Due to the pressures that society places on women in the 1950s to be subservient housewives, Esther begins to believe that she is neurotic as she states, “If neurotic is wanting two mutually exclusive things at once and the same time, then I'm neurotic as hell.” Esther’s belief that she is neurotic stems from the pressures that she faces from society to get married but also from herself as she yearns to pursue a career in English. She perceives marriage as unnecessary and a challenge to her future; although, the constant criticism for her beliefs causes her to begin to question her own thoughts as she begins to pursue marriage to fulfill the stereotype that is placed upon her. Esther’s confusion is seen as she compares her life to a fig tree with the statement of, “One fig was a husband and a happy home and children, and another fig was a famous poet…,” which portrays how her life is destined to pursue one of these opportunities where one is to fit in with society and the other is to achieve her own goal.
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Esther does not want to give up her own opportunities for a man, but she also does not want to go against the stereotypical norm for women so she won’t be seen as unusual. Esther’s muddled desires began to take a toll on her spiral into mental illness as she begins to lose control in her day-to-day
Esther does not want to give up her own opportunities for a man, but she also does not want to go against the stereotypical norm for women so she won’t be seen as unusual. Esther’s muddled desires began to take a toll on her spiral into mental illness as she begins to lose control in her day-to-day