I would just like to preface my comments by saying that I am absolutely loving this book! I am so mad at myself for not listening to all my friends when they told me to read it all throughout high school. The way that Sylvia Plath writes is incredibly captivating and immediately draws me into the story. I feel for Esther, her anger and disappointment at Buddy Willard, and her feelings of having a stunted sense of direction. Who among us has never felt the emotions she has? Disappointment in a peer? Check. No clue what to do with your life? Check. Third wheel to a couple? Check. It happens to all of us. She weaves a story of such detail and description that even if I did not know that this book is semi-autobiographical, I would have guess that she poured her heart and soul into it.
For my blog post I would like to address a single sentence from the seven chapters we had to read.
"I wanted to crawl in between those black lines of print the way you crawl through a fence, and go to sleep under that beautiful big green fig tree" (Plath 55).
The moment I read this sentence, my heart surged with the recognition of a kindred soul. I consider myself to be an avid reader, whether it be The Help, Harry Potter, or The Catcher in the Rye, I'll read it all. And I cannot count the number of times I have finished reading a book only to want to spread it open and swan dive into the text. To become best friends with the characters I've fallen in love with and mess around with them throughout their adventures is my goal. What I wouldn't give to explore Redwall Abbey with Matthias, contemplate the American Dream with Nick Carraway, or pal around in Maycomb, Alabama with my two favorite characters of all time, Scout and Jem. Although, these are simply the wishes of an adolescent daydreamer, I shall continue to let my mind wander, for the possibilities of the impossible are endless.
I completely agree! I love the way Sylvia Plath writes so openly and unfiltered. It creates relatable situations that many young adults face in their day-to-day lives. However Esther is extreme in some of her emotions, I can still relate to her, and I feel that several of my peers can too. Being able to connect with a character within a book lets the readers forget about the real world worries and enjoy life. The Bell Jar gives its readers comfort, that they aren't the only crazy ones out there, and definitely not the craziest.
ReplyDeleteI thought that the imagery in this passage was quite beautiful as well. I would agree that Plath's own voice is one of the major contributing factors in the attraction that this book has. When I consider the main plot, there have not been many extremely interesting events that took place; but, it is the way Plath brings these menial events to life through Esther's discription that intrigues me.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Sylvia Plath has a very unique and captivating way of writing. But, I like this novel because of her writing style, and only because of her writing style. If it was not for the beautiful imagery and precise metaphors, I would have stopped reading long ago. Esther's outlook on life and her overall mood is WAY to depressing; it just makes me feel sick and depressed myself. Sure, I like that Sylvia Plath creates a real, perhaps "relatable" character, but I want reading to make me feel good, not depressed. I completely understand what you mean about wanting to become BFFs with the characters you read about in books, but Esther is certainly not one of those characters for me. She is obviously extremely unhealthy and being around a person like her would only make me cynical, unproductive and unhappy. I think it's important to surround oneself with the people that make him/her feel most comfortable, confident, enthusiastic and optimistic.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Holly said, about how being around Esther would just make me depressed. Sometimes throughout the book, Esther does things that genuinely annoy me because of how stupid they are, like throwing all her nice clothes out the window, and not showering for three weeks. Yet at the same time, I have sympathy for her and I feel like if I knew her in real life I'd get to know her and try to help her, or at least try to understand what's going on in her head. However, I don't know if my help would be appreciated, because Esther might just push me away like she did to every other character in the book.
ReplyDeleteI thought the way in which Sylvia Plath captured the extreme emotions of an unstable teen was unique. The words she chose to describe Esther's feelings, and her metaphors, greatly enhance the reader's understanding of the character. Although I don't have the easiest time relating to Esther, I too have wanted to dive into certain books that I have read. For example, after reading the first Harry Potter book at the age of eight, I forced my mom to bring me to Borders to buy spell books. I was adamant that I would become a witch, and soon, join my friends at Hogwarts.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said as well as what Rachel commented. I also love reading and always wish I could dive into and live in the books I love. Reading is almost like going on a journey and when the book is over you are left slightly disheartened because you don't want that adventure to end. I have often had the experience of wanting to know more, to watch the characters continue to interact and live their lives, even if the ending is final. A huge reason I love this book in particular is that it does make me feel less crazy. That's not to say I am not a little quirky and weird, but comparing myself to Esther allows me to see that I am stable and sane. At the same time her descriptions of mental deterioration make her character so personable and make me feel as if I know her, bringing me back to the wish to enter the book and spend my free time with her.
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