Elmo's Literary Review

A Literary Review of Sylvia Plath's "Under The Bell Jar"
By Enas Elmohands

“I felt very still and very empty, the way the eye of a tornado must feel, moving dully along in the middle of the surrounding hullabaloo.” This is the first insight we have into the life of Esther Greenwood, in which we have an impression of that tense, calm moment immediately before chaos ensues, foreshadowing the onslaught of madness that will soon overcome her. She should be elated; her talent and perseverance landed her a job at a fashion magazine in New York City as a guest editor. Sprinkle on top of that an extravagant lifestyle that caters to every superficial desire and there is seemingly no reason for her not to be living on Cloud Nine.
However, Esther feels divided between how she ought to feel (based on how society views her life) and how she truly feels: numb. Soon, this numbness spirals into the hell her mind has become. As described later in the book, “wherever I sat...I would be sitting under the same glass bell jar, stewing in my own sour air.” She is eternally trapped inside herself and no amount of external persuasion will change that. She feels as if her mental illness descends on her without her consent or control, like scientists assailing her with a bell jar. Her suicidal urges, as well as attempts, are a result of her suffocation. Even if she were to be “cured,” the bell jar would be hovering above her, ready to trap her at any given moment; it’s inescapable.
I shouldn’t say more – I don’t want to give the plot of the book away because I believe it’s a worthwhile read. Strike that, I believe it’s a must read. Though, I do warn that it is not for everyone; I can only imagine the expressions on people’s faces while reading Plath’s novel or even skimming over the summary on the back of the book. It’s about a girl with a mental illness and the way her life plays out as a result. It’s not exactly a book that’ll make the sun shine brighter (though I should mention that Plath’s dry humor and bluntness is refreshing). It’s not even a book that will give you a new outlook on life. However, it’s a book that will make you vicariously feel the torment of a twenty year old girl who had the world in the palm of her hand before living in it became too much of a burden. It provides a deeper understanding of those who suffer from mental illnesses such as depression, a commonly misunderstood disease.
But it also pertains to us, students and those in the same age bracket, those who are attempting to find a place in the world. One of the comparisons she makes about her life that struck me most is the one to a fig tree in which every plump, purple fig symbolized a different future, some representing her dreams of becoming a poet or an editor, and others that are left a mystery. In the end, she is unable to decide which fig she wanted, for choosing one meant losing the rest, and as a result, every fig went black and fell to the ground. As a freshman in college, transitioning from the tyranny of high school to the democracy of a university, I find myself sitting under the same fig tree, hoping I reach a decision before they all shrivel up and plop around me. And I’m sure I’m not the only one there.