The Bell Jar
By Sylvia Plath
- Release Date: 2015-08-11
- Genre: Fiction & Literature
Description
One of The Atlantic’s Great American Novels
“A coming–of–age masterpiece.” —Boston Globe
"It is this perfectly wrought prose and the freshness of Plath's voice in The Bell Jar that make this book enduring in its appeal." —USA Today
The Bell Jar is Sylvia Plath’s masterwork—an acclaimed and timeless novel about a young woman falling into the grip of mental illness and societal pressures.
The story chronicles the breakdown of Esther Greenwood, a bright, beautiful, enormously talented college student coming of age in 1950s America, as she navigates the pressures of society along with her own ambitions. While at a prestigious, competitively won position at a New York City magazine one summer, Esther finds herself struggling with the looming expectations of marriage, motherhood, and giving up on her dreams to achieve them. She becomes increasingly disillusioned and her mental health deteriorates, ultimately leading her to undergo harsh treatment and therapy.
"Funny, intense, enormously human" (Cosmopolitan), The Bell Jar is a poignant exploration into the darkest and most harrowing corners of the human psyche and remains an extraordinary accomplishment from one of the country's most luminous talents.
Reviews
Wonderfully written
5By sophieandthegeeseSylvia Plath certainly has a way with words; she’s one of those authors whose writing is fun to read regardless of the subject matter. But also, the subject matter is poignant and gracefully handled. This is now one of my favorite books I’ve read, and highly recommend.Reply to “crap”
5By Zoe062512Your review does not make sense at all-it’s completely stupid and immature. Also, if you’re going to write an awful, pointless review PLEASE learn how to spell and MAKE sense! Looks like a child wrote that-which I hope you are because if you’re an adult…omg This book is a classic and I am a huge fan of Plath. Her work is from a period of time that’s always captured my attention! I’ve always wanted to live in that time! I’ve always wanted to be born in the 1950’s so I could live in the 60’s and 70’s! Best era in my opinion! ZoëKThis is crap
1By kjellburgWhy does the girl have to be so depressed like why not just go crap out the depression. When I finished this piece of crap book I was so disappointed that the girl didn’t crap then Eat the crap out of the toilet then through it up and Eat it again and have diarrhea then put it into a smoothie and make their two year old child drink it. Also this book is way over priced I had to pay freaking $20A Classic Take on Depression
5By NasiccaA brutally honest following of one woman’s spiral into depression.Couldn’t finish it
2By jannyreadsI pushed myself halfway through it and gave up. Sophomoric writing, unbelievable and unrelatable characters, and a plot that seemed to go nowhere.The Bell Jar
4By Shortie8907I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I finished it in one day. It kept my attention and the details were so intense I could feel the summer heat and feel myself spiraling downward into madness with her. Very well written.
