This book fascinates me on so many level. First, as a woman, whose failure to meet society's expectation (getting married before a certain age, having children, being a superwoman who juggles perfectly between family life and other secondary roles we might want to pursuit) means a lifetime of sneering and tiny, accumulative discomforts. Second, as a psychology student who likes to analyze literature from many theoretical perspectives. Moreover, this was written as a semi-biographical novel, which had more basis on reality than regular fiction. And third, personally, as a girl whose sense of personal identity revolves around being 'smart' and academically brilliant. It's not hard for me to understand and relate to Esther's inner struggle. I have experienced them, too, at some point of my life, although I might not as depressive and suicidal as she was.

The opening of the story was rather humorous, with interesting choices of description and similes. As Esther Greenwood, the protagonist, working as one-month guest editor in Ladies' Day magazine, she intended to experience as much from New York as possible. She befriended Doreen, a pretty, carefree, and sometimes sarcastic girl; Betsy, a Kansas girl who was the epitome of ideal American girl in the 1950; and several other girl. During this time Esther was forced to think about what she wanted to be, what she wanted to achieve in life. Her family and society expects her to be a good wife to a medical student with bright future who was currently contracted TB in Adirondacks. Her mother wanted her to take shorthand courses, but she was not interested. She wanted to be more free like Doreen, but she hesitated because she knew it was unacceptable by her more conservative society. Eventually she decided to be a writer, one thing she always knew she can do well.

When the internship was ended, Esther found that she was rejected from a creative writing course she was so eager about. That incident, mixed with Esther's previous insecurity and tendencies to become a neurotic, drove Esther into a spiraling depression. There are some symptoms of paranoia and schizophrenia in Esther narrative as well. Esther described her condition as being stuck inside a bell jar, which prevented her to breath freely, and isolate her from other people

I think this is a story about existential anxiety; a need to be accepted for what we are. Esther never felt that she was fit with society's expectation. She did not want to get married, she always felt not maternal, yet she wanted to be more 'normal'. She took pride of her writing but later found that she haven't experienced life fully to produce 'genuine literature'. She found her life to be meaningless and started to think about suicide. It might be interesting to analyze Esther's narrative from the perspective of R.D. Laing and Rollo May's existential psychology.

It is also interesting to read about Sylvia Plath's life, which were briefly told at the end of this edition. Her suicide a few months after the novel was finished only make it more tragic. Although some of the popularity of this book was contributed by the author's tragic end, the narrative of the book itself was beautiful. Funny and depressing at the same time, I don't know if it's possible. It also enlighten us about the treatment and prejudice toward the mentally ill in the 1950's America. It might make you want to read abnormal psychology book as further reading, which is great. After all, more knowledge can never hurt!