Book Notes, Summary and Review: The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar is a semi-autobiographical story. The protagonist, Esther, travels to New York for her internship at a fashion magazine. As the story progresses, we the readers begin to notice how her mental state deteriorates over time.

What strikes me most about Plath's writing is how she captures Esther's feelings with such vivid precision and detail. Here are some of my personal favorite descriptions of Esther's complex and vibrant inner life:

I felt like a racehorse in a world without race-tracks or a champion college footballer suddenly confronted by Wall Street and a business suit, his days of glory shrunk to a little gold cup on his mantel with a date engraved on it like the date on a tombstone

The air punched out of my stomach. All through June the writing course had stretched before me like a bright, safe bridge over the dull gulf of the summer. Now I saw it totter and dissolve, and a body in a white blouse and green skirt plummet into the gap.

Further, Plath effectively communicates Esther's struggles during her depressive episode. Her physical fatigue, her existential weariness, her constant anxieties. Plath accomplishes this through her use of long meandering sentences, the first person point of view, and most notably the symbolism of the bell jar. All of which makes The Bell Jar such an immersive reading experience as we get to empathize with Esther's battle with her depression.

The Bell Jar is a powerful, honest and poignant read, packed with bleak truths and controversial talking points. Twists and turns are found throughout the book. They may take you by surprise at times, which, looking back now, seems to serve the purpose of inviting you the reader to reconsider the priorities of your life, as well as contemplate on the purpose of life. But more importantly, perhaps, The Bell Jar urges us to be grateful for our circumstances, and to find joy in the little things in life.