Controversial Language

No controversy exists in inappropriate language i.e. swearing and vulgarity. However, the fact that she is advocating a detached and depressed outlook on life is unacceptable probably because it can almost make the reader depressed as well. The controversy exists in her descriptions of her thoughts and feelings; she is depressed and going mad, literally. She contemplates death and suicide, as well as hatred and lack of realtionships in her life. She can't develope real friendships because she doesn't think anyone is worthy, almost, because her want for complete self-control and complete independence always takes over. Also, another very controversial aspect is her thoughts on sex; she feels like she needs to lose her virginity since Buddy did, and she doens't see the point in waiting until marriage because she can't develop a real and healthy relationship with a man anyway. She demorals herself when she loses her virginity, and the fact that she actually does this and the way that it is done degrades women in a sense. Self-respect, at this point in the novel, flies out the window for Esther because even though a "burden" (Stranglely enough it is considered a burden???) has been lifted, she knows what she did is wrong. This book was obviously banned for the sexual content (its not vulgar, but it exists in the fact that women are almost degraded) and the depression aspects which lead to her suicide. Also, the suicide is the main point why it was banned probably, but in the entire scheme of events in the novel makes the suicide seem inevitable; its like its
no big deal" and it finally happens... overall, its pretty controversial in the language since her thoughts about her life, which are so distrubing, are presented extremely bluntly.

tone, point of view, irony,

Tone-

The tone in the bell jar is very matter-of-fact at most times. Basically, Esther "tells it like it is" and is very candid in expressing her thoughts. However, the tone is also very cynical because of her depressed and negative outlook on life. Her unhappiness is always evident in that she is unsatisfied, fatigued, and mad. She is not sarcastic, but she is bitter at times. Also, a very unique aspect about the novel is that she is very girlish. The fact that she obesesses about Buddy Willard a lot and always talks about sexuality, she expresses very "girlish" feelings. As a girl reader, it is really honest and real. I loved this aspect about the book because I felt like I knew exactly how she was feeling as she randomly talked about flashbacks and tiny, tiny details that make the story come alive.

Point of view-

first person

Irony-

There is probably only one example of irony in the novel. The entire time, she is cynical and detached about her life. She feels like she can never get out of her "slump" on not caring whatsoever about what she does because she can't think for herself and she has lost all of her sense of self. However, in the end, she surprisingly and unexpectedly feels like the bell jar has been lifted and she can breathe. The fact that she is almost reborn and kind of wants to start over is ironic.

Theme & Symbols

One possible theme in The Bell Jar is Esther's growth through rebirth. She undergoes pain and many experiences, and instead of learning from all of her experiences, she wants to die instead of starting new and fresh and going on with her life. She doesn't want to life a false life--she wants to find herself. Instead, she gets really frustrated because she feels inadequate a lot of the time. She doesn't want to conform to the average life of getting a husband and a family. Once she tries to commit suicide, she emerges finally as a new person... it helped her survive because she went through rebirth in a sense that she wanted to live again.

Another possible theme is womanhood and how the conventional aspects of it restrict women. In the novel, Esther doesn't want to be like anyone else. She wants to live her life and continue on being successful in her scholastics. However, it is because of all of her relationships and false pretenses that she feels like she is not living in reality because she is expecting to have one thing and is getting another. For example, there is emptiness in how conventional growth and womanhood should be: healthy relationships. Esther comes out of everything bothered and disturbed, like everything is going wrong in her life. All of this leads madness because she is confronted with many failures--from relationships to work. Also, there is that sense of restriction with what she wants to do with her life...she sees only two extremes in every situation instead of satisfying mediums. She feels pressured about her future and has anxiety...should she have a family? or, should she be alone yet successful in her writing? She also has anxiety about having sexual relations with men which also contributes to her sense of not belonging since everything that happened with buddy willard...

One symbol is the Bell Jar. A Bell Jar is a glass jar that is inverted to contain whatever is inside of it. In the novel, it symbolizes Esther's insanity and madness because she feels trapped inside of it. She feels like she cant breath as she loses her mind (cant eat, sleep, read, or write...). once she tries to commit suicide, she feels like a new person and feels like she's out from under the bell jar...but even then, she knows it could drop on her again any second.

Another symbol is the fig tree. It comes into perspective in the novel when she reads a story about a fig tree. To her, all of the figs on the tree each represent a different life which she could pursue. However, she doens't know what she wants. all of this contributes to her madness as she is surrounded by indecisiveness.

"I saw myself sitting in the crotch of this fig tree, starving to death, just because I couldn't make up my mind which of the figs I would choose. I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant loosing all the rest, and as I sat there, unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go black, and, one by one, they plopped to the ground at my feet." -The Bell Jar

Another symbol could possibly by Esther's beating heart. Even though she tries to kill herself, she lives. This could represent her heart's desire to life and go on with her life. She says in the story that if it were completely up to her, she would definitely end her life... but she knows in her heart that it is truly her desire to go on.

Major Characters

Esther Greenwood-
She is the protagonist and main character in the novel. The Bell Jar is a coming of age story where Esther goes through phases of depression and confusion. She undergoes madness as she is unhappy (even though she is extremely fortunate) and selfish. She constantly obsesses with her faults and her beliefs; she's confused about what she wants to do with her life. Madness takes over her, and there is absolutely no way to prevent it. Its interesting because she knows she is going crazy, but she is selfish in a way that she wants to commit suicide but fails to take her mother's and friends' feelings into any account whatsoever. She is preoccupied with her self...she could be really successful and happy if she just let herself float down the mainstream of any girl similar to her. She knows she should graduate college, write, and raise a family. The reader never knows why madness takes her over.

Buddy Willard-
Buddy is an example of mainstream america. Hes probably an ideal boyfriend for Esther. He was at one point until she literally swore him off since he lied to her. Esther wanted to be a virgin until marriage, and she thought it was the same for Buddy. However, Buddy turned out to not be "pure" and she was over him. It probably broke her heart, but more importantly it honestly caused her to almost obsess over all of the time she invested in him for ultimately nothing. Buddy's time in the hospital parallels Esthers time in the mental institution...so in a way they are pretty similar. They both seem pretty promising at the beginning but then the readers start to realize how the characters evolve. Esther doesn't accept buddy's way of life and thinks he is cruel and unthoughtful at some times. This is the main reason why it doesn't work out with the two of them. He doesn't inspire her.