The Bell Jar (The Sixties in America)
At a glance:
- Author: Sylvia Plath
- First Published: 1963
- Type of Work: Novel
- Genres: Long fiction, Psychological fiction, Autobiographical fiction
- Subjects: 1950’s, New York, North America or North Americans, Northeast, U.S., Self-discovery, United States or Americans, Journalism or journalists, Parents and children, Sex or sexuality, Suicide, Gender roles, Authors or writers, New York City, Poetry or poets, Mental illness, College life, Reality, Women’s issues, Women, Mental institutions, hospitals or asylums, Psychiatry or psychiatrists
- Locales: New York, NY, Boston, MA, New England
The Work
In The Bell Jar, Esther Greenwood, a nineteen-year-old girl from a small eastern town, was an excellent student who won many awards including a college scholarship. As a contest winner, she received a one-month appointment as a college representative to the editorial board of a well-known New York fashion magazine. Her month in New York provided many maturing experiences, but emotionally, she still felt very insecure. Esther did not believe that she had the skills necessary to fulfill a traditional woman’s role. She was bothered by society’s double standard...
[The entire page is 1417 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
See Also
