YA Buddy Readers' Corner ♥ discussion

Sylvia Plath's shocking, realistic, and intensely emotional novel about a woman falling into the grip of insanity.

Esther Greenwood is brilliant, beautiful, enormously talented, and successful, but slowly going under—maybe for the last time. In her acclaimed and enduring masterwork, Sylvia Plath brilliantly draws the reader into Esther's breakdown with such intensity that her insanity becomes palpably real, even rational—as accessible an experience as going to the movies. A deep penetration into the darkest and most harrowing corners of the human psyche, The Bell Jar is an extraordinary accomplishment and a haunting American classic.

1/4: (view spoiler)[I don't know what to expect from this as the synopsis gives almost nothing away!

I am really enjoying the evocative descriptions of the urban landscape. Plath's writing is so compelling. (hide spoiler)]

2/4: (view spoiler)[I knew to expect to see a lot of Plath in Esther's character, but I never expected to find so much of myself there as well. (hide spoiler)]

3/4: (view spoiler)[I have never read of such an accurate description of depression, before. Esther's story is such a heartbreaking one and now she is incarcerated in an asylum it can only get bleaker! (hide spoiler)]

4/4: (view spoiler)[Portions of this were a scathing and witty look into 1950's society, and others were a starling insight into the human psyche. I enjoyed both aspects of this story, completely. (hide spoiler)]

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Date changed. Restarting August 10th 2019. Happy Reading ☺

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Skye, going to try and get started on this later on today.

Opening chapter sets Esther up as someone so determined to seem knowledgeable that she gets herself into bizarre situations rather than admit to not knowing something.

Up to ch4. Seems hard to imagine someone could be so unaware. The descriptions seem languid, but there’s a sense of tension here. I think this is worse knowing a little of Plath’s life.

Up to ch7. The episodic nature of the retelling lends a fragmented quality to the narrative that seems to echo the declining mental health of Esther. I love the detached way she observes things that are, perhaps, meant to be significant but the way she captures the thoughts/beliefs of the time is fascinating.

Up to ch15. Scary that her mental decline doesn’t seem to link to something specific - and terrifying to see the way such patients were treated.

Up to ch17. Her mother’s behaviour may be of the time, but it’s so insensitive.

Finished. Review on home page. Intriguing, but the style of narrative felt really off-putting.

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Date changed. Restarting March 21st 2020. Happy Reading ☺

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Just about to start, this is one of my favourite books so I'm excited to reread it.

First quarter - (view spoiler)[I just love how you fall right into this story. The oppressive heat of the city, the sameness of the girls this society is cultivating, and Esther's feelings of inertia are all so real. (hide spoiler)]

Second quarter - (view spoiler)[Buddy doesn't seem so bad, yet, seeing him through Esther's eyes somehow makes me dislike him. He is very much a product of society and Esther seems made for so much more. (hide spoiler)]

Third quarter - (view spoiler)[I don't see it as the catalyst, but since Esther didn't get into her writing course she started on her downward spiral, which feels horrific to read about. Plath's writing means I can feel every emotion as though I too were sharing in her depressive state. I adore this book for how real it is, but it is draining the soul from me!

There is such little help available for Esther and the help she does get is nowhere near sufficient enough to help her. Her mother's reaction to Esther not wanting to return to Doctor Gordon was probably the saddest thing of all. She acted as if mental illness was a dirty thing. (hide spoiler)]

Fourth quarter - (view spoiler)[Given the state of the world atm this probably wasn't the best type of book to read. I knew what was going to happen yet the depressive emotions that prevail throughout have hit me hard. I adore this for how raw it is, for how accurate a representation of mental ill-health, and for it's scathing societal insight, yet I've finished this needing a big mug of tea and a bigger hug! (hide spoiler)]

25% (view spoiler)[ This must be so fun. To get an internship in New York at a fashion magazine!! I don't know why Esther even bothers with Buddy he doesn't seem to be what she wants. That bit about the Rosenbergs it's good history here but at the same time I think this has something to do with esters fear of electrocution. (hide spoiler)]

52% (view spoiler)[ Wow I can't believe Esther didn't make it into the writing course, her time in New York wasn't all fun and games. Especially when she almost got beat up by that guy with the diamond. I still don't care about Buddy just because he is about to become a doctor doesn't mean he is good for her. Now she is in this hospital trying to get help for her depression. (hide spoiler)]

Dannii wrote: "First quarter - [spoilers removed]"

I have been to new your and Esther describing the way the heat feels and the way it's crowded I can understand how she could feel overwhelmed.

Dannii wrote: "Second quarter - [spoilers removed]"

Ha my feelings exactly! I just don't like Buddy either, I think he would be oppressing her and yes I feel like Esther is made for so much more.

75% (view spoiler)[ I work in a mental hospital and reading about Esther and her trying to kill herself and landing in this hospital is something that I read in a few of the patients. Esther is so unable to do anything, to be a part of anything, she can't even write. (hide spoiler)]

Dannii wrote: "Third quarter - I don't see it as the catalyst, but since Esther didn't get into her writing course she started on her downward spiral, which feels horrific to read about. Plath's writing means I c..."

Yeah I agree reading about this experience Esther had I feel that she was already at the brink of this spiral but I do feel that the writing course did push her over the edge.

Finished... (view spoiler)[ Going back to the beginning and Esther description of the Rosenbergs and how they were being executed by electrocution and how afraid she would be of that makes me so sad because towards the end she was getting ElectroConvulsive Therapy to make her better, to help her get out of her "funk" depression. There was no good ending to this. (hide spoiler)]

Dannii wrote: "Fourth quarter - [spoilers removed]"

I liked the rawness of this too. I think if I hadn't already read many true stories on patients in the mental hospital I would be more affected by it. No we do not do ECT but we do see patients in this state and no families to even visit them.

Cinthia wrote: "25% [spoilers removed]"

It was interesting to learn about her hectic life there.

Cinthia wrote: "75% [spoilers removed]"

Oh gosh, i bet that's tough and made this book feel all the more real for you

Cinthia wrote: "Dannii wrote: "Fourth quarter - [spoilers removed]"

I liked the rawness of this too. I think if I hadn't already read many true stories on patients in the mental hospital I would be more affected ..."

I can't even begin to imagine all the stories you have heard. My heart breaks for all of them!

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Date changed. Restarting December 27th, 2021. Happy Reading ☺

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I just looked at my bookshelf and realized this has been on my TBR list forever but not on my shelf at home. I won't be able to get this from my library before mid-January. Sorry to back out on you!

25% (view spoiler)[ I don't get what is happening. There's like several various timelines going one at once? I don't know which events to focus on or how to connect them. (hide spoiler)]

50% (view spoiler)[ Wow Esther way to be a fatphobic, homophobic and racist piece of shit. I'm so over this kind of behavior in classics. This is why I don't normally read them ugh. (hide spoiler)]

75% (view spoiler)[ I can't believe she kicked that Black man just bc she could! Wtf is wrong with you!? (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[ This was a good description of mental illness, but there were several aspects of this that I really did not like. Overall, it's fine i guess. (hide spoiler)]

Andy wrote: "25% [spoilers removed]

50% [spoilers removed]

75% [spoilers removed]

Finished [spoilers removed]"

After that I'm not sure I'm gonna read it! I guess I'll give the first few chapters a try. You're right though about the classics: a lot of this stuff is not worth reading.

JBask wrote: "Andy wrote: "25% [spoilers removed]

50% [spoilers removed]

75% [spoilers removed]

Finished [spoilers removed]"

After that I'm not sure I'm gonna read it! I guess I'll give the first few chapter..."

It is a really great depiction of depression and struggling to find help that actually works though.