The dilemma between Esther and her mother on the role of the father and the husband could be understood throughout the novel. In chapter thirteen, she accused her mother of not taking her to his funeral and it was impossible to believe his death for her:
‘My mother hadn't let us come to his funeral because we were only children then, and he had died in the hospital, so the graveyard and even his death had always seemed unreal to me.’ (Plath 165)
This was because she did not attend the funeral and hardly believe in his death. She even could not cry for him and relax. The memory of her father was often reminded in the novel because his death was an important effect on her. Her loss of father at the age of nine affected her life deeply. She needed
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She firstly encountered her boss, Jay Cee at the magazine in New York. Jay Cee seemed to have a strong woman who was determined and successful in her job. She was married unlike her mother and encouraged Esther to be ambitious in her job. Esther wished her to be her mother because she was successful, ambitious and strong enough to help her and she could not find these qualities in her own mother:
‘’I wish I had a mother like Jay Cee. Then I'd know what to do.’’ (The Bell Jar, Chapter 4)
Another mother figure Esther idealized as a perfect one was her psychiatrist, Dr Nolan. She not only played an important role professionally on Esther’s recovery from mental breakdown with her psyciatric treatment and electroschock threapy but also helped her to confess her hatred towards her mother. While talking about her mother to her she confessed her
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After her confession about her mother she accepted this as a prominent step into the recovery of her ilness. She did not criticize her or make any judgement on her confession but understood and empowered her. She was a trusthworthy, proffesionally successful and understanding woman. So Esther relaxed and was convinced to get treatment. Both Dr Nolan and Jay Cee were Esther’s surrogate and idealized mothers for they were self-confident, successful in their jobs, kind and understanding. Esther wanted to be like them and looked for these features in her mother but failed to succeed because she didn’t have got any of these. In fact, these qualities were found in a modern woman and Esther wanted to be a modern rather than a traditional one. Nevertheless, her mother was a conventioanl woman who represented typically 1950s American woman. For instance, to be virgin until marriage was an important criteria for a single woman and she sent her an article dictating the importance of virginity. While she was encouraging her daughter to continue her ambition to write she also wanted her to learn shorthand so that she could work as a secretary. Yet, she wished her daugter’s future plans would not interfere with her domestic roles as a wife and
Aunt Esther is a completely different person compared to Michael, she is lonely and she like it that way and she is always on the phone when Michael comes home. She really didn’t want to take in Michael, but her sister died and she is fiercely loyal to her family. A example of this is whenever Michael comes home for school she quickly changes the subject on the phone. In paragraph 1-10 they are in a fight, Aunt Esther says to Michael, “you hate it here,” she said, “and you hate me.” Michael claims that he doesn’t hate her and that it not her fault. This proves that Aunt Esther does not get along with Michael in the beginning because he won’t share his true feelings and how sad he his about his parents
...es these primitive standards, she becomes melancholy because she does not attune into the gender roles of women, which particularly focus on marriage, maternity, and domesticity. Like other nineteen year old women, Esther has many goals and ambitions in her life. Nevertheless, Esther is disparaged by society’s blunt roles created for women. Although she experiences a tremendous psychological journey, she is able to liberate herself from society’s suffocating constraints. Esther is an excellent inspiration for women who are also currently battling with society’s degrading stereotypes. She is a persistent woman who perseveres to accomplish more than being a stay at home mother. Thus, Esther is a voice for women who are trying to abolish the airless conformism that is prevalent in 1950’s society.
The character of Esther is widely criticized for her perfection as a character, both receiving positive acclaims and negative feedback. Esther’s reserved, quiet character illustrates the role of women during the Victorian period and what little impact on society women played. Critics of Bleak House generally praise the narration and Dickens’s use of Esther’s character, which gives direction to the novel.
Esther was a woman of principle who displayed great hope in a highly patriarchal period. Despite being a woman in a time where women were marginalized, she was able rise to a position of power and save her people from annihilation. She did this through the use of her beauty, her wits and her courage, attributes that at that time were greatly valued in a woman. As a female her story has much to offer to women of any faith, but particularly to a Jewish Women. Though her historical circumstances were very different
Esther's fundamental problem with female relationships is best exemplified in her conflict with mothering and mentoring figures. These women defy her desire to be independent and free. Rich describes the tendency toward matrophobia, the fear of becoming one's mother. She explains that "the mother stands for the victim in ourselves, the unfree woman" (236). This fear of becoming like the mother/...
Another interesting note to mention is that Mrs. Jellyby is one of the few matriarchs within the Victorian age; her husband is described as a “nonentity” by Richard and literally has no voice, which consequently bequeaths Mrs. Jellyby with the power in the household (44). The dynamic of their relationship thus becomes a transgression of the Victorian feminine archetype also, in which the gender balance is traditionally firmly skewed toward the male spectrum. Through Esther’s interactions with the Jellyby children, the two mother figures are juxtaposed, which consequently works to highlight the maternal qualities of Esther. As Ada says, Esther “would make a home out of even this house” (46). These comparisons also help bring to light the image of the Victorian ideal in
In the end of the novel, Esther at last, comes to terms with reality. She has got to stop living her life according to what others expect of her. She needs to start living her life for “her”. After Joan commits suicide, Esther believes that unless she turns her life around, she will also commit suicide. Esther saw so much of herself in Joan, that when Joan ended her life she was frightened that she would follow in her footsteps, due to the fact that she had throughout the entire novel. Once Joan was gone, Esther was truly free. The part of Joan that was reflected in Esther vanished. The “bell jar” that had been suffocating her was finally lifted.
...ges of an “open door” and Esther’s “ability to breathe” augur a positive future (Wagner). Esther escapes from her bell jar under Dr. Nolan’s guidance, for she realizes that her only true identity is her own.
courage. Esther had so much courage to stand up for the jews. The ironic to this book is dramatic because
Simply put, her entire story hinges upon the fact that she allows herself to be degraded, and not simply that it happened. Esther enters the palace a virgin, expected to spend a night with the king. While it was unknown whether or not she would gain the attention of King Ahasuerus, it was clear what she was expected to hand over to him. Her body was prepared to gain his attention. Her mind was prepared to gain his attention.
The book of Esther tells of a courageous young woman who uses her mind to please God. She becomes the wife of a great king and allows for protection of her own people, the Jews. Esther is a great role model for women of modern day times because of her strength, nobility, and honesty. She portrays a woman with power that most women of that day did not have. The story of Esther has empowered women of all backgrounds and will continue to do so well into the future.
Nolan. Dr. Nolan is introduced towards the ending of the novel as Esther is being treated, and upon their first meeting, Esther recalls thinking, “I was surprised to have a woman. I didn't think they had woman psychiatrists. This woman was a cross between Myrna Loy and my mother. She wore a white blouse and a full skirt gathered at the waist by a wide leather belt, and stylish, crescent-shaped spectacles.” (Plath 186). During the time period The Bell Jar was set in, it was not very common for women to have the same jobs as men, so Esther is naturally surprised to meet her new female psychiatrist. With her, Esther is able to develop a fondness she never truly felt she had with her own mother while growing up. The mother archetype is typically portrayed as a caring and patient female who tries to guide or escort her child through life properly. Much like a real mother, Dr. Nolan tries to be kind and helpful to Esther by listening and offering her opinion. She manages to act professionally while trying her best, with the limited resources and knowledge she has access to. Dr. Nolan treats Esther
Esther spends most of The Bell Jar telling the reader how she wants to lose her virginity. Even though Esther wants to lose her virginity before marriage, that’s conflicting with 1950’s America’s views of purity and chastity for women. Her view is that there shouldn’t be double standards for men and women and if men aren’t pure for marriage she shouldn’t be required to either. Her outright defiance of society’s norms is marked in the novel by her extreme hemorrhaging.
The Bell Jar concerns the mental breakdown and gradual recovery of Esther Greenwood, a young college student in the late 50s. The book starts in New York City, where she has a temporary job at the fashion magazine as a result of winning a writing contest.2 This obviously correlates with the life of the author herself, as she experienced a similar event.5 The author never denied the work’s autobiographical nature.12 Both women lost their fathers at an early age., the suicide attempts obviously resemble one another.3, number, number Other instances of autobiographical novelization appear throughout the book. The most interesting similarities, however, exist between the emotional conditions of both Sylvia and Esther. In order to illustrate these parallels, one must examine evidence of depression in both
Dr. Nolan is the only role model character in the novel in which Esther shows love to. Dr. Nolan supports Esther in a way that she wishes her mother could support her. She encourages Esther’s unusual thinking and doesn’t tell her it’s wrong to think the way she does. She puts great trust into Dr. Nolan because she promised her that nothing would go wrong during her shock treatment, and Esther accepted her proposal.