the ins and outs of the high society girls she now interacts with. During her time in this internship, she experiences a series of shocking events, including almost being raped. This especially took a tax on Esther, who had sworn to not engage with anyone prior to marriage.

Upon her graduation, Esther became lost in the world. A recent argument with her boyfriend, whom she plans to marry, causes her to fall into a downward spiral, perpetuated only by her rejection from a prestigious summer writing program. She returns to reside with her widowed mother in Boston, a recipe for further disaster. Esther and her mother had always had a rocky relationship due to their disconnect. Esther’s passion for the arts had always been seen as a passing whim to Mrs. Greenwood, nor Esther’s mental struggles. Due to her circumstances, Esther falls into a deeper hole, planning and failing at numerous suicide attempts. After being visited by a psychiatrist, a faulty electrotherapy treatment leaves Esther traumatized, causing her to attempt and fail once more. 

She later finds herself in a mental institution, where she makes an unlikely acquaintance- someone Esther sees as a reflection of herself. In the hospital, she explores her identity and what it truly means to be a woman. Esther navigates through the lows and highs of her mental health. She fights through the loss of her “reflection”, the ending of her relationship, and the loss of her purity.

The book itself depicts an accurate account of the mentally illness. It does not serve to glorify the disorder, as many pieces of modern media do. The Bell Jar was a pioneer of literature, shedding light upon topics that were previously considered taboo. It allowed a generation of young women and others suffering from mental illness to see themselves represented for the first time. It gave them outlets to open discussion amongst those with similar experiences and the outside world as well. Working to educate even those who have no experience or previous knowledge of mental disorders. 

Esther’s experiences, the estrangement of mind from her physical form, is an idea that is greatly touched upon. An affliction which many must deal with in the world. Only one of many examples where the topics of disorder are discussed. 

The novel also served to critique the socio-political state of the time period and exposed its many toxicities. The effects of which are greatly amplified by the fact that it is told through the perspective of a female character. Giving women who once suffered in silence an opportunity to speak out on their personal experiences. The topics of feminism in itself were also illustrated by Plath, commenting on how women often only gained respect when associated with men. Esther herself was faced with numerous accounts of social pressure, which pushed her to become a housewife instead of pursuing a career. Her views about her own “purity”, are a consequence of those around her.

Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar was a trailblazer in the literary world. Inspiring generations of not only authors but also artists, musicians, and filmmakers to touch upon once-hidden topics such as mental health. It allowed people who were once silenced under general consensus to have a voice and teach others of their circumstances to do the same. There was not a book in centuries quite like The Bell Jar and no subsequent pieces of literature have replicated the impact and raw storytelling that Plaths’ work contained.