The Bell Jar: Analyzing Ridiculous Expectations for Woman

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A bell jar is an environment where something is protected or cut off from the outside world. In The Bell Jar, a novel by Sylvia Plath, Esther feels trapped by societal expectations and finds her cut off from the world. She is caught between what she wants and what people expect of her. This conflict proves to be even more difficult when important people surround Esther with their own set of expectations. Only when she fully relinquishes herself from outside pressures is she able to return to a healthy mental state and continue with her life. Esther’s insanity is the natural result of her living in a culture that has ridiculous expectations—about school, marriage, and career—for women.
Esther has the privilege of fifteen years of scholarships; however, the pressures of upholding the scholarship kid image along with collegiate expectations begin to consume her. Coming from a poor family, Esther has had to rely on her grades to determine her future. Her grades have gotten her a scholarship to Smith College and an internship at Mademoiselle Magazine in New York. Esther thinks that she ...

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