As part of my research I took out 'The Bell Jar' from the library. I was expecting it to be a bit depressing and morbid in relation to the fact that it is a semi-autobiographical novel and Sylvia wasn't in a good place when she wrote it - being a year before her death. However, I am finding that there is a lot of humour and undertones of hope, wonder and happiness within the book.
Inequality - Things I noticed
A lot of the frustration comes from the way Esther ,the protagonist, is treated as a woman in the 1950's/60's. I could relate to this and I really felt for the character when reading certain chapters. The men in the book are shown to be completely free to make their decisions and live their lives how they want - women however are held to a very different standard. What is acceptable for a man is not for a woman and this is something the character (and Sylvia) struggled with - understandably.
Themes/Moments of Note
Page 72 'The trouble was, I hated the idea of serving men in any way. I wanted to dictate my own thrilling letters'.
Page 77 'I couldn't stand the idea of a woman having to live a single pure life and a man being able to have a double life, one pure and one not'.
http://beijing20.unwomen.org/en/get-involved/comic-competition/winners
Themes/Moments of Note
Page 72 'The trouble was, I hated the idea of serving men in any way. I wanted to dictate my own thrilling letters'.
Page 77 'I couldn't stand the idea of a woman having to live a single pure life and a man being able to have a double life, one pure and one not'.
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