I saw this book in three sections. In the first the main character, Esther Greenwood starts out as a very intelligent, but confused, young woman. She has won a fashion magazine contest by entering an essay, and as a prize she is given a job in New York for one month, along with eleven other girls. The author tells of events that happen in that certain month along with other things that are affecting her. Some are upsetting and some are amusing, and almost all are told in a cynical and wise-crack, but reflective manner.
The second section is the period of time when she is suffering from depression and a mental breakdown, but has not been hospitalized yet. The door to deep depression opens near the end of her New York trip, when she really starts to wonder what she is going to do with her life, and grows into a mental breakdown when she returns to live at home, and suddenly everything seems to be "silly" (such as showering, shampooing, and marrying, etc.) because you're going to die anyway. Eventually she is so hopeless about life and frustrated with people that she attempts to kill herself. I won't reveal how, but she is rescued and after her physical wounds have healed, it is time for her psychological ones to be examined.
The third section is about her recovery, or the time until her recovery. This section can be furthered separated into the time at the hospitals and the her stay at the mental institution. The first place she stays in, for mental recuperation, is a city hospital ward (after her stay in another hospital for physical reasons). In the scene in which she is being driven there, in an ambulance, with her mother and brother by her side, you get another taste of how clever this character actually is. She very well knows that the reason why she is being transferred from the suburban hospital to a city hospital ward is because she is considered mentally unstable and the suburban hospital did not have a special section to take care of her under that condition, but instead of admitting that to her mother, she pretends to not understand why she is being moved just so she could see how her mother would respond. Her mother blames her behavior:
"I liked it where I was."For awhile she stays in the ward where you meet a few comical, but easy to hate characters (you read about a few more clever stunts she pulls off), but then Philomena Guinea (a writer who believes Esther has talent as a writer) comes to the rescue. With Philomena's financial support, Esther is able to be transferred to a top-class mental institution that resembles a country-club. One of the characters Esther meets is Joan, who is an interesting link to Esther's past. In each section there is always either a memorable character or event. Most of the time both.
My mother's mouth tightened. "You should have behaved better, then."
"What?"
"You shouldn't have broken that mirror. Then maybe they'd have let you stay."
But of course I knew the mirror had nothing to do with it.
When you read this story through the eyes of Esther, it seems as though she is the smartest and most comprehensive person in the story. I couldn't help but wonder whether this was because Sylvia Plath really did experience it that way or because of the clarity of hindsight and creativity of a talented writer.
Another outstanding thing about this book was the descriptions. You found one as soon as you get halfway down the first page; "New York was bad enough. By nine in the morning the fake country-wet freshness that somehow seeped in overnight evaporated like the tail end of a sweet dream. Mirage-gray at the bottom of their granite canyons, the hot streets wavered in the sun, the car tops sizzled and glittered, and the dry cindery dust blew into my eyes and down my throat." This is an example of one that you might have to stop and visualize if you want to understand it, but this book is so flowing you might end up skipping them just to continue with the story. Other descriptions are clear and creative similes such as, "A heavy naughtiness pricked through my veins, irritating and attractive as the hurt of a loose tooth" (p.149).
I know most book reviews are supposed to have a section devoted to the flaws of the book, but the only thing that bothered me was a reference on page 6; "I looked yellow as a Chinaman." And the way she kept referring to a black male nurse as "The Negro" (pp.147-150). But, I think, that was only because of the language during that time (the events happened around the early and mid 50's and Sylvia Plath wrote the book during the early 60's). The only unclear statement I found was of one describing her reflection; "Then my ears went funny, and I noticed a big, smudgy-eyed Chinese woman staring idiotically into my face. It was only me of course. I was appalled to see how wrinkled and used up I looked" (p.15). For the rest of the book I couldn't figure out whether she was Asian or not. She made another reference to "looking like a tired Indian," But I couldn't find the page. I came to a conclusion after reading the biographical note at the end (by Lois Ames) that she was of European descent.
In conclusion, I wouldn't recommend this book if you are looking for action or suspense, but if you have an open mind and are up to seeing life "through the distorting lens of a bell jar," I strongly urge you to pick up a copy.