100% satisfaction guarantee Immediately available after payment Both online and in PDF No strings attached
logo-home
Critical analysis essay over The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath £4.27
Add to cart

Book review

Critical analysis essay over The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

 15 views  0 purchase
  • Module
  • Level
  • Book

A very extensive analysis essay at VWO level that expands Sylvia Plath's book The Bell Jar and puts it in context by linking with the characters in the book, the writer and the society described. Includes reference list.

Preview 1 out of 4  pages

  • June 25, 2022
  • 4
  • 2020/2021
  • Book review
  • Unknown
  • Secondary school
  • 5
avatar-seller
What it meant to be a woman
The negative effects of perfection experienced by Esther Greenwood in The
Bell Jar


Around 1920, women in the United States got the right to vote which was a huge
change in how society sees women. Feminism has been on the rise since the 19th
century. Because of this, women slowly but surely gained more and more freedom
and privileges, yet there are still some standards for women to conform to in order to
be considered the ideal woman for men. The Bell Jar shows in a very gruesome and
depressing way the negative effects of these standards for women to strive for. The
Bell Jar does this by following Esther Greenwood, who spirals into a deep depression
and attempted suicide multiple times. With the help of a first person perspective
revealing the thoughts that Esther has about herself, the reader is shown that she
knows she does not perfectly fit into this box that society has made for women. This
essay will show three examples where you can see that Esther’s mental health is
declining because she does not fully conform to society’s standards of the perfect
woman.


Firstly, Esther’s academic strengths do not match the academic strengths of a perfect
woman. For example, Esther is exceptional at chemistry, physics and botany.

“... I had already taken a course in botany and done very well. I never
answered one test question wrong the whole year…” (Plath, 1963, p. 31)

((Analysis))

“I may have made a straight A in physics …” (Plath, 1963, p. 32)

((Analysis))

“She knew and I knew perfectly well I would get a straight A again in the
chemistry course …” (Plath, 1963, p. 33)

((Analysis))

However, Esther really wants to study English literature and work in a publishing
house.

The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:

Guaranteed quality through customer reviews

Guaranteed quality through customer reviews

Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.

Quick and easy check-out

Quick and easy check-out

You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.

Focus on what matters

Focus on what matters

Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!

Frequently asked questions

What do I get when I buy this document?

You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.

Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?

Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.

Who am I buying these notes from?

Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller Sosa01. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.

Will I be stuck with a subscription?

No, you only buy these notes for £4.27. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.

Can Stuvia be trusted?

4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)

53068 documents were sold in the last 30 days

Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 14 years now

Start selling
£4.27
  • (0)
Add to cart
Added