Rhya’s Comments (group member since Apr 17, 2011)

Rhya’s comments from the Summer Reading '11 group.

Yes, I have read it and YES, it felt very much like "A Separate Peace". I won't disclose anything about the end, but it is quite similar, like a modernized version. Overall, I felt that it was very readable and engaging; I quite liked Green's writing style. The only problem I had was that I didn't like the protagonist throughout most of the book, though some of the other characters made up for it in my mind.

I vote "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy."

How do we escape our personal bell jars?

"Straight & fast."

Also, I like the fact that Esther, though a feminist, wasn't super intense nor a lesbian. I think Plath was kinda showing that not all feminists have to be a certain way nor follow a certain stereotype through Esther.

Yes, this is definitely a theme. Throughout the entire book are little things like that. I noticed how her experience with Dr. Gordon was terrible (he was a man), but she absolutely loved Dr. Nolan (woman), even though they essentially did the same thing. Like, how did shock treatments magically become relaxing once Dr. Nolan was in charge?

Also, though the novel is showing the slow progression into Esther's insanity, one thing I noticed is that it seems the major turning point is when she is almost raped by Marcos (I think that's his name), the "woman-hater". Prior to this incident, she seems mostly normal, but after this is when she appears to snap. Of all the men encountered, it was the proclaimed "woman-hater" who seems a catalyst into her decent.

I totally agree with the whole birth control = liberation thing, as well. Personally, I really liked how she became "free" by having sex with a man who fit a criteria, but that the true part of the "freedom" was to never speak to him again. Yes, somewhat sketch/sleazy, but I totally understand what she means and how it is empowering (not from experience, but I get her point).

Perhaps my favorite foreshadowing in the book, just in general, not necessarily on the theme of feminism, is how the first line of the book is talking about the Rosenbergs(sp?) and how terrible Esther thinks it would be to be electrocuted, then she herself goes through shock treatments. The Bell Jar

Well I'm not totally sure everyone knows each other so I'm going to take the initiative to attempt to start an introduction thread. I mean, over the next four months we're all going to be reading the books that hold pretty dear places in each of our hearts, which is kind of a window into our souls. On top of the fact that we'll be discussing them. So post and introduce yourself?

I'm Rhya, like pizzeria, rhymes with onomatopoeia. I'm a junior in college studying English + French, minoring in History. I hail from lovely New Jersey. I'm mildly obsessed with F. Scott Fitzgerald (I legit wear the last line of Gatsby on a bracelet, daily) and totally a 20th century lit lover, favorites being the Lost Generation and e.e. cummings, poetry-wise.

The book I chose for this club is "The Bell Jar". It is for me what "Catcher in the Rye" is for so many people: that somewhat eerie, bildungsroman novel that you find yourself identifying with while simultaneously questioning your sanity. And I guess I want to share that.

Nope, it makes sense. Good idea.