The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath tells a fictitious story inspired by the author’s stay at McLean Psychiatric Hospital.  Although with the knowledge of the book’s inspiration and the title I discerned the main character would also spend some time away in a hospital, Esther Greenwood seems normal enough at the beginning; in fact, she seems like she has her life all together.  Without her burst of commentary throughout the book, I would never have seen her stay at the hospital coming.

The story begins as Esther has an internship in New York, touring the city and learning from magazine editors about writing.  She won this opportunity through her writing, a hobby that is also her passion.  Although she thinks, "I was supposed to be having the time of my life," suggesting the internship is not enjoyable to her, to the reader her experiences seems full of entertainment and fun (2).  She goes to lavish parties, has access to all the caviar she can eat, and works along side others her age who share common interests.  

Among the seeming good times, I began to notice, just as Esther did from early on, that something is off for her.  She looks out at the city and describes it "flat as a poster, glittering and blinking, but it might just as well not have been there at all" (19).  While her friends also on the internship have the time of their lives going to all of the events and meeting new people, Esther is withdrawn.  Nothing seems to impress her and she stays on the outskirts of the activities.

A symbol of Esther's withdrawal is the presents the girls get as they tour the city and meet famous writers.  At one party monogrammed mirrors lined the table, and Esther grabbed her friend's compact who could not attend.  Later she gave the mirror to the friend, and they "both burst out laughing" (49).  Even all of the positives from the internship meant nothing to her.  The presents, which others enjoyed, passed by her like the rest of the day’s moments.

These feelings are juxtaposed as Esther looks back into her past.  She had emotional and heartfelt reactions beforehand.  For example, an old boyfriend of hers, Buddy Willard, once invited her to the Yale Junior Prom.  Esther was in college at the time, and on a floor with many older girls who made fun of her for staying in and studying night after night.  When Buddy sent her the letter inviting her, she "let out a couple of yips and ran into the house shouting, 'I'm going I'm going I'm going'" (60).  Full of energy, Esther told everyone of the event. 

In New York she keeps to herself and seem to stare blankly out at the world, taking advantage of the opportunity she won.  Based on the way she acted years ago, I found her behavior unnatural, an early sign of her breaking point.  I wonder how her downward spiral will play out through the rest of the book.