Sylvia Plath

Q. Write down the summary of the novel The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.

📚 Also Read:  The Bell Jar Characters

The Bell Jar Summary

Chapter 1

In the first chapter of Sylvia Plath’s “The Bell Jar,” Esther Greenwood describes her summer in 1953. She works as a guest editor at a fashion magazine in New York City.

Despite the job’s prestige, Esther feels disconnected from the excitement and glamour around her. She stays at The Amazon, a women’s hotel, where most guests are secretaries waiting to get married.

Esther is also disturbed by the execution of the Rosenbergs, a couple convicted of spying during the Cold War. This event adds to the national fear and helps increase her feelings of isolation.

Esther connects with Doreen, another bold contest winner who defies social norms, unlike the more traditional girls like Betsy from Kansas.

One night, instead of going to a party with Betsy, Esther and Doreen go to a bar with Lenny Shepherd, a disc jockey. Lenny is interested in Doreen, and Esther ends up spending time with Lenny’s unattractive friend, Frankie.

During the night, Esther uses the name Elly Higginbottom and watches everything with a critical eye. She feels more removed from her dream job and the lifestyle it entails, starting her on a path of psychological struggle.

Chapter 2

Esther and Doreen visit Lenny’s apartment, which is decorated like a ranch with rustic pine panelling and wild game decor. As Lenny and Doreen drink and dance, Esther becomes increasingly isolated, sinking into discomfort as she observes their growing intimacy.

Feeling out of place and referred to as ‘Elly’ by Doreen, Esther’s sense of detachment intensifies. When Doreen and Lenny’s interactions escalate, Esther leaves, walking several miles back to her hotel.

Upon her return, Esther sees a reflection of herself in the elevator door, which she describes as a “big, smudgy-eyed Chinese woman,” contrasting how she perceives her usual self. This moment deepens her feeling of disconnection from her surroundings and herself.

Seeking solace, she draws a hot bath, hoping to cleanse herself of the evening’s residue. Later, awakened by a knock at her door, she finds Doreen extremely intoxicated.

After Doreen collapses in the hallway, Esther leaves her there, reflecting on her values and deciding to distance herself from Doreen’s reckless behaviour.

This night marks a turning point for Esther, as she resolves to align more closely with Betsy’s innocence rather than Doreen’s wildness. By morning, Doreen has disappeared, leaving behind only a faint trace of the night’s chaos.

Chapter 3

Esther Greenwood attends a lavish luncheon hosted by Ladies’ Day magazine to honour the guest editors, including herself. An absence marks the event, as Doreen chooses to spend the day with Lenny instead of joining the celebration.

Esther, always drawn to fine food, indulges in various delicacies like caviar and crabmeat-stuffed avocados. She delighted in the luxury that her upbringing seldom afforded.

During the luncheon, Esther’s conversation with Betsy turns to their morning activities; Betsy attends a fur show while Esther is summoned by her boss, Jay Cee.

This meeting prompts Esther to reflect on her future, revealing her uncertainty about her career path and contrasting her usual preparedness.

Jay Cee challenges Esther to define her ambitions and suggests she learn languages to enhance her employability—a suggestion that Esther agrees to in principle, though she doubts her commitment.

This chapter highlights Esther’s internal conflict between following a prescribed path and pursuing what truly interests her, like her past enjoyment in a botany class.

Esther’s detachment and indecision about her future deepen despite her academic success, mirroring the existential struggles underpinning her narrative throughout the novel.

This moment at the luncheon becomes a microcosm of Esther’s more significant battle with societal expectations and her desires.

Chapter 4

Esther Greenwood’s day is framed by her duties at the magazine and a memorable luncheon hosted by Ladies’ Day, which ends disastrously. The chapter begins with Esther reflecting on the expectations placed upon her by her editor, Jay Cee.

It contrasts Jay Cee’s guidance with the lack of support from her mother, who encourages her to learn practical skills like shorthand—a stark difference from Jay Cee’s intellectual challenges.

At the luncheon, an incident involving a finger bowl recalls Esther’s visit with her benefactress, Philomena Guinea, highlighting Esther’s naivety and her journey from innocence to worldly experience.

The luncheon quickly turns from a luxurious feast to a nightmare as Esther and the other girls suffer from food poisoning caused by tainted crabmeat.

The aftermath is chaotic; Esther and her friend Betsy become violently ill, and the evening concludes with Esther fainting and being cared for by a hotel nurse.

The chapter closes with Ladies’ Day attempting to make amends by sending the sick girls gifts, which Esther cynically views as a small compensation for their ordeal.

This chapter deepens Esther’s disillusionment with the glamorous world she once aspired to, underscoring her growing detachment and highlighting the stark realities behind the seemingly perfect façade of magazine life.

Chapter 5

Esther Greenwood is recovering from food poisoning and taking the day off, as her editor, Jay Cee, suggested. During her recovery, she receives a call from Constantin, a United Nations interpreter recommended by Mrs. Willard, whose son Buddy Willard is someone everyone expects Esther to marry.

Despite her polite interaction with Constantin and plans for a date, Esther is preoccupied with thoughts of Buddy, whom she no longer sees as a suitable partner due to his hypocrisy.

As Esther reflects on her relationship with Buddy, she recalls their significant moments, emphasizing how these experiences have led her to realize that she does not want to marry him.

Her thoughts also revisit a prom night with Buddy that was emotionally unsatisfying, highlighting her disillusionment with romantic expectations. Throughout the day, Esther reads a story about a fig tree, which she finds relatable to her life choices. The story symbolizes the different paths she might take and the decisions she must make.

This reflective day helps Esther confront her feelings about Buddy and her future, deepening her resolve to follow her desires rather than conform to societal expectations.

Chapter 6

Esther delves into her past experiences with Buddy Willard, highlighting a visit to his medical school that profoundly shifts her view of him.

Esther accompanies Buddy to a series of medical procedures, including a birth, where her discomfort begins when she witnesses the mother being administered a drug to forget her pain—a solution that Esther cynically notes seems designed by men to minimize the remembered trauma of childbirth.

This experience solidifies her growing disillusionment with Buddy, especially after he nonchalantly reveals his past affair with a waitress, contradicting his previously maintained image of purity and innocence.

The revelation disturbs Esther, not because Buddy was sexually active, but because he perpetuated a façade of innocence. This hypocrisy challenges Esther’s perceptions of honesty and integrity in relationships, contributing to her decision to end their relationship.

However, before she can act on this decision, Buddy discloses his tuberculosis diagnosis, further complicating their relationship.

Esther feels trapped by a promise to support him, using his illness as a shield to avoid uncomfortable social interactions and to gain sympathy from her peers, even as she privately feels relieved to have an excuse to distance herself from him.

This chapter highlights Esther’s internal conflict and her struggle with societal expectations of women and relationships.

Chapter 7

Esther Greenwood meets Constantin, a simultaneous interpreter at the UN, who is recommended by Mrs. Willard, Buddy Willard’s mother. Despite initially dreading the encounter, Esther finds Constantin appealing and enjoys their time together, which includes candid conversations and a visit to the UN.

This outing gives Esther a rare moment of happiness, reminiscent of her childhood before her father’s death. During the visit, Esther observes the professional interpreters. She reflects on her perceived inadequacies, like her inability to cook or know shorthand—skills her mother insists are essential for securing a good job.

This introspection leads to a poignant realization of her limitations and a symbolic vision of her life as a fig tree with branches representing different futures.

Each branch offers a path she might take—becoming a poet, a professor, an editor, a traveller, or a lover. Yet, Esther feels paralyzed by these choices, unable to commit to one without sacrificing the others.

Later, Esther and Constantin dine together, and she decides to let him seduce her, challenging the conventional expectations of purity and marriage that have been imposed on her.

However, the evening ends anticlimactic with both of them falling asleep, and Esther leaves feeling unchanged and still uncertain about her future. This chapter encapsulates Esther’s struggle with societal norms and her quest for personal identity amidst the pressures of conformity.

Chapter 8

In Chapter 8 of Sylvia Plath’s “The Bell Jar,” Esther travels to the Adirondacks to visit Buddy Willard at his sanatorium. The journey, driven by Mr. Willard, is filled with hints about welcoming Esther as Buddy’s wife, a prospect that leaves her feeling trapped and gloomy.

Upon arrival, Buddy presents Esther with a homemade ashtray and shows her a poem he has published, which Esther finds terrible but praises insincerely.

During the visit, Buddy proposes marriage, but Esther, constrained by the traditional path laid out for her, tells him bluntly that she will never marry.

She explains her desire for freedom and her fear of being tied down by conventional domestic life. Buddy dismisses her concerns; Buddy takes her skiing—an activity neither has experience in.

It leads Esther to ski recklessly down a hill, revelling in exhilarating freedom before crashing and breaking her leg. This incident symbolizes Esther’s broader struggle with societal expectations and her quest for independence.

Her accident on the slopes underscores her internal conflict between conforming to expectations and her desire to pursue her path, even if it leads to pain or failure.

Chapter 9

Esther confronts starkly contrasting views on morality during a conversation with Hilda about the Rosenberg executions. This encounter underlines Esther’s deepening sense of alienation.

Her emotional turmoil peaks during a magazine photo shoot, where she is asked to pose with an object that symbolizes her career ambitions.

Struggling to define her future, Esther opts to identify as a poet. Still, the session ends with her overwhelmed by tears, underscoring her growing disconnect from her aspirations and the roles expected of her.

Later, Esther’s night out turns dark with Marco, a date who embodies aggression and entitlement. His violent attempt to assault Esther and her subsequent escape highlight her fight for autonomy in a world that often leaves her feeling powerless.

The chapter closes with Esther’s symbolic rejection of her past and societal expectations as she throws her clothes off the hotel roof, embracing a moment of release and defiance against the constraints that bind her.

Chapter 10

In Chapter 10 of Sylvia Plath’s “The Bell Jar,” Esther Greenwood’s return home is marked by a series of disheartening realizations about her future.

Rejected from a summer writing program and feeling directionless, she grapples with societal expectations and personal desires. Her mother’s suggestion that she learn shorthand, intended as practical advice, only intensifies Esther’s feeling of entrapment in a life she does not want.

The sight of Dodo Conway, a neighbour with a large family, prompts Esther to reflect on her aspirations, reinforcing her aversion to traditional domestic roles.

Attempting to forge her path, Esther tries to write a novel but quickly becomes frustrated by her lack of experience and inspiration.

Her increasing disillusionment is compounded by insomnia, leading her to seek medical help. This chapter portrays Esther’s struggle with her identity and place in the world, summarising the challenges faced by many young women who aspire to more than the roles prescribed to them by society.

Chapter 11

Esther’s first psychiatric appointment introduces her to Dr Gordon, whose polished appearance and detached demeanour leave her feeling misunderstood and uneasy. Wearing unwashed clothes from three weeks ago and grappling with severe insomnia, Esther is desperate for help.

Still, her scepticism towards Dr Gordon grows as she perceives a lack of empathy in their interactions. Her hope for understanding and relief dwindles, leading her to withhold personal struggles. Esther’s isolation deepens as her mother expresses disappointment in the lack of progress after the session.

Attempting to escape her reality, she fabricates a new identity while interacting with a sailor, dreaming of a fresh start away from her past failures and expectations.

Yet, this brief respite ends in tears as she encounters a woman she mistakes for Mrs. Willard, triggering a flood of emotions tied to her perceived missteps in life.

Dr Gordon suggests electroconvulsive therapy as a next step, propelling Esther towards a decision that weighs heavily on her, reflecting her ongoing battle with depression and her struggle for control over her treatment.

Chapter 12

Esther’s experience with electroconvulsive therapy at Dr Gordon’s private hospital marks a turning point in her mental health journey, characterized by pain and disillusionment. The therapy, far from being the solution she hoped for, only adds to her trauma, leaving her feeling more broken and disconnected.

Her mother’s naive optimism that Esther can choose to “be all right” contrasts sharply with the reality of Esther’s suffering, emphasizing the chasm between her internal experience and how others perceive her struggle.

This disconnect drives Esther to contemplate suicide, reflecting her profound despair and desire to escape a life that feels unbearable. The cold reality of the water thwarts her visit to the beach to carry out her plan, a symbolic moment where nature itself intervenes in her darkest hour.

Esther’s journey back from the beach is not just a physical return but also a poignant metaphor for her retreat from the brink of self-destruction, highlighting her ongoing conflict between the desire to end her pain and the instinct to survive.

Chapter 13

Esther Greenwood is deeply troubled during a beach outing with friends yet tries to appear normal. She avoids joining conversations, worried that her friends might notice her declining mental state.

That morning, she had tried to hang herself but found nowhere suitable in her house, unlike her grandmother’s well-structured home.

Her survival instincts thwarted her suicide attempt, making her consider seeking medical help. However, memories of painful treatments from Dr. Gordon deter her.

At the beach, Esther attempts to drown herself, but each time, she resurfaces, frustrating her desire to end her life. She eventually gives up and goes back to the shore.

Later, Esther volunteers at a hospital but quickly gets in trouble after rearranging patients’ flowers, which upsets them.

Feeling overwhelmed by her circumstances, Esther visits her father’s grave, seeking a connection and grieving the guidance she never had.

Ultimately, she decides to end her life by overdosing on sleeping pills, viewing it as her only escape from the pain she can no longer bear.

Chapter 14

Esther regains consciousness in a dark, enclosed space, confused and disoriented. Initially believed to be blind, a doctor reassures her that her sight is intact, a slight relief in her chaotic mental landscape. Her mother and brother visit with George Bakewell, a former acquaintance who now works at the hospital.

Esther resents his presence, feeling like a spectacle of his curiosity about her suicidal attempt. Later, demanding a mirror, she is confronted with the shocking sight of her altered appearance due to the treatment, leading to more distress.

Transferred to a city hospital’s psychiatric ward, she finds herself next to Mrs. Mole, a patient who reacts passively when learning about Esther’s suicide attempt. Esther’s interactions with hospital staff and her mother reflect her growing detachment and resistance to reality.

Mrs. Mole’s passive judgment and the staff’s curiosity deepen Esther’s isolation. Her mother’s attempts to comfort and plan for Esther’s care demonstrate a disconnect between Esther’s internal experience and her family’s expectations for her recovery.

It highlights her profound challenges in reconciling her internal world with external pressures and misunderstandings about her condition.

Chapter 15

Thanks to her benefactorress, Philomena Guinea, Esther has been moved to a private hospital. On the way there, Esther contemplates jumping from the Charles River Bridge but is prevented by her mother and brother, who accompany her.

Despite knowing she should be thankful for Philomena’s intervention, Esther feels trapped under a bell jar. At Caplan, her new hospital, she’s surprised to find no bars on the windows and a more relaxed environment than her previous experiences.

Esther’s new psychiatrist, Dr. Nolan, turns out to be a woman, which surprises and slightly comforts Esther. Dr. Nolan assures her that properly administered shock therapy shouldn’t be painful, contradicting Esther’s traumatic experiences with Dr. Gordon.

Trying to adapt, Esther attempts to befriend her new neighbour, a silent woman who never responds, aiming to gain privileges for potential escape. Meanwhile, she starts receiving insulin injections, which cause her to gain weight.

Despite her efforts to connect and understand her treatment, Esther remains skeptical and disoriented, haunted by her past and uncertain about her future at Caplan.

Chapter 16

In Caplan, Esther reconnects with Joan, a former acquaintance who had also dated Buddy Willard. Joan shares her journey to the hospital, driven by desperation and a failed suicide attempt in New York, inspired in part by Esther’s suicide attempt that made the newspapers.

This revelation shocks Esther. Dr. Nolan decides to cut off visitors, seeing that Esther’s mother and other acquaintances’ visits do more harm than good.

The decision relieves Esther, who has felt scrutinized and misunderstood by her visitors, including her mother, who is troubled and confused about how to help her daughter. The only approved visitor is Dr. Nolan, who becomes a critical anchor in Esther’s chaotic world.

As Esther navigates her recovery, she is forced to confront her feelings of resentment and hatred towards her mother, which Dr. Nolan acknowledges as a significant step in her therapy.

This acknowledgement by Dr Nolan signifies a turning point, offering Esther a glimmer of validation and understanding within the confines of her ongoing mental health battle.

Chapter 17

Esther is moved to Belsize, the most prestigious section of the asylum, indicating readiness for reintegration into society. Despite this supposed progress, Esther feels unprepared for the transition and is uneasy about seeing Joan again, fearing continued shock treatments.

At Belsize, the atmosphere is markedly different; the women are fashion-conscious and socially active, enjoying privileges like shopping and visiting outside the hospital.

This new environment intensifies Esther’s alienation, especially when Joan and others at Belsize treat her dismissively.

A disturbing incident occurs when Joan mockingly shows a magazine photo to the others, claiming it’s Esther in glamorous attire, which Esther denies.

Her discomfort grows when she learns that breakfast will be withheld due to an impending shock treatment, contradicting Dr. Nolan’s promise of prior notification.

Distraught, Esther hides, feeling betrayed by Dr. Nolan. However, the misunderstanding is cleared when Dr. Nolan arrives, explaining the situation and reassuring her of support during the procedure.

This episode reflects Esther’s fluctuating trust in her treatment and her struggle with her mental health journey.

Chapter 18

After her shock treatment, Esther finds solace in Dr. Nolan’s presence, who assures her that the procedures will continue to be pain-free. Esther’s treatments are part of a structured plan to aid her recovery, which includes being shielded from potentially stressful interactions.

Dr. Nolan decides to limit Esther’s visitors, which isolates her from her mother and others whose visits have been distressing. This isolation allows Esther to focus more on her recovery without external pressures.

During this period, Esther reconnects with Joan, who shares her own tumultuous experiences and attempts at suicide.

Their conversations reveal Joan’s complex feelings towards Buddy Willard and her alignment with Esther’s struggles. The chapter closes with Esther taking significant steps towards reclaiming her independence and agency.

She decides to obtain contraceptive measures, reflecting her desire to control her own body and make choices independent of societal expectations.

This act of autonomy is a powerful statement against the constraints that have previously defined her, symbolizing her ongoing fight against her mental health challenges and societal norms.

Chapter 19

Esther learns that Joan, eager to start anew, plans to become a psychiatrist and live in Cambridge. This makes Esther feel envious of her slower progress at Belsize.

Dr. Nolan advises Esther to avoid returning to her mother’s home to support her recovery, which aligns with Esther’s recent acceptance into college.

Amidst these shifts, Esther seeks a form of closure by choosing to lose her virginity to Irwin, a decision driven by her desire to shed the burdens of her past.

However, this leads to a painful and alarming physical aftermath, requiring urgent medical attention that inadvertently reconnects her with Joan.

The chapter ends on a sad note with the shocking news of Joan’s suicide, bringing Esther face to face with the harsh realities of mental illness and the fragility of recovery.

Chapter 20

In the lead-up to her college return, Esther is visited by Buddy Willard, who queries his potential role in the psychiatric struggles of his past girlfriends, prompting Esther to reflect on the impact of relationships on her mental health.

Dr. Nolan’s guidance remains a cornerstone for Esther, helping her navigate the complexities of her recovery and societal reintegration.

This chapter highlights Esther’s efforts to disconnect from her past, including a decisive break from Irwin and confronting societal expectations at Joan’s funeral.

As she prepares for a critical interview with the hospital board, Esther contemplates burial and rebirth’s symbolic and literal aspects, acknowledging her transformation and ongoing challenges.

With uncertainty about her future but equipped with a new self-awareness, Esther approaches her evaluation, reflecting on her journey and the potential for a “second birth” into a life shaped by her experiences and newfound understanding.