The Bell Jar Rejection Quotes

Esther Greenwood faced pressures and expectations in The Bell jar unalike Holden Caulfield’s . Her character deals with the gap between what society tells her and reality. When Esther’s Scholarship takes her to New York. She knows she has a great opportunity and should make the best of it. Ester demonstrates that with this quote from the book. “I guess I should have been excited the way most of the other girls were, but I couldn't get myself to react. (I felt very still and very empty, the way the eye of a tornado must feel, moving dully along in the middle of the surrounding hullabaloo.”(Plath 3). At the same time she endures a beginning to the worst possible situations in her life. In particular after getting acquainted with her surroundings.

Esther feels well enough to attend a “Ladies day magazines” banquet. The banquet was full of commercialized food and plenty of caviar. But after a movie with Betsy she starts to feel sick .Ester and Doreen suggest that in this quote. “Poisoned, “she said briefly “I guess it was all that caviar” “caviar nothing it was the crab meat. They did a test on it and it was chock full of ptomaine “. (Plath 48) To summarize Esther Greenwood's New York experience ended on a beyond sour note. She endured plenty of trials and tribulations contrary to the belief of what she hoped she would experience.
However Holden and Esther do share a similar expectation. Holden gets pressured from his teachers, and his parents to be successful by applying himself at school. This idea is expressed in these quotes “Your first move will to be to apply yourself at school. You’re a student whether the idea applies to you or not “(Salinger 202). In conclusion Holden’s peers want the best for him. They also know what he is capable of if he applies himself. Unfortunately Holden is in a place where he cannot receive the help they give.
In a similar manner Ester is also pressured by her peers to succeed. She like Holden doesn’t know what she wants to do in life. She is brilliant and has everything going for her. But has yet to make her mark. Esther’s boss and her mother presser her to meet her goals. ”hundreds of girls flood in to New York every June thinking they’ll be editors. You need to offer something more than the run of the mill person (plath 33).
On other hand the Holden is also pressured and expected to grow up.

Holden’s peer’s see that he is fighting the changes that come along with growing up. Seen in this quote from Holden’s old friend Luce “When are you going to grow up Caulfield “(Salinger 161). Also in a quote from Holden himself. “ The best thing about the museum was that everything always stayed right where it was .Nobody's move , Nobody's be different .The only thing that would be different would be you.(Salinger 135). Caulfield’s actions of immaturity and isolation proves the fact that he doesn’t want to grow up. He enjoys the simplicity of things staying the

same.
Esther Greenwood faces hypocrisy and disillusionment in society with contradictions in her culture. Esther’s social circle put extreme emphasis on becoming a submissive housewife like Buddy Willard's mother. At the same time Jaycee presents the example of an independent business women. Proven to be true in these quotes
“This seemed like a dreary and wasted life for a girl with fifteen years of straight A’s, but I knew that’s what marriage was like ,because cook and clean was and wash was just what Buddy Willard's mother did from morning till night .”(Path 84). “My mother had taught shorthand and typing to support us ever since my father died. She was always on me to learn shorthand after college, so I’d have a practical skill as well as a college degree.” (Plath 39/40).
Holden encounters hypocrisy and disillusionment through his idea of phoniness within adults. Holden finds errors within the world around him; he blames it on the adults and society. But never sees the problems within himself. He is a liar and very off-putting express by theses quotes “I still act sometimes like I was only about twelve. Everybody says that, especially my father .It partly true,” (Salinger 12).”I’m the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life. It’s awful.”(Salinger 19).Holden himself is responsible for phoniness. He deceives his friend’s mother for no reason into believing he is something he is not. Accusing adults and not accepting his own hypocrisy is his way of dealing with it.
Esther’s relationship with Buddy Willard is full of disillusionment and hypocrisy. Buddy Willard has had an affair with a waitress .But believes in the traditional values of marriage and life during their time. Leaving poor Esther to make a decision.
“I would come to look down on him in the end the way I looked down on Buddy Willard ….Because I did look down on Buddy Willard ,although everybody still thought I would marry him when he got out of the TB place , I knew I would never marry him if he were the last man on earth.

Buddy Willard was a hypocrite “(Plath 52). Ester knows that buddy Willard is a hypocrite and so she tries to gain her own sexual independence and separate herself from buddy Willard completely.
Holden deals with the disillusionment of what he deems acceptable versus reality. When Holden visits Mr. Antolini he relives that his idea of children being full of innocence and adults full of phoniness is not all true. “I have a feeling that you’re riding for some terrible kind of fall ………” (Salinger 207). Mr. Antolini is the epitome of Holden view on catcher in the rye. Mr. Antolini is trying to catch Holden before he falls, Holden is running like the children in the rye patch. From school, all social features and adulthood.
Both characters foreshadow in the exposition of their stories, corrupt views of their situation. That tell the reader there is a strong possibility of them not having it all together. For instance Ester feels as though she is crazy for not enjoying herself in New York. While Holden tries to run from his prep-school and hide in his home town. These quotes proves how the characters hint on feeling that they may need to be

institutionalized.
“I knew that something was wrong with me that summer because all I could think about was …how all the successes I’d totted up so happily at college fizzled to nothing outside the slick marble and plate-glass fronts along Madison Avenue” (Plath 2)
”All of a sudden, I decided what I’d really do, I’d get the hell out of Pencey –right that same night and all …. It made me too sad and lonesome .I sort of needed a little vacation my nerves were shot. They really were.”(Salinger 58). Instead of facing problems like an adult Holden runs away from them. Esther brushes off her unusual depression and continues her journey in New York. Key points in the rising action/point of no return from Holden and Esther create a snowball effect. Esther doesn’t get accepted into her writing course. Holden can’t reach his friends once he gets back home leading to an endless streak of loneliness.
”you didn’t make the writing course.” The air punched out of my stomach. All through June the writing course stretched out before me like a bright, safe bridge over the dull gulf of the summer. now I saw it totter and dissolve, and a body in a white blouse and green skirt plummet into the gap. “(Plath 114)”I felt like giving somebody a buzz….but as soon as I was inside I couldn’t think of anybody to call up. So I ended up not calling anybody.”(Salinger 66-67)
The actions after these events range from suicide attempts to bad dates. The intense loneliness for Holden and Esther’s phobia of being unsuccessful drive them crazy. When they finally come to acceptance it takes a near death experience for Esther. Holden’s run in with Mr. Antolini. That lets him realize the phase into adulthood is inevitable. As for Esther she slowly takes her grip back on reality, working her way through asylums.