FOLLOW ME ON THE IG The truth about blogging is it can be very taxing and difficult to do at times and too often it can take the fun away from doing something. For example YouTube vloggers often find that they're relationship with their partner is usually affected by they're need to constantly try to capture moments and put on a good show instead of actually living and being in the moment.
For me specifically, since I'm a book blogger, I constantly felt restricted to post at certain times about my thoughts on a book and it was taking a toll on my relationship with books so I took another hiatus. But during this long period I have read some more books. Chill, not as many as you think, just two that I thought was worthy noting. Now with my excuse out of the way, let's look at the main book I want to focus on: The Bell Jar written by Sylvia Plath.Everybody and they mama has read this book and everyone seems to think that it's one of the best books of all time, so I wanted to check it out. I have to admit though that I am writing this post over maybe a month of finishing the book so my memory may be a little foggy but I also had a chance to reflect on what I read.
The book was just meh... just alriiiight, you know? Nothing special but still a good read. I say this because there were some parts of the story that I didn't completely understand.
For instance after reading the whole book I still don't understand what the bell jar was. And this is after weeks of thinking and reflecting on it and trying to come up with symbolic connecting but ultimately I decided that I just don't get it. If you get it, let me know because what does the bell jar symbolism even mean? Is it a symbolism for depression? But I suppose not because Plath wrote that everyone is in their on bell jar and not everyone is depressed. So then what then? A symbol for life? A symbol for how everyone is in their own universe or world of their own? If so, I doesn't fit well with the book. It seems like such a random title to use about a story of a girl who goes through a mental break down but OK.
I'll give Plath that but I also think the way in which the main character ascends into depression is not clear, not explained and really just left for the reader to interpret what happened. I personally think her depression was a result of her encounter with the woman hater. The one that almost raped her. I think that Esther never really confronted how that moment affected her and ultimately it lead to her depression because for me, it was kind of random otherwise. She seemed fairly happy with her life and the defining moment was when she was assaulted. But basically I didn't like that Plath left the readers hanging with no explanation.
And another thing, what was the ending all about? Did she or did she not get out of the hospital? Huh? I really didn't like the ending, it left way too much room for speculation. I also want to know why Joan killed herself.
Basically I feel like the story is really random and fashioned together kind of in a hurry. There are just missing details that seem minor at first but as you continue to read, the questions you have become important. For instance, why did Plath choose to write the story like she did? Almost like she was piecing puzzle pieces together. It definitely wasn't a flowing story, not bad but interesting to note since the story is supposedly about her life and Esther represents herself.
Overall the story is dark but Esther has a very likable about of her. She made me laugh and she seemed very strong. She had a lot of smarts and though she never said how she felt, she at least knew her position on matters like equality in relationships and didn't want to compromise on her believes unless the proposition was fair. However, she definitely wasn't as self aware as I think she thought she was. She didn't know what she thought about a lot of things, but she still seems strong.
I give the book a 3 out of 5 because it's not all it's cracked up to be, but it gave me insight into a new way of thinking and looking at depression and suicide I guess. I learned that depression can be just as random as this story.
Comments below. Tell me your interpretation of the book or just comment about what you're thinking right now. I want to know. Don't be stingy with your thoughts.
xx
