Something Old, Something New discussion

Here is the spot to discuss this book.

Please be aware there could be spoilers!

Here are some discussion questions that were released by the publisher for this book.


1. What factors, components, and stages of Esther Greenwood's descent into depression and madness are specified? How inevitable is that descent?

2. In a letter while at college, Plath wrote that "I've gone around for most of my life as in the rarefied atmosphere under a bell jar." Is this the primary meaning of the novel's titular bell jar? What other meanings does "the bell jar" have?

3. What terms does Esther use to describe herself? How does she compare or contrast herself with Doreen and others in New York City, or with Joan and other patients in the hospital?

4. What instances and images of distortion occur in the novel? What are their contexts and significance? Does Esther achieve a clear, undistorted view of herself?

5. Are Esther's attitudes toward men, sex, and marriage peculiar to herself? What role do her attitudes play in her breakdown? What are we told about her society's expectations regarding men and women, sexuality, and relationships? Have those expectations changed since that time?

6. Esther more than once admits to feelings of inadequacy. Is Esther's sense of her own inadequacies consistent with reality? Against what standards does she judge herself?

7. With what specific setting, event, and person is Esther's first thought of suicide associated? Why? In what circumstances do subsequent thoughts and plans concerning suicide occur?

8. In addition to Deer Island Prison, what other images and conditions of physical and emotional imprisonment, enclosure, confinement, and punishment are presented?9. What are the primary relationships in Esther's life? Is she consistent in her behavior and attitudes within these relationships?

I read this years ago. Remember it as haunting. Unfortunately, don't remember details to answer questions. will have to look for my copy. carol

So, after having a bit of a think about this after I finished reading it, here are my answers to some of the discussion questions:

1. What factors, components, and stages of Esther Greenwood's descent into depression and madness are specified? How inevitable is that descent?
From the beginning Esther seems to be very negative about most aspects of her life, even down to the way she describes her so-called friends. She doesn't seem to have any positive feelings about herself and to me seemed to be just going through the motions of living and doing everything that was seemingly expected of her. These things coupled with her disinterest in living when she moved back in with her mother were all a very obvious downward spiral.

2. In a letter while at college, Plath wrote that "I've gone around for most of my life as in the rarefied atmosphere under a bell jar." Is this the primary meaning of the novel's titular bell jar? What other meanings does "the bell jar" have?
To me the 'bell jar' signified her being stuck in a situation where she thought everyone was watching her every move and she felt trapped in her own body and life as if trapped inside a 'bell jar'. She was going through all the motions of living life but not really taking any of it in or absorbing the feelings of others.

3. What terms does Esther use to describe herself? How does she compare or contrast herself with Doreen and others in New York City, or with Joan and other patients in the hospital?
Her other friends seemed to be more positive about life and open to new situations and just enjoying each experience as a person who wasn't suffering a mental illness should.
The other patients in the hospital even seemed to be a bit more positive of their situation and trying to make the most of being in there to get better whereby Esther seemed to act as if all hope was lost and there was nothing to keep living for.

4. What instances and images of distortion occur in the novel? What are their contexts and significance? Does Esther achieve a clear, undistorted view of herself?
I do remember reading a few sections where it was obvious that Esther saw a distorted view of herself and other things around her but cannot remember them in detail. One thing I guess stood out to me was the part where she thought she wasn't able to read and understand words anymore. That would be very scary to have your brain play tricks like that on you.

5. Are Esther's attitudes toward men, sex, and marriage peculiar to herself? What role do her attitudes play in her breakdown? What are we told about her society's expectations regarding men and women, sexuality, and relationships? Have those expectations changed since that time?
To me she had a very unemotional view on relationships in general. It was like she went through the motions of dating and being with men and socialising with people in the way she thought was expected but didn't really feel anything within herself in the way that most people would.

6. Esther more than once admits to feelings of inadequacy. Is Esther's sense of her own inadequacies consistent with reality? Against what standards does she judge herself?
I think a lot of people with depression or mental illness feel inadequate within themselves which is why they feel life isn't worth living sometimes and that things won't ever get better. Having known someone personally with Bi-polar I've seen how she has no confidence in herself in any situation even if it is something she has done a million times before or been given very clear and easy instructions to do. It's like she always feels she will fail or there is no reason to bother trying.

7. With what specific setting, event, and person is Esther's first thought of suicide associated? Why? In what circumstances do subsequent thoughts and plans concerning suicide occur?
I can't remember this now. I'll have to go back through the book and check......

This was an amazing book.

That inability to read is a hallmark of depression, and a terrifying one.

The experiences in New York, seeing the "phoniness" (thinking Holden Caufield for some reason) of the glamorous life were nicely done. Especially when her whole group got sick from eating crab meat, "chock-full of ptomaine", that had been sitting under the lights for photography.

I think the reason she didn't report the near-rape her last night in New York was because she was already so depressed.

And then thinking relentlessly of ways to kill herself, while being driven across that bridge.

And the horrors of shock therapy.

I wanted to thank you guys for hosting a group that brings me back to the classics. I always think I should be reading one, but you give me the focus, with a single book and defined timeline, to do exactly that.

Katy wrote: "I wanted to thank you guys for hosting a group that brings me back to the classics. I always think I should be reading one, but you give me the focus, with a single book and defined timeline, to d..."

No worries Katy. I was always in need of motivation to get through all of those older books that everyone seemed to have read except me so a group where I could mix that up with still getting through some newer books seemed a good idea.
I think I've read more classic books in the past two years since creating this group than I have in my life so I'm very pleased to be finally ticking them off my list and catching up to everyone else :-)

Katy wrote: "This was an amazing book.

That inability to read is a hallmark of depression, and a terrifying one.

The experiences in New York, seeing the "phoniness" (thinking Holden Caufield for some reason) ..."

Oh, I forgot about the shock therapy. I still cannot believe that used to be a legal medical treatment. How horrible would that have been? It's frightening to think how many people must have been put through that type of 'therapy'.