An Excellent Peek Into the Mind of a Woman Struggling with Mental Illness
4
By Thisissostupid12345
I put off reading this book because I thought it was going to severely depress me. But after having burned through it in just 2-ish days, I've realized now that all I really feel is... understood. Sylvia Plath had an incredible way of bringing you into her mind, her perspective of the world, and letting you get comfortable (and uncomfortable) in the bones of her characters. (Or really, character).
I don't think I've ever related to a protagonist the way I did with Esther. The way in which she describes and lives through her mental health, the way in which she describes and lives through the world, is so utterly real and raw and relatable that it stunned me. There were so many, (even in the smallest, finest details), parallels to my own experiences with mental illness, that I began to question if I wrote this book!
In all seriousness though, wow. What an incredible read. (I'd also like to add that the second half of this book really reminded me of Girl, Interrupted - another great story that I recommend!)
That being said, the casual racism (which at first, made me question why the book is so praised to begin with?), really put me off. So I did a little digging on how people of color feel about this book, seeing as the reviews I came across that did address the casual racism were all written by seemingly white people. In my digging, I came across a post written by @blkstacks on Instagram, who said:
"Yesterday I wrote and posted my review of 'The Bell Jar.' In that review I praised the book for its writing and advocated that we discuss Plath as frequently and with the same respect and gusto as we do certain celebrated male authors. In the last section I discussed racial slurs shared frequently throughout the book. This was only intended to raise attention to the matter more so for poc as a trigger warning as said language is rarely mentioned in conversation of the book. Since then I have been tagged in several posts, received numerous messages, and comments primarily from white womxn suggesting that we ban the reading of said book. There have been womxn trying to explain their own personal reviews to me and why they didn't mention the racism, and more people announcing that they're returning their copies to wherever they purchased them from. These actions are extremely unnecessary, harmful, and besides the point. Censorship of classic literature (or any form of art) is not going to solve the problem of racism. They should be celebrated and appreciated for their roles in society with said issues in mind and then used as a tool to further journeys in self-awareness, education, allyship, and societal change. Deciding to 'cancel' these works instead comes off as performative and denies people access or encouragement towards a potential form of education or if nothing else perspective. The Bell Jar is an excellent example of writing and storytelling. But beyond that it is a crucial feminist text and a milestone in the discussion of mental health and mental health within women. To deny yourself the joy of reading this book would be a shame. Use this as a tool. Use this as an opportunity to reflect and to grow."
I think that we can enjoy the book in all its incredible storytelling and relatability, and its handling of mental health, while also recognizing that some of its language is outdated and harmful. That it's important to remember the main character is a white woman living in a time where white women had a thousand more privileges than women of color, especially black women, (and that they still do today), while also recognizing the disproportionate amount of privileges men had and still have over all women. That women were subjected to horrible, harrowing treatment at the hands of (mostly) men, simply because they were suffering and needed help. (And a lot of the time it wasn't even because they were 'suffering' or 'needed help,' but because they refused to completely conform to male expectations/standards). All of these things can be true and recognized at once.
I also think that @blkstacks makes a great point in that censoring classic literature because of its sometimes harmful language does no good for anybody and does not stop harmful things (like racism, homophobia, misogyny, etc.) from existing. That these works of art should be used as a learning device for future generations to understand how things once were, and how they don't have to be that way still. I'm sorry, but I will never stand by censorship/banning of literature (or any other art form).
All that being said, if you choose to hate the book for its harmful language, then go for it. To each their own! The book 1000% could've done without it and it is extremely disappointing that Plath was so horribly bold in how she spoke of people of color - especially in a time when the Civil Rights Movement was sweeping the nation.
I still think that the book in whole is great, with a great story to tell, and a great example of just how hard it can be to live with mental illnesses, especially as a woman.