“The Bell Jar” is a semi-autobiographical novel and haunting American classic written by one of the most celebrated and controversial post-war poets, Sylvia Plath. The story masterfully follows and conveys the thoughts as well as experiences throughout the life of Esther Greenwood. Covering everything from the often overlooked details to the graphic larger experiences and how they inevitably lead to being the cause of the detrimental fall into the rabbit hole of breakdown and depression, alongside of her thoughts and attempts of suicide.

Within the first couple of chapters, we are slowly gaining more of an idea of who our character, Esther Greenwood, is within her thoughts and reactions to multiple experiences that are shown throughout the story of Esther Greenwood’s depression. Highlighting the relatable experiences but bringing more of a focus to the more disturbing aspects of her story.

I am in awe of Plath’s thorough way of conveying her story through the mind of Esther Greenwood. The way she jumps around in her thoughts but keeps it clean as she follows along in her story. She truly had an incredible way of telling her story through her words and thoughts creating an astounding understanding of the jagged spiral down the rabbit hole into depression and thoughts of suicide. As she has this unique ability to make her story feel so real, and sort of relatable in the way she tells it, to the reader it leaves a sense of accuracy in the way Plath felt through each moment and thought. I love the way she brings the book to an end, it feels content with the way she left the ending open to her future. Leaving you feeling the same way you do after seeing a well made movie. I’d recommend giving this book a shot to everyone as it allows you to open yourself up to understanding the symptoms and perspective you find when dealing with depression, especially if you have a particular interest in the way the mind works.