Style and narrative form of 'The Bell Jar'

The point of view of the novel is first person. The reader is able to see everything through the eyes of Esther Greenwood. This gives the reader a perfect view of how she sees everything around her and allows them to travel with her as she descends into insanity. Esther is a college student who feels the pressure of always succeeding and wonders if she will find success after college. This leads her to have a nervous breakdown.

The story is told through exposition and dialogue. The reader sees how Esther views her life and the people around her. It allows the reader to form a special bond with Esther and see how she goes from being an average college student to a resident of an asylum. The journey through Esther’s mind is a spellbinding ride that leaves the reader breathless.

The language of the novel is powerful and suggestive. Esther is a writer and her story is told in a florid fashion that draws the reader in and takes them along through the intricate ride through Esther’s mind. The language is typical of a college student. The language is simple yet powerful and allows the reader to morph into Esther’s mind and experience what she experiences. Plath is an excellent writer who uses her skill of the language and imagery to write a novel that is spellbinding and leaves the reader sharing Esther’s despair and hoping she finds the strength to conquer her fears.

Plath’s style is powerful with her use of imagery and language to make Esther’s world become real to the reader. She uses simple, but concise worlds that draw the reader in and makes them experience what Esther is experiencing. The chapters are short and concise and show the slow progress of Esther’s descent into insanity and her journey back to recovery. Esther’s journey becomes real to the reader and they travel with her on her journey from madness to recovery and root for her success.

To the person in the bell jar, blank and stopped as a dead baby, the world itself it the bad dream.
-- Esther (Chapter 20 paragraph Paragraph 4, pg. 237)

Importance: This quote shows how Esther feels trapped by her mental illness. There is nothing else in her life, but what is in her mind. It makes her numb to the outside world.