Review by randi108 - The Bell Jar

randi108 's review for:

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

4.0

reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

A flawed by important work. The Bell Jar is a complex novel that feels both dated and relevant. The book serves as an exploration of patriarchal expectations, mental health struggles, and the existential dread that many women navigate.

Plath's prose is simple in language and poetic in nature, filled with powerful imagery and symbolism. I particularly enjoyed the fig tree analogy, especially how after describing that paralysis of choice she essentially says “nevermind maybe I was just hungry” haha, and the metaphor of feeling trapped within a bell jar, which was rich and multilayered throughout the novel. The narration is stream-of-consciousness style that effectively captures Esther's fragmented psyche. I found the text extremely engaging and read it in two sittings.

While I would consider The Bell Jar an important feminist work, it lacks the intersectionality that many other authors have managed to achieve. It is also impossible to ignore the numerous racist, fat-phobic, and just mean-spirited comments made throughout. I have not read any other works by Plath, so I am unsure if these comments were a character choice (as the protagonist is highly unlikable at times) or just a reflection of Plath’s own biases.

Knowing the book is semi-autobiographical and that Plath’s life ended by suicide the same year it was published makes the novel all the more haunting. I enjoyed the book more than I expected and would recommend it as a classic worth reading (and rereading), albeit with a critical eye.

Content Warnings