Genre: Novel, Autobiography, Autobiographical novel, Psychological Fiction, Roman à clef, Fictional Autobiography
Key Stage: KS5+ trigger warning: contains mature challenging content including suicide ideation and mental health problems).
The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath (1963)
Reviewer: Hanifa, Year 12
Sylvia Plath’s fictional autobiography The Bell Jar written in 1963 portrays the author’s struggles with mental illness through the protagonist, Esther.
The novel is set in New York and portrays the societal expectations placed on women during the 1950s. The title of the book acts as a metaphor for the feeling of madness that Esther experiences. The author, Sylvia Plath, based the book on her own life, as indicated by the last line, “I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart: I am, I am, I am,” which highlights the themes of self-discovery and resilience. However, the book can be disturbing due to its portrayal of depression and suicide. It is easy to feel disconnected from the protagonist, as she seems cynical and manipulative throughout the novel. That said, the storyline flows seamlessly, making it a quick read.
If you enjoy this book, I would recommend reading My Year Of Rest And Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh, and Olive Witch by Abeer Y. Hoque as well as reading Plath’s poetry in her ‘Collected Poems’ which contains all Plath’s mature poetry written from 1956 up to her death in 1963 or visiting: Sylvia Plath | Poetry Foundation