The Bell Jar By Sylvia Plath - 1803 Words

In the 1963 novel, The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath depicts the mental breakdown of a young woman, Esther Greenwood, as a result of the pressures of her environment. Esther grows depressed throughout the novel and goes â€Å"crazy† due the many conflicting choices she is faced with. In Esther’s 1950s society, she is expected to marry and have children. Yet, she is confronted with her many wants that conflict with this picture of ideal femininity. As Jay Cee says, Esther â€Å"wants to be everything† (83), and this is precisely where her dilemma lies. Essentially, Esther’s breakdown can be attributed to her fear of making a choice. This fear is communicated when Esther states â€Å"I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked† (62). Esther is torn between the want for many different futures. The â€Å"branches† suggest that her choices are mutually exclusive, and she is only able to take one path. All the figs are â€Å"fat purple,† communicating that all the options are equally fruitful, desirable, and attractive, making Esther’s decision extremely difficult. She describes an array of paths including motherhood and careers, none of which she is able chose from. She states she, â€Å"wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant loosing all the rest† (63). Unable to make a decision she â€Å"starves to death† (63), and allows the futures to â€Å"die.† She says, â€Å"the figs began toShow MoreRelatedThe Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath1318 Words   |  6 Pageswe live. Many authors who seek this understanding fall short of their expectations and find themselves questioning life to an even greater extent than they had prior to their endeavors. One example of this would be author and poet Sylvia Plath, whose novel The Bell Jar parallels the tragic events that occurred throughout her own life. This coming-of-age story follows the life of Esther, a very bright and introverted student from Boston. She spends a month in New York City as a contest-winning juniorRead MoreThe Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath1211 Words   |  5 PagesOn January 14th of 1963, Sylvia Plath had finally completed The Bell Jar after approximately two years of writing. This novel could have been considered a partial autobiography, because the main character Esther Greenwood eerily represents Sylvia Plath. There are a number of references to Plath’s real life throughout the book, too many for it to be considered a mere coincidence. Within the story, Esther Greenwood considers and attempts suicide quite frequently. Could this novel have been foreshadowingRead MoreThe Bell Jar By Sylvia Plath Essay1438 Words   |  6 Pagesthe novel been translated into nearly a dozen different languages, but it is also the only novel under the American writer and poet Sylvia Plath. She wrote this novel to resemble her life whenever she was dealing with mental illness. It was published in 1967 and was not published in the United States until 1971. After the first publication in the United Kingdom, Plath committed suicide in a very tragic way.   Even though this novel can be viewed as â€Å"dark†, many english classes read this world wideRead MoreThe Bell Jar By Sylvia Plath1099 Words   |  5 PagesThe Bell Jar by: Sylvia Plath Depression is a serious topic throughout the world, especially in America. Depression can result in someone feeling completely alone. There is no direct cause for depression in adolescents, but it can be brought on by the maturing process, stress from failure in some sort, a traumatic or disturbing event such as death, or even a break up. Sure, everyone has an off day here and there, where they feel like they shouldn’t even bother getting out bed in the morning, butRead MoreThe Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath1211 Words   |  5 PagesSylvia Plath Research Paper Title The Bell Jar place[s] [the] turbulent months[of an adolescent’s life] in[to] mature perspective (Hall, 30). In The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath uses parallelism, stream of consciousness, the motif of renewal and rebirth, symbolism of the boundary-driven entrapped mentally ill, and auto-biographical details to epitomize the mental downfall of protagonist, Esther Greenwood. Plath also explores the idea of how grave these timeless and poignant issues can affect a fragileRead More The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath1820 Words   |  7 PagesIdentity is fragile and is a characteristic that every person must discover without hiding behind inexperience’s and excluding themselves from the outside world of reality or else their own personal bell jar will suffocate them alive. The Bell Jar, a semi-autobiographical novel written by Sylvia Plath portrays how a young woman with too many identities and unrealistic expectations overwhelms herself to the point that she contemplates and attempts su icide multiple times. Esther Greenwood, a young collegeRead MoreThe Bell Jar By Sylvia Plath942 Words   |  4 Pagesdevelopment of her relationship with many characters in the novel, The Bell Jar. Esther is mentally and emotionally different than a majority of the people in her community. As a result of this state, she often has difficulty taking criticism to heart. Her depression continues to build throughout the novel as she remains in the asylum. It does not help that she has no aid from her loved ones. In the novel, The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath utilizes the relationships that Esther shares with Buddy Willard MrsRead MoreThe Bell Jar By Sylvia Plath1274 Words   |  6 Pagesnovel The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath the prime character, Esther Greenwood, struggles to handle life in her own skin. She feels as though she is trapped in a glass bell jar with no escape because of her incapability to comprehend herself. For example, in chapter one Plath states, â€Å"‘My name s Elly H igginbottom,’ I said. ‘I come from Chicago.’ After that I felt safer. I didn t want anything I said or did that night to be associated with me and my real name and coming from Boston† (Plath 11). In thisRead MoreThe Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath1554 Words   |  6 Pagestrials and triumphs in their personal life, their relationships with others and their surroundings. In the Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath explores the role of women in society in 1950s New York City through her relationships and interactions. Esther Greenwood is the major character and is therefore central to the novel. The book is considered to be a â€Å"roman a` clef† portraying the painful summer of Sylvia Plath’s psychotic breakdown in 1953, and contains â€Å"thinly disguised portraits of her family and friends†Read MoreThe Bell Jar By Sylvia Plath1940 Words   |  8 PagesAccording to the Merriam Webster dictionary, the definition of the word â€Å"bell jar† is, †Å"a bell-shaped usually glass vessel designed to contain objects or preserve gases and or a vacuum†. Sylvia Plath’s title, The Bell Jar, symbolically represents her feeling towards the seclusion and inferiority women endured trapped by societes glass vessel during the 1950’s. The Bell Jar, follows the life of Esther Greenwood, the protagonist and narrator of the story, during her desperate attempt to become a woman

Drunk Driving And Drunk Drivers - 2145 Words

In 2013, 10,076 people were killed in drunk driving incidents. Out of those people, 65% (6,515) were drivers, 27% (2,724) were passengers, and 8% (837) were non-passengers (â€Å"Drunk Driving Statistics†). Over half of those fatalities (67.1%) involved blood alcohol levels over .15% (â€Å"Drunk Driving Statistics†). The legal blood-alcohol content is .08%. Drunk driving caused 31% of deaths in car crashes in 2013 (â€Å"Drunk Driving Statistics†). In 2012, 402 people were killed by alcohol impairment in North Carolina (â€Å"Drunk Driving Statistics†). These numbers, though they seem astonishing, have been cut in half since 1991 (â€Å"Drunk Driving Statistics†). Even though the number of fatalities has been lowered, that number is not low enough. Most drunk drivers are repeat offenders. Lives are being taken because of the careless attitude of the drunk drivers. Drunk driving is selfish; those who commit this crime do not think about the extreme consequences of their actions. In North America it is estimated that 1-5 drivers has been drinking and 1 in 10 is legally impaired on any Friday or Saturday night (Root). Many groups, including MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), are fighting to stop drunk driving. Unfortunately, drunk driving cannot be stopped. People will always commit this heinous crime. The numbers may go down, but unfortunately there will always be a number. The only way to continually decrease the amount of lives lost is to increase punishments for drunk driving. Current drunkShow MoreRelatedDrunk Drivers And Drunk Driving946 Words   |  4 PagesWhile I have never personally been involved in a crash caused by drunk driving, as a firefighter I have approached the aftermath of many. The worst drunk driving accident I have witnessed was a car that had rolled three times. The guy flew out the front window, leaving deep cuts all over his head. Because he was intoxicated, he tried to get up and move around, obli vious to his injuries or pain. He didn’t even realize he had gotten into an accident. As I watched the scene unfold, it made me angryRead MoreThe Consequences of Drunk Driving800 Words   |  4 PagesThe Consequences of Drunk Driving â€Å"A friend who dies, it’s something of you who dies,† Gustave Flaubert. When someone dies from drunk driving this is something you may be feeling. The consequences of drunk driving are far too high to even think of driving while under the influence. Every year thousands die from drunk driving or are caught drunk driving, and face consequences such as fines and a loss of license. But, it’s easy to avoid or prevent drunk driving by ordering a taxi or setting a designatedRead MoreThe Effects Of Drunk Driving On The Road Of Driving1382 Words   |  6 Pagesdeadly acts? Drunk-driving? Oh no! These two words together are uncordial behaviors. The crime of driving a vehicle or operating a motorized machine while under the influence of alcohol is totally against the law of the land, but some people still won’t stop. Is there any gain in drunk-driving than loss of lives, loss of driving privileges, and property—vehicles? One-third of traffic deaths invo lve alcohol-impaired driving (MADD). Therefore, a behavior that involves a tiny proportion of drivers is oneRead MoreDrunk Drivers Should Not Be Banned1279 Words   |  6 Pagesa large amount of drunk driving accidents almost every year there are drunk drivers getting away and not having any harsh consequences.Drunk driving has killed over hundreds of citizens due to the mistakes by over intoxicated drivers. States all across the country have lowered the blood alcohol limit to keep drunk drivers off the road from hitting a pedestrian. Some citizens believe that drunk drivers should not be punished more harshly due to be over intoxicated while driving. If there is no harmRead MoreAlcohol Related Accidents Essay874 Words   |  4 Pageschance of being in an accident with a drunk driver. Drunk driving is a serious problem that the United States, as well as the world, is trying to deal with, because it does not only effect a select few, it effects everyone. Drunk driving amongst hig h school students is an enormous problem that the United States is trying to cope with. Many programs have come to surface over the past few years, that educate students on this situation. MADD, mothers against drunk driving, is a non profit organization thatRead MoreDrunk Drivers Essay1097 Words   |  5 PagesDriving a vehicle is a huge responsibility, and can be dangerous for anyone who is careless on the road. That danger increases as drivers attempt to drive either intoxicated or drunk. Blood alcohol concentration, also known as BAC, is the amount of alcohol in the blood of one’s system, and is used as a measure of degree of intoxication in an individual (answers.com). In the United States it is illegal per se, to drive with a BAC of .08 for all drivers who are 21 and older (nhtsa.gov). As the bloodRead MoreDrunk Driver And Drunk Drivers923 Words   |  4 PagesIn 2013, 10,076 people died because of drunk drivers. One every 52 minutes. 290,000 were injured because of the accidents (MADD). In 2012, 3,328 people died because of car crashes due to the fact that drivers were on their phones. 421,000 were injured (Texting and Driving Statistics). Driving is not an easy task so you should always be attentive to what you’re doing. A big difference between both is being sober and being drunk. Someone that’s drunk isn’t fully aware of what’s going on. Someone whoRead MoreDrinking And Driving1335 Words   |  6 Pages Drink and Driving is and Ongoing Problem Erica Esposito Kean University Abstract This paper explores the research and find results on how drinking and driving has become a big problem in the United States. Drinking and driving effects a person’s ability to operate a vehicle and therefore drunk drivers need to be educated on the repercussions with drinking and driving. Every day drunk drivers are arrested, either for traffic violations, reckless driving, and random stops on theRead MoreDrunk Driving Essay780 Words   |  4 Pagesalcohol-impaired drivers (Wu, 2016). Many people drive while under the influence of alcohol because they do not see the risk of getting into an accident or potentially injuring someone. They only see the convenience of not leaving their car somewhere or purchasing a driving service. Driving while under the influence of alcohol has a negative impact on society. Drunk driving is detrimental to families, studies show that it takes human life, and has a legal punishment. When a drunk driver gets into anRead MoreDeath by Driving Drunk930 Words   |  4 Pagesone of the leading causes of death during driving is drunk driving. Drunk driving not only puts you in danger but everyone around you in danger. There are many ways that alcohol affects you that makes you drive very bad. To help stop this, The police have made many laws regarding drunk driving and have made many arrests regarding driving under the influence. There are also many stories out there that make us wonder about the dangers and risks of drunk driving. Theres also many laws and reforms being

From Slavery to Freedom free essay sample

Defeat aroused hatred within Southerners, whom were robbed of their slave propertyiii. Racism became one of the main forces in the South during Reconstruction Abraham Lincoln Politician wanted to respect private property (excluding slaves) and did not want to impose harsh punishments on the South for rebellion Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction Of DCE. 1863: Southerners (except Confederate military leaders) had to swear an oath of allegiance to the US and its laws (including the Emancipation Proclamation) in order to be pardoned and offered restoration of property 2.Ten Percent Plan: When 1 D percent of a states population took this oath, Lincoln would recognize the formation of a ewe state government in that state ii. Radical Republicans, such as Benjamin Wade and Henry Davis) favored the abolition of slavery at the beginning of the war, but later advocated harsh treatment of the defeated Lincoln vetoed the Wade-Davis Bill, which required 50 percent of a South. We will write a custom essay sample on From Slavery to Freedom or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Seceding states white male citizens to take the loyalty oath before the state could form its constitution, and it also guaranteed equality before the law for former slaves iii.Sherman Special Field Order 15 of 1 865 set aside 400,000 acres of abandoned Southern land for forty-acre grants to freedmen v. The Republican Party prevented the development of a land distribution system, but supported other methods to aid the freed slaves 1 . In 1865, Congress established the Freedmans Bureau to provide social, educational, and economic services to emancipated slaves or white Unionists, which lasted seven years v. Lincoln plans seemed to favor quo kick restoration of the South and limited federal intervention, but his policies were cut short after his assassination, when he was replaced with Andrew Johnson d.Andrew Johnson and Presidential Reconstruction I. Johnson was a Democrat and roomer slaveholder from a poor southern background who supported yeomen farmers and hated southern aristocrats ii. He remained loyal to the Union throughout the war and held planter elite responsible for southern rebellion and defeat. He was appointed as military governor of Tennessee in 1862 and nominated as vice president by the Republicans in the 1864 election iv.Immediately after taking office, he appeared to side with the Radical Republicans by talking of indicting Confederate officials for treason and confiscating their property v. Saw Reconstruction as power Of the executivenot legislative-?branch vi. However, since he blamed individual planters and elite for secession rather than entire states, he proposed mild terms for reentry to the Union 1. He followed Lincoln policy for pardoning Southerners (excluding some Confederate officials and wealthy landowners) 2.These men could apply for presidential pardons and Johnson pardoned 90% of those who applied 3. December 1 865: Johnson declared restoration of the Union complete by allowing ten of eleven Confederate states to reenter the Union vii. Johnson was committed to white supremacy; he opposed political rights for the freedmen and determined e Radical Republican Vision I. Radical Republicans (example: George Julian) promoted equal political rights and economic opportunity as well as a powerful national government ii. Wanted federal government to control the reformation of Southern society iii. Radicals wanted to grant freedmen civil rights and suffrage and give them land confiscated from wealthy Southerners iv. Radicals opposed the black codes passed in South Carolina to deny many rights of citizenship to free African Americans Southerners could not accept full freedom of African Americans 2. Moderate Republicans joined Radicals in the belief that old Confederates ere in power in the South and the black codes and racial violence required increase protection for African Americans v. Republicans estate shed the Joint Committee on Reconstruction vi. 866: Congress passed the Fourteenth Amendment to define African Americans as citizens and the Civil Rights Act that bestowed full citizenship on African Americans, overturning the 1857 Dried Scott decision and black codes 1. African Americans acquired full and equal benefit of all laws and proceedings for the security of person and property as is enjoyed by white citizens vii. Congress also expanded he Freedmans Bureau to build sc hools and prosecute those depriving blacks of their civil rights viii. Johnson vetoed these two measures; Republicans in Congress overrode his veto ix.November 1866: Republicans gained control Of the House, Senate, and northern States x. Conflict between president and Congress: Johnnys restoration or Congressional Reconstruction? F. Congressional Reconstruction and the Impeachment Crisis I. Republicans took control of Reconstruction in 1867 by passing the First Reconstruction Act, which divided the South into five military districts subject to martial law Southern states were required to hold new constitutional conventions, guarantee universal manhood suffrage, and ratify the Fourteenth Amendment before they would be readmitted to the Union iii.