MADNESS
Depression and suicidal thoughts/actions have played a large role in Esther’s life throughout the book. Her madness takes over most of the text, with the help of many symbols to show life and death in Esther’s eyes. Some examples of these are: The Fig Tree, The Bell Jar, Blood, Mirrors, and her Beating Heart.
Going into detail, The Fig Tree is one of the many symbols throughout the text to show Ester’s madness. Specifically, when Esther reads about a Jewish man and a nun who meet under a fig tree, she realizes that their relationship is not working- just as her relationship with Buddy was not working. I feel as though the fig tree ends up becoming a symbol of Esther’s life choices because the fig's end up rotting and falling to the ground. A quote from the novel that relates to this …show more content…
Besides that it is the title of the book, A Bell Jar is “a bell-shaped usually glass vessel designed to cover objects or to contain gases or a vacuum.” (Merriam-Webster) However, Esther uses her bell jar as more of a madness symbol. If she holds it tightly, she feels as though she is inside a jar that does not have any air in it. This makes it so Esther cannot connect with anyone around her. At the end of the book, Esther even stated that the bell jar was lifted, but she feels as though it is still hovering around her and can drop at any minute.
Blood is yet another symbol for Esther’s madness. Esther practices cutting her calves, so she would know exactly how to slash her wrists. She also gives Marco a bloody nose when he tries to rape her, and ends up rubbing his blood on her own self. Esther also looses her virginity towards the end of the book, and bled so badly that she had to be rushed to the hospital. I feel as though the blood and virginity together make for Esther sacrificing herself for a peaceful mind and experience that she’s always wanted. A quote that relates to this
Depression and suicidal thoughts/actions have played a large role in Esther’s life throughout the book. Her madness takes over most of the text, with the help of many symbols to show life and death in Esther’s eyes. Some examples of these are: The Fig Tree, The Bell Jar, Blood, Mirrors, and her Beating Heart.
Going into detail, The Fig Tree is one of the many symbols throughout the text to show Ester’s madness. Specifically, when Esther reads about a Jewish man and a nun who meet under a fig tree, she realizes that their relationship is not working- just as her relationship with Buddy was not working. I feel as though the fig tree ends up becoming a symbol of Esther’s life choices because the fig's end up rotting and falling to the ground. A quote from the novel that relates to this …show more content…
Besides that it is the title of the book, A Bell Jar is “a bell-shaped usually glass vessel designed to cover objects or to contain gases or a vacuum.” (Merriam-Webster) However, Esther uses her bell jar as more of a madness symbol. If she holds it tightly, she feels as though she is inside a jar that does not have any air in it. This makes it so Esther cannot connect with anyone around her. At the end of the book, Esther even stated that the bell jar was lifted, but she feels as though it is still hovering around her and can drop at any minute.
Blood is yet another symbol for Esther’s madness. Esther practices cutting her calves, so she would know exactly how to slash her wrists. She also gives Marco a bloody nose when he tries to rape her, and ends up rubbing his blood on her own self. Esther also looses her virginity towards the end of the book, and bled so badly that she had to be rushed to the hospital. I feel as though the blood and virginity together make for Esther sacrificing herself for a peaceful mind and experience that she’s always wanted. A quote that relates to this