"I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart. I am, I am, I am."
Self-destruction and comfort in sadness are key features of the “sad girl genre.” The study of mental illness in literature has recently contorted into something of a trend, interchangeably called the "cool girl literature.”
Literature's examination of mental health is nevertheless a potent tool, despite the potential negative consequences of this romanticisation of mental illness. Literature, as opposed to clinical descriptions, can explore individual experiences with mental illness. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath is the epitome of this, which provides a candid and perceptive look at mental health from the eyes of its protagonist, Esther Greenwood. The 1963 book is still regarded as a seminal examination of depression and the social forces that exacerbate it.
Its central metaphor—the bell jar— is hauntingly apt. The glass dome stands in for Esther's mental imprisonment, acting as a confining wall separating her from the outside world. The bell jar distorts reality, confining her life into a cramped environment where her identity is broken and her problems are amplified. It is an effective representation for isolation—not just mental and emotional isolation, but also physical separation.
Plath exposes the smothering essence of desperation through Esther's experiences, highlighting how every thought becomes disfigured and every breath becomes laboured. We observe Esther's psychological deterioration, with Plath mirroring Esther's collapsing sense of self with a fragmented narrative.
The Bell Jar also critiques the societal expectations of women in the 1950s and the shortcomings of contemporary psychiatric care. Esther's mental health struggles are closely linked to the pressures of conforming to traditional roles and expectations, which worsen her internal conflict and highlight the negative impact of these societal constraints. At the same time, Plath critiques the impersonal and often harsh treatments used in mental health care at the time, calling attention to the need for a more empathetic and informed approach. Through this critique, Plath challenges readers to rethink how mental health is perceived and to consider the complex interplay between social pressures and psychiatric practices.
Plath emphasises the necessity of understanding mental health as a complex, multifaceted issue. The Bell Jar challenges readers to engage with these themes thoughtfully, urging a more nuanced approach with mental health in literature.
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