The book is often regarded as a roman à clef because the protagonist’s descent into mental illness parallels Plath’s own experiences with what may have been clinical depression or bipolar II disorder. Plath died by suicide a month after its first United Kingdom publication.
Who narrates The Bell Jar audiobook?
Exclusive Excerpt of THE BELL JAR Audiobook Narrated by Maggie Gyllenhaal.
How long is The Bell Jar audio book?
Product details
| Listening Length | 7 hours and 24 minutes |
|---|
| Narrator | Maggie Gyllenhaal |
| Audible.com Release Date | February 02, 2016 |
| Publisher | HarperAudio |
| Program Type | Audiobook |
Is The Bell Jar a difficult read?
The Bell Jar is very readable and often very funny. Some might, however, balk at the dark subject matter – a young woman’s attempted suicide and subsequent recovery.
What mental illness does The Bell Jar have? – Related Questions
Is The Bell Jar appropriate for a 14 year old?
This book deals with some pretty heavy adult issues. Not really a good suggestion for young teens. I would suggest collegiate age to young adult.
Is The Bell Jar a feminist book?
Esther’s rebellion against prescribed societal norms for women, refusing marriage, and having ambitions in her career as a writer, has earned Plath praise as a feminist and subsequently The Bell Jar as a “feminist document.” Her writing throughout the novel does not shy away from the sordid details of tough subjects
What is The Bell Jar a metaphor for?
Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar is replete with metaphor: metaphor of death, of alienation, of losing one’s self and, later, regaining that self.
What does the bath symbolize in The Bell Jar?
One of the symbols in the play is Blanche’s bathing. As said before Blanche’s name means white which could symbolize cleanliness. The bathing can be seen as a ritual to cleanse herself from her past such as the fact that she has lost Belle Reve and her husband.
What does blood symbolize in The Bell Jar?
The presence of blood suggests a ritual sacrifice: Esther will sacrifice her body for peace of mind, and sacrifice her virginity for the sake of experience. The presence of blood also indicates the frightening violence of Esther’s experiences.
Does Esther cut herself in The Bell Jar?
Later one morning, thinking of all the people who’ve said she wouldn’t amount to anything, Esther slashes her leg with a razor blade, just to see if she can manage suicide. But then she decides that she won’t bleed enough before her mother gets home, so she bandages herself up and takes the bus into Boston.
What does the ending of The Bell Jar mean?
At the end of The Bell Jar, Esther discovers her new recovery and happiness. Sylvia Plath, however, never finds her second chance. At her end, she finds her only solution is to give up. Her suicide indicates her ending a miserable life. She is never able to lift her bell jar, like Esther.
What does Doreen represent in The Bell Jar?
With her aggressive type of attractiveness, Doreen is an example of the “liberated woman”. She smokes, drinks, goes to parties alone and has casual sex with men. She represents one of the roads Esther’s life could take if she decided to follow Doreen in her ways.
Who is Mrs Mole in The Bell Jar?
Mrs. Mole A red-haired patient at the hospital who has to be locked up for her erratic behavior.
Why did Esther leave Doreen?
Esther feels disgusted by Doreen, desperate to be rid of her. When Doreen vomits and passes out on the carpet, Esther leaves her there and retreats into her own room. She decides that from now on, she “would watch [Doreen] and listen to what she said, but deep down…would be loyal to Betsy and her innocent friends.
Does Esther have a child in The Bell Jar?
In the first chapter, the narrator mentions in an aside that she now has a baby. Although we never hear about the baby or Esther’s adult life again, this remark tells us that when she narrates them, Esther is likely a few years removed from the experiences the novel describes.
What mental illness does Esther have?
Esther’s development of psychotic depression is Plath’s interpretation of the classic “rite of passage” journey. The bell jar of confusion that descends on Esther hampers her personal progress, yet it protects her from being overwhelmed by a highly competitive social world.
Is Doreen Black in the bell jar?
Doreen is white, yet she is described as thus for many reasons. Esther sees herself as a detached observer, and describes Doreen in terms of a different race to enforce this separation.
Why does Esther wear a ribbon around her neck?
Esther insists on always wearing dresses instead of jeans, because she’s trying to hide her adult figure. Esther never removes her ribbons or collars because she’s hiding scars from when she tried to escape her straitjacket.
Why did Esther try to seduce the dad?
It was one where her father sexually abused her to the point where she thought that he was showing her love. This left her with permanent reproductive sterility. It was on this basis that she seduced her adoptive fathers as she did not know what her father did was wrong.
Do they use a body double in Orphan?
As Bell said: “We had three body doubles and everything from her wardrobe had to be sized up, but also fit her adult body like a child. Anytime adults were around her the camera would be at an angle to force the perspective–tricks that have been done in Hollywood movies forever.”
