The Bell Jar: Analysis of Major Characters
"The Bell Jar" is a semi-autobiographical novel by Sylvia Plath that explores the mental health struggles of Esther Greenwood, a gifted college student grappling with societal expectations and personal disillusionment. The analysis of major characters in the novel highlights the intricate relationships and influences that shape Esther's journey. Esther, with her sharp wit, initially navigates the glamorous world of New York but soon faces profound disappointment and a mental breakdown. Buddy Willard, her romantic interest, embodies traditional values and serves as a reflection of Esther’s evolving perceptions of relationships and societal roles.
Esther’s mother, Mrs. Greenwood, provides a backdrop of familial support but struggles to understand her daughter's mental illness. Doreen, a sophisticated peer, introduces Esther to a more adventurous lifestyle, while Jay Cee, her editor, encourages her professional aspirations. Philomena Guinea, a benefactor, plays a crucial role in providing Esther with opportunities and later financial support during her recovery. Dr. Nolan, a compassionate psychiatrist, offers a more humane approach to treatment, contrasting with earlier, harsher methods. Lastly, Joan Gilling, an acquaintance from the mental institution, presents a complex dynamic of rivalry and shared trauma. Collectively, these characters enrich the narrative and reflect the broader themes of identity, mental health, and societal pressure.
The Bell Jar: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Sylvia Plath
First published: 1963
Genre: Novel
Locale: New York City and New England
Plot: Psychological realism
Time: 1953
Esther Greenwood, a bright college student who aspires to be a writer. At the age of nineteen, brown-eyed and brown-haired, Esther feels somewhat out of place in the world of high fashion and money to which she is introduced as a result of winning a fashion magazine contest. She enters her prestigious college on a scholarship. Esther is not one to sit in the corner feeling insecure; instead, she meets the world with a lively touch of sarcasm that colors her description of New York City, her friends, and herself. After her month in the city working as an intern on the magazine, however, her sense of daring becomes coupled with a feeling of disappointment over life. She attempts suicide and has a nervous breakdown, which is followed by recuperation in a series of hospitals and sanatoriums.
Buddy Willard, a medical student whom Esther has dated. He is an only child, and his parents encourage his relationship with Esther. Buddy has a fairly realistic view of life. Although he prides himself on his health, as a first-year medical student he contracts tuberculosis and must spend time in a sanatorium. When Esther visits him, he proposes to her, but by this time she has lost interest. Later, he visits her in the sanatorium, but by now there is nothing but curiosity about their relationship and a lurking fear that he may have contributed to her emotional condition.
Mrs. Greenwood, Esther Greenwood's widowed mother. She tries to let Esther alone and not pressure her too much. After the death of Esther's father ten years earlier, she reared Esther alone and supported the two of them by teaching business courses at a city college in Boston. She refuses at first to recognize Esther's mental illness.
Doreen, another winner in the competition that Esther won. Doreen comes from a finishing-type school in the South. She is a striking young woman, with white hair and deep blue eyes. She is much more sophisticated and daring than Esther, who is quite taken with her. Doreen does not feel any need to follow the schedule set for the girls or to worry about doing the work assignments. She takes Esther to places where, alone, she would never have thought to go; her behavior and outlook suggest to Esther a new and different approach to the world.
Jay Cee, the famous editor under whom Esther was assigned to work during her special one-month internship. She tries to help Esther learn the work and consider her future and her opportunities, but at this point in her life, Esther has another agenda.
Philomena Guinea, a novelist and alumna of the college that Esther attends. She provided the scholarship that made it possible for Esther to attend the private women's college in Massachusetts. She continues to assist Esther after her breakdown by financing a move from a public mental institution to a more exclusive, and more expensive, private one.
Dr. Nolan, a female psychiatrist who treats Esther at the hospital where she is recuperating. She administers shock treatments, but they are not as grueling to Esther as the shock treatments administered by Dr. Gordon earlier.
Joan Gilling, an acquaintance of Esther. She becomes more important in Esther's life when they find themselves at the same mental institution and have a gentle rivalry regarding privileges, freedom, and ultimately release. She is a former girlfriend of Buddy Willard. She seems to recover more quickly than Esther, but eventually she hangs herself.