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The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Harper & Row, 1948
Harper & Row, 1948
Reviewer recommended age 16 and up. Summary
Esther Greenwood is a successful college girl who is slowly descending into a nervous breakdown. When she tries to end her life, she is committed to an insane asylum.
Language
- Curse words include "h*ll" and "*ss".
- Esther kisses a boy while drunk.
- A boy shows his genitals to Esther after asking if she has ever "seen a man".
- A character discusses having an affair.
- A character describes losing his virginity to a prostitute.
- Lesbianism is briefly discussed.
- Esther purchases birth control.
- Esther loses her virginity.
Violence
- Esther muses about how electrocution must feel.
- Esther mentions having seen a cadaver.
- Esther escapes being raped by punching her attacker and breaking his nose.
- Esther cuts herself.
- Esther thinks about committing suicide and attempts to hang herself, drown herself and overdose on pills.
- Esther endures painful shock treatments.
- Childbirth is graphically described as painful.
- A character attempts suicide by cutting her wrists.
- Another character hangs herself.
- Esther hemorrhages after losing her virginity.
- Characters smoke tobacco.
- Characters go to a bar and get drunk.
Race Issues
- Reference is made to a "Negress" and "Negro".
- A Peruvian native is described as "ugly as an Aztec."
- Minor characters are noted to be Indian and Greek.
Religion
- Catholicism is mentioned.
- Esther reads a story about a Catholic nun and a Jewish man.
Politics
- none
