esther is in the bell jar of society

 

photo credits from google <3 

So at this point, I think everyone knows the bell jar being a metaphor for the prison of mental illness. But I want to touch more on the potential second meaning that the bell jar has on Esther. Nate pointed this out in his blog, so I want to mention that (protecting me from the incoming copyright claims, I'm sure), but the bell jar could also relate to the societal pressures of Esther's world. 

Esther fears the looming expectation of marriage, children, and family. When the novel isn't dwelling on her hospitalizations, it features her fear of failure. Esther is running out of ideas on what to do with her life, she's stuck. She's lost motivation for her job prospects, and as a scholarship student who has high expectations upon her to succeed, this is terrifying to her. Very relatable here, haha. 
   
The bell jar represents how she feels trapped in her life. There's limited space for her to go-- either she becomes like JC and becomes a successful woman with a job, or she becomes a housewife with someone like Buddy Willard. She especially expresses this fear when she enters the suburbs, feeling as through they're stalking her and waiting for her as if it were a mousetrap. This is exemplified when she watches Dodo "pass back and forth in front of her house" (I doubt Dodo actually was doing this, alas.) 

When the "oxygen runs out", she runs out of solutions for how to continue with her life given the limitations, she seeks escape. Unfortunately, for her she sees that escape as being suicide. 

I think Esther would be comforted to know that there's an entire league of women in today's society who identically agree with her. 

Comments

  1. Nyla Kyles March 13, 2023 at 9:30 AM

    I think you make a good point and it reminds me of another blog I read, I think Esther feels like she is at a loss because she wants do many things but she also doesn't want majority of the things society has to offer, she almost wants the 'forbidden fruit' . She doesn't want marriage or kids or to adhere to the double standard when it comes to sexual relations in society. she wants everything she cant have which leaves her feeling trapped

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