The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

The Bell Jar is Sylvia Plath's only novel. Originally published under Plath's pseudonym Victoria Lucas, the novel is a roman à clef of Plath's college years.

Esther Greenwood is a talented writer interning at a prestigious New York magazine. During her time in NYC, Esther is surprisingly unexcited by the big city or its lifestyle. Instead, she just drifts along and is even frightened by some of the events that occur. She moves back to Massachusetts with the possibility of taking a writing course in the summer. When she doesn't get this opportunity, Esther plans on writing a novel but she can't - she is unable to write, sleep, or eat. Esther's mother becomes concerned and sends her to a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist's efforts don't help and Esther attempts suicide. After this event, Esther hops from one asylum to another. 

Sylvia Plath's own suicide was a genuine and tragic loss to literature because she was truly talented. In The Bell Jar, Plath compares the possibilities of Esther's life to figs on a tree. Esther is sitting in the low part of the tree starving because she can't decide which fig to pick. As time passes, the figs, representing opportunities, shrivel up and die. This is a beautiful and clever metaphor for life's possibilities. Perhaps the most poetic moment is Esther's feeling as if she is under a bell jar stewing in her own air and the bell jar follows her wherever she goes. This metaphor gives readers who have not experienced mental illness an insight into what it might actually feel like. 

As for the plot, with the exception of Esther, the characters are all unlikable. Esther's mother is in denial about Esther's all too real issues.  Esther's friends are shallow. Esther's ex-boyfriend is a hypocrite. Most of the psychiatrists and nurses seem useless. Esther, however, is funny and you feel for her because she is wildly talented. 

Overall, I think that this book has great value for its important subject matter and poetic moments; five out of five stars.