Esther Greenwood

Esther Greenwood is a nineteen-year-old college student with aspirations of becoming a writer. She is characterized by her brown eyes and brown hair, and she navigates the high-fashion world with a sarcastic lens. Despite entering a prestigious college on a scholarship, Esther feels out of place. Her month-long internship at a fashion magazine in New York City leaves her disillusioned, leading to a suicide attempt and subsequent nervous breakdown. This marks the beginning of her journey through various hospitals and sanatoriums. Esther's clarity of vision and acute awareness of the world's hypocrisy drive her towards madness as a means of rebelling against a reality she finds intolerable. She reflects, "To the person in the bell jar, ... the world itself is the bad dream." Her emotional detachment from those around her and the hollow glamour of New York reflect her struggle against societal expectations and her battle for authenticity.

Buddy Willard

Buddy Willard is a medical student and an only child, whose relationship with Esther is encouraged by his parents. Buddy, who considers himself healthy, contracts tuberculosis during his first year of medical school, requiring a stay at a sanatorium. Despite his realistic view of life, Esther grows disinterested in him after he proposes. When Buddy visits Esther in the sanatorium, their relationship is reduced to curiosity, and Esther harbors a fear that he may have played a part in her emotional struggles. Esther's thoughts about Buddy focus on his dullness, likening him to "turkey neck and turkey gizzards," which captures her disdain for him.

Mrs. Greenwood

Mrs. Greenwood, Esther's widowed mother, raised Esther alone after her husband's death a decade earlier. She supports them by teaching business courses in Boston. Despite her efforts to give Esther space, she fails to acknowledge Esther's mental illness initially. Their relationship is strained, with Esther feeling a deep-seated anger toward her mother, evidenced by her lament on her mother's lack of mourning for Esther's father. Mrs. Greenwood's practical approach to life, such as encouraging Esther to learn shorthand, contrasts with Esther's literary ambitions.

Doreen

Doreen is a fellow winner of the fashion magazine contest and comes from a Southern finishing school. She is striking, with white hair and deep blue eyes, exuding a level of sophistication and daring that intrigues Esther. Doreen's nonchalance about rules and work assignments introduces Esther to a different lifestyle. Despite being drawn to Doreen's rebellious nature, Esther eventually distances herself after witnessing Doreen's self-destructive behavior. Doreen's relationship with Lenny Shepherd, an unscrupulous disk jockey, further diminishes her allure for Esther.

Jay Cee

Jay Cee is the formidable editor under whom Esther works during her internship. Although she is unglamorous, she is savvy and capable, qualities that are rare for women in her profession at that time. She genuinely tries to guide Esther by inquiring about her future plans and offering suggestions. Esther's ambivalence towards Jay Cee stems from her respect for her intelligence and her simultaneous indifference to Jay Cee's lack of physical attractiveness.

Philomena Guinea

Philomena Guinea is a successful novelist and alumnus of Esther’s college. She funds Esther’s scholarship, allowing her to attend the women's college, and later assists Esther after her breakdown by financing her stay at a private psychiatric hospital. Her support is pivotal in providing Esther an escape from a public institution.

Dr. Nolan

Dr. Nolan is a compassionate psychiatrist who treats Esther during her recovery. Her approach contrasts sharply with the disconnected methods of Dr. Gordon, Esther’s first psychiatrist. Dr. Nolan's humane treatment and her non-judgmental attitude facilitate Esther's path to understanding her own motivations and reconciling with her emotions....