The Bell Jar, to me, is a necessary and important book to read. Like The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, the novel directly addresses an issue that is currently a sore subject in society today, and is blunt and straightforward in its descriptions. The first ten chapters-more or less- of The Bell Jar provides an excellent resumé of background knowledge for the reader. I found myself enjoying Esther's life right along with her while she resided in New York, and I could very clearly portray her suffering and gradual recovery. The story line flows effortlessly; Plath succeeds in drawing in her readers and trapping them in Esther's "bell jar." Prior to reading the novel, I read the foreword provided in the Harper Modern version, which allowed me to truly understand Plath's personal life and her relation to Esther's story. The Bell Jar ultimately mirrors Plath's life story, with minor modifications. Although Esther attempts suicide, she does not succeed each time and is liberated by the folk at the asylum, where she endures a progressive recovery; whereas Plath's last suicide attempt in 1963 was successful. She left behind a true legacy in The Bell Jar, one that indubitably penetrates the human conscience, and is a personal account of the process of "going crazy."
After reading the full story, I do not have any complaints about the overall story line, however I will admit that while I was reading, I found myself not wanting to read on, because I was almost sure that Esther would commit suicide in a gruesome and depressing manner. To my pleasant surprise, I was dumbfounded by Esther's eventual recovery and the love put forth by her colleagues throughout the book. As i mentioned before, I am convinced that The Bell Jar is an important story to embrace and understand, and should be hailed as an American classic. To those who have not yet read The Bell Jar, I reccommend researching the author as a precursory to reading the novel; it definitely opened my mind and allowed me to understand the story to its full magnificence.
I find it so interesting how Sylvia Plath was able to convey her own emotions in such an enticing way. It would take a lot of courage to be able to share your own struggles to such a public audience-especially with the extremely personal details she chooses to weave into the story. I agree with your statement that people should definitely explore this novel to become more familiar with the suffering that comes with such profound depression. It is heartbreaking how many people today go through similar situations, and it only seems to become increasingly more prevalent.
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