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5 Reviews For This Product
Rated 5 out of 5
05
by VMR
I find The Bell Jar an intriguing book that covers the areas of relationships/mental health realistically. This book is based on the author’s experiences. It is an adult book and describes (but does not analyse unsurprisingly) many aspects of relationships from the perspective of Esther Greenwood (the main character). The story starts off quite slowly in a feintly amusing sort of way and some might find this uninteresting. Gradually a picture emerges of an unhappy young woman who has contact with men but is unfulfilled emotionally by them. The portrayal of a woman’s attitude and thought process provides an insight into the way certain kinds of sophisticated women might think. The book has a natural flow to it and unlike some fictional books there is nothing here that seems unlikely or out of place. Esther’s difficulty is her partial dislike for her intended, severe dislikes of some males and a lack of interest from males she does like. As you progress more and more through the book you begin to see more of Sylvia’s beautiful and imaginative writing. One example that comes to mind is when her man (Buddy Willard) describes his mother saying `- a man is an arrow into the future and the woman where the arrow shoots from’. There are many dark elements to this novel: the sinister descriptions of medical laboratories, mental institutions and the negativity and depression contained within. What makes it surreal is the background of parties, student life and past recollections. This must have been a rather difficult book to write as unlike many books it doesn’t have multiple stories or characters that interact or exciting events throughout. The fact that the book is over 200 pages also makes it long for a story about one person’s depressive illness. So whereas some books draw you in to a story because The Bell Jar is not like this there is a tendency to become a little disinterested until the next gem of imaginative brilliance. The Bell Jar is a story of two halves. The first half describes the cause of Esther’s illness and the second describes the effect of it, although the reader comes to realise that Esther is already ill in the first section. In the book a man who hates women attacks Esther. The analogy of a snake in a glass cage (the woman hater) is memorable description of which there are a number sprinkled throughout the novel. With these kinds of experiences Esther’s character becomes cold. A magical element of this book is the way her other friends find things so easy; they are all contented. Sylvia might have focussed on the inevitable friction this would cause but elects not to. From chapter 10 onwards the second part of the novel describes the consequences of the earlier events. Some may find this the most interesting part of the book. With chilling accuracy Sylvia describes the form of Esther’s breakdown. Its all there: the aspects the sufferer clings to that don’t make any difference, the futile attempts to change things, rejection from a writing course, ending her relationship with Buddy etc. Sylvia vividly shows how Esther’s high ability works against her, how she starts things but gives them up and how she stays in bed for days unable to sleep. The author has quite an unusual writing style that I find disorienting, only later on in the story am I able to perhaps understand things. She sometimes describes subsequent events in the story before the other events. Whether this is a surreal element of the writing or simply annoying will depend on the reader. The book is harrowing in its descriptions of self-harm as the terrible state Esther is in becomes clearer and clearer. This novel is for purists and adults. It is sometimes hard going but rewarding in the way it complexly evolves. Perhaps the method/style/form of writing is in itself a portrayal of the malaise of mental health problems. It certainly makes the book different to other classic works. Overall I am confused by The Bell Jar and am at a loss to determine its worth.
For: Flashes of genius Realistic depiction of slide into mental illness Interesting perspective on human relationships
Against: Realism that makes it occasionally difficult to maintain interest
Rated 5 out of 5
05
by M
Wasn’t sure what to expect of this book, after reading her poems first. I couldn’t put this book down. Very dark and intense chapters in the book, which may be triggering for some, but also witty and funny. The fig tree quote was a standout quote of the book which I feel many young people of the character’s age will relate to. Considering the time it was written, it deals with some very bold topics relating to women and society in the 1950s. Would read again
Rated 5 out of 5
05
by Amazon Customer
It was a great book!!
Rated 4 out of 5
05
by Kindle Customer
The bell jar is loosely based on Sylvia Path’s personal battle with mental health and depression. As we follow her journey from a successful graduate descend into the abyss of her illness, cut away from the world by the figurative confines of her bell jar and the literal confines of mental institutions, we cannot help but feel disturbed and saddened. In the background is worth noting the struggles of women at the start of the 1900s and Plath’s powerful feminism. The writing is brilliant and a testament to Plath’s talents.
Rated 3 out of 5
05
by Anonymous
Trigger warning – Rape, sexual abuse, suicide, violence, gore.
I do have sympathy towards Sylvia Plath, she definitely had some major issues, and her own network of family and friends were struggling to find her help, despite their best efforts. Plath mirrors the main character, Esther Greenwood, in the book, and it was clear that Esther embodied her real life and personal struggles, for example, her husband being infidel or how she underwent ECT for her depression.
I definitely liked Esther’s honesty and bluntness. She questions the system and doesn’t want to conform to traditional ideologies for the sake of society. However, at times, Esther can be a bit hypocritical, for example, she loses her virginity on the basis that her former lover, Buddy Willard, did the same thing. She criticized him for doing it, yet she ventures out to do the same the thing as him. I don’t understand why she can’t be “The better person.” Also, she says that Buddy Willard deserved Tuberculosis due to his promiscuity.
Buddy Willard was a pretty respectable person, he was a Catholic and a medical professional. He did do some awful things such as dissuade her from pursuing a career in poetry as she’d be too busy looking after children to be bothered about poetry.
£0.90
by VMR
I find The Bell Jar an intriguing book that covers the areas of relationships/mental health realistically. This book is based on the author’s experiences. It is an adult book and describes (but does not analyse unsurprisingly) many aspects of relationships from the perspective of Esther Greenwood (the main character). The story starts off quite slowly in a feintly amusing sort of way and some might find this uninteresting. Gradually a picture emerges of an unhappy young woman who has contact with men but is unfulfilled emotionally by them. The portrayal of a woman’s attitude and thought process provides an insight into the way certain kinds of sophisticated women might think. The book has a natural flow to it and unlike some fictional books there is nothing here that seems unlikely or out of place. Esther’s difficulty is her partial dislike for her intended, severe dislikes of some males and a lack of interest from males she does like. As you progress more and more through the book you begin to see more of Sylvia’s beautiful and imaginative writing. One example that comes to mind is when her man (Buddy Willard) describes his mother saying `- a man is an arrow into the future and the woman where the arrow shoots from’. There are many dark elements to this novel: the sinister descriptions of medical laboratories, mental institutions and the negativity and depression contained within. What makes it surreal is the background of parties, student life and past recollections. This must have been a rather difficult book to write as unlike many books it doesn’t have multiple stories or characters that interact or exciting events throughout. The fact that the book is over 200 pages also makes it long for a story about one person’s depressive illness. So whereas some books draw you in to a story because The Bell Jar is not like this there is a tendency to become a little disinterested until the next gem of imaginative brilliance. The Bell Jar is a story of two halves. The first half describes the cause of Esther’s illness and the second describes the effect of it, although the reader comes to realise that Esther is already ill in the first section. In the book a man who hates women attacks Esther. The analogy of a snake in a glass cage (the woman hater) is memorable description of which there are a number sprinkled throughout the novel. With these kinds of experiences Esther’s character becomes cold. A magical element of this book is the way her other friends find things so easy; they are all contented. Sylvia might have focussed on the inevitable friction this would cause but elects not to. From chapter 10 onwards the second part of the novel describes the consequences of the earlier events. Some may find this the most interesting part of the book. With chilling accuracy Sylvia describes the form of Esther’s breakdown. Its all there: the aspects the sufferer clings to that don’t make any difference, the futile attempts to change things, rejection from a writing course, ending her relationship with Buddy etc. Sylvia vividly shows how Esther’s high ability works against her, how she starts things but gives them up and how she stays in bed for days unable to sleep. The author has quite an unusual writing style that I find disorienting, only later on in the story am I able to perhaps understand things. She sometimes describes subsequent events in the story before the other events. Whether this is a surreal element of the writing or simply annoying will depend on the reader. The book is harrowing in its descriptions of self-harm as the terrible state Esther is in becomes clearer and clearer. This novel is for purists and adults. It is sometimes hard going but rewarding in the way it complexly evolves. Perhaps the method/style/form of writing is in itself a portrayal of the malaise of mental health problems. It certainly makes the book different to other classic works. Overall I am confused by The Bell Jar and am at a loss to determine its worth.
For:
Flashes of genius
Realistic depiction of slide into mental illness
Interesting perspective on human relationships
Against:
Realism that makes it occasionally difficult to maintain interest
by M
Wasn’t sure what to expect of this book, after reading her poems first. I couldn’t put this book down. Very dark and intense chapters in the book, which may be triggering for some, but also witty and funny. The fig tree quote was a standout quote of the book which I feel many young people of the character’s age will relate to. Considering the time it was written, it deals with some very bold topics relating to women and society in the 1950s. Would read again
by Amazon Customer
It was a great book!!
by Kindle Customer
The bell jar is loosely based on Sylvia Path’s personal battle with mental health and depression. As we follow her journey from a successful graduate descend into the abyss of her illness, cut away from the world by the figurative confines of her bell jar and the literal confines of mental institutions, we cannot help but feel disturbed and saddened. In the background is worth noting the struggles of women at the start of the 1900s and Plath’s powerful feminism. The writing is brilliant and a testament to Plath’s talents.
by Anonymous
Trigger warning – Rape, sexual abuse, suicide, violence, gore.
I do have sympathy towards Sylvia Plath, she definitely had some major issues, and her own network of family and friends were struggling to find her help, despite their best efforts. Plath mirrors the main character, Esther Greenwood, in the book, and it was clear that Esther embodied her real life and personal struggles, for example, her husband being infidel or how she underwent ECT for her depression.
I definitely liked Esther’s honesty and bluntness. She questions the system and doesn’t want to conform to traditional ideologies for the sake of society. However, at times, Esther can be a bit hypocritical, for example, she loses her virginity on the basis that her former lover, Buddy Willard, did the same thing. She criticized him for doing it, yet she ventures out to do the same the thing as him. I don’t understand why she can’t be “The better person.” Also, she says that Buddy Willard deserved Tuberculosis due to his promiscuity.
Buddy Willard was a pretty respectable person, he was a Catholic and a medical professional. He did do some awful things such as dissuade her from pursuing a career in poetry as she’d be too busy looking after children to be bothered about poetry.