Who Is Esther's Mind In The Bell Jar

Words: 330

Pages: 2

As Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar comes to a conclusion, the reader is left with an unanswered question: is Esther’s mind truly repaired? Rather than simply telling the reader whether the doctors deem Esther fit for the world outside of the asylum, Sylvia Plath leaves clues lets the reader decide. While many of these clues portray Esther’s state of mind as improved, there is still a significant amount of evidence suggesting that Esther still has underlying mental health issues. In summary, Esther is recovering, but will never truly escape her depression.
Plath ends the novel with Esther thinking that “There ought… to be a ritual for being born twice - patched, retreaded and approved” (244). With these words, Esther finally accepts the truth that

Show More

AcademicPaper ShivaliChoythani

The Bell Jar A theme and a symbol of a story are the primary messages that an author tries to express through his or her work. They flow through a story and can be interpreted by the protagonists’ actions, interactions, and motivations. In many literary works, a theme can express an idea, clarify meaning or enlarge literal meaning. A theme adds depth and meaning to a literary work and a symbol creates a range of associations beyond itself. With the help of a theme and a symbol, writers can convey…

Words 1946 - Pages 8

The Bell Jar Semester Paper

THE REASON WHY ESTHER GREENWOOD CAN’T “BE NORMAL” Normalcy is defined in the dictionary as the condition of being normal; the state of being usual, typical, or expected. The character of Esther Greenwood in The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath penetrates the boundaries of being normal. Esther’s story is more than the pursuit for sexual freedom that many claim it to be. Her story is a silent call for help. But why does Esther need help? There is evidence to support the theory that she was mentally unstable…

Words 3632 - Pages 15

Compare the Ways Plath and Kesey Present Psychological Disorders and â€˜Minds Under Stressâ€™ in the Bell Jar and One Flew over the Cuckooâ€™s Nest? Essay

‘One flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ and ‘The Bell Jar’ can be linked considerably. Both the novels in question are products of the author’s own experiences and the specific culture in which they were written. They both draw upon similar events throughout, yet the philosophy and reason behind them is often significantly contrasting. However, it cannot be argued that their presentation of psychological disorder and the pressure that it forces on the mind are intrinsically linked due to the circumstances…

Words 3257 - Pages 14

Novel Notebook: The Bell Jar

Novel Notebook: The Bell Jar 1.Setting/Matter: The Bell Jar is set in June 1953 to January 1954. During this time, Mccarthy is conducting the Red Scare and The Rosenbergs are executed. While looking into this section I realized that the Rosenberg execution was mentioned about five times throughout the book. This led me to ask myself the question; how is the Rosenberg execution utilized in the Bell Jar? Sylvia Plath uses the Rosenberg execution to do two things, to characterise Esther Greenwood and…

Words 1788 - Pages 8

The Bell Jar Paper

key principle for understanding and responding to one's atmosphere. In "The Bell Jar," Esther battles not only a deteriorating mental stability, but also lacks a sense of individuality. Esther is a young, sensitive and intelligent woman who feels oppressed by the obvious social restrictions placed upon women, and the pressure she feels regarding her future. Undoubtedly these emotional burdens result not only in Esther's social and intellectual isolation, but also her impending mental breakdown. Clearly…

Words 1477 - Pages 6

Sylvia Plath Research Paper

influenced her writing. The first person point of view fixates the reader with the narrator in the electrotherapy room and in the asylums. We are able to feel her fear and anxiety shroud her judgment with cynicism and mistrust page by page. Yet through Esther’s eyes, I could still see beautiful things. The way Plath describes what she sees with intricate similes and satisfying images, even in the sinister of times demonstrate her poetic credence. With a witty and thoughtful tone, Sylvia Plath spirals the…

Words 540 - Pages 3

Gender Roles In The Bell Jar

In both The Bell Jar and The Catcher in the Rye, the authors exhibit the main characters breaking traditional gender roles with their opinions and actions that shape who they truly are. In The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath the leading protagonist, Esther challenges the norms of a woman by disagreeing with and neglecting the conventional standards of virginity . Esther explains the magazine clipping her mother mailed to her: “It gave all the reasons a girl shouldn't sleep with anybody but her husband…

Words 870 - Pages 4