The Importance Of Suffering In Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar

Suffering is something all people experience in life. It is inexplicable and inevitable. For some, suffering is the ending of a career or the loss of a relative, and for others it may be physical or emotional pain. Nevertheless, it is something everyone will come across at some point in their life. Suffering is naturally a part of experiencing life as a human. In the novel The Bell Jar, author Sylvia Plath takes the reader through her personal battle with suffering through the main character’s relationship with a good friend, the symbolism of the title itself, and her own point of view throughout the story to show how human interaction is the basis of suffering.
Esther Greenwood’s relationship with her friend Doreen is what began her long descent into suffering with deep depression. Esther says that Doreen has “... a whole life of marvelous, elaborate decadence that attracted me like a magnet” (Plath 5). Doreen’s life is so seemingly flawless and dazzling to Esther that she wants to live precisely like her. She considers Doreen a role model for herself, and is constantly comparing herself to Doreen. This could motivate Esther to work hard and be as superb as Doreen, but at one point, Esther says …show more content…
Suffering is something that may not always be directly caused by another person, but the relationship may be toxic and lead to suffering later on. Other times, people feel as though they are cut off from others, in which case the lack of human interaction leads to great misfortune. Suffering is something that causes numerous emotional and intellectual responses. In a similar way, it also causes resilience in the human spirit. Inner strength comes from overcoming the inevitable suffering that man must experience in his