The English extended essay was written on the book The Bell Jar. The IB graded the EE as an A and gave it a 27/34. Would highly recommend it if you are looking for guidance and inspiration with writing a high-quality EE. Please do not copy any information in the EE as it can lead to plagiarism and ...
An Exploration of Criticism of Gender
Inequality in The Bell Jar
Research Question: How does Plath use Esther's rejection of
patriarchal beliefs, in the novel The Bell Jar, as a motive to
criticize gender inequality in the American culture of the 1950s?
- Part 1: Rejection of Marriage and its responsibility…………………………...4
● 1.1: Ambitions for Poetry…………………………………………………..5
● 1.2: Hatred Towards Child Bearing in Marriage……………………….7
● 1.3: Pre-Matrimony Virginity………………………………………………9
- Part 2: Rejection of Female Identity…………………………………………….10
● 2.1: Mrs. Greenwood………………………………………………………11
● 2.2: Mrs. Willard…………………………………………………………...12
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………….14
Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………….16
, 3
Introduction
The plight of women's rights has often been an essential discussion in past or current
literature. Feminist literature often serves as an outlet for many to provide criticism towards
gender inequality as a political act to enact change. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath is a fictional
autobiography that confronts gender inequality regarding unbalanced power, sexual double
standard, the pursuit of individualism, the search for self-hood, and the demands of nurturing.
The Bell Jar, set in 1953, follows nineteen-year-old Esther Greenwood, a college student from
Massachusetts, selected for a month-long course in New York City at the Ladies’ Day magazine.
Esther describes that her time in New York city leaves her “very still and very empty” (p. 3) due
to identity struggles. Continuing onwards, Esther leaves NYC to spend summer with her mother
after being denied from a writing class and attempted rape. During her summer with her
mother, Esther is diagnosed with Psychotic Depression and chooses to end her life by
overdosing on sleeping pills. Esther survives her suicide attempt and seeks electric-shock
therapy to find her identity as a woman.
In The Bell Jar, Plath commonly uses rejection of patriarchal beliefs, integrated as a trait
in Esther’s character, as a means to criticize gender inequality. This essay explores, analyzes, and
evaluates how Plath uses the theme of rejection as a means to criticize gender inequality. This
raises the question: How does Plath use Esther's rejection of patriarchal beliefs, in the novel
The Bell Jar, as a motive to criticize gender inequality in the American culture of the 1950s?
Additionally, the overarching theme of rejection is explored through Esther’s rejection of
marriage, and rejection of female identity in The Bell Jar.
Voordelen van het kopen van samenvattingen bij Stuvia op een rij:
Verzekerd van kwaliteit door reviews
Stuvia-klanten hebben meer dan 700.000 samenvattingen beoordeeld. Zo weet je zeker dat je de beste documenten koopt!
Snel en makkelijk kopen
Je betaalt supersnel en eenmalig met iDeal, creditcard of Stuvia-tegoed voor de samenvatting. Zonder lidmaatschap.
Focus op de essentie
Samenvattingen worden geschreven voor en door anderen. Daarom zijn de samenvattingen altijd betrouwbaar en actueel. Zo kom je snel tot de kern!
Veelgestelde vragen
Wat krijg ik als ik dit document koop?
Je krijgt een PDF, die direct beschikbaar is na je aankoop. Het gekochte document is altijd, overal en oneindig toegankelijk via je profiel.
Tevredenheidsgarantie: hoe werkt dat?
Onze tevredenheidsgarantie zorgt ervoor dat je altijd een studiedocument vindt dat goed bij je past. Je vult een formulier in en onze klantenservice regelt de rest.
Van wie koop ik deze samenvatting?
Stuvia is een marktplaats, je koop dit document dus niet van ons, maar van verkoper taharauf. Stuvia faciliteert de betaling aan de verkoper.
Zit ik meteen vast aan een abonnement?
Nee, je koopt alleen deze samenvatting voor €9,24. Je zit daarna nergens aan vast.