The Bell Jar

by Sylvia Plath

[celinenyx]

Utterly bleak, but it feels so genuine and real to me.

The Bell Jar is the story of Esther Greenwood, a young woman who has everything going for her. She gets straight A's, and and has won a trip to New York where she interns at a women's magazine. But inside she's slowly suffocating, feeling as if she's trapped inside a bell jar.

I find it fascinating to read reader's responses to this book. Some people hate Esther, and just want to shake her and tell her to snap out of it. Some people can't stand the fact that there is no "Hallmark" message in this book. The Bell Jar won't make you appreciate life more. It doesn't tell you to enjoy every moment. There is no shining revelation for Esther in which she realizes that the potential to love life and be happy was there all along.

And then there are readers like me. Readers who know how Esther feels. Readers that think, me too. And to me it's somewhat of a comfort to read this book, even though it is a desolate and cold comfort. I can't say that I have gone through the same things Esther does, but the way she relates to the world felt familiar.

The Bell Jar is a confrontational and jarring read, the narrative jumping from one moment to the other, and focusing on moments that might not be the highlight of a conventional narrative. In a way this book is deeply personal, and whether or not it resonates with you depends entirely on your own experience. People suffering from depression might want to proceed with caution.