How would you describe Esther's reaction to the shock treatment?
Barring the near-impossible scenario that Esther actually enjoys the shock treatment and believes in its benefits, her most plausible reaction is stoic acceptance. With the recurrence of Buddy Willard in the novel comes a resumed interest in the theme of female sexuality.
What is Esther's reaction to Joan's suggestion?
Esther is somewhat shocked by Joan's suggestion. Esther does not particularly like Joan, but she fascinates Esther, who believes she may have just made up Joan. Joan tells Esther that she likes her better than Buddy, and she stretches out on Esther's bed.
Why does Esther break down in the first chapter?
The first true breakdown that Esther has occurs primarily because of her established indecision concerning her career. Faced with making a concrete decision about what she wants to do after graduating from college, Esther becomes unstable and breaks into tears.
What happens to Esther when she bites down on the wire?
When Esther bites down on the wire that he gives her, she is shot through with "air crackling with blue light," and the jolts and flashes that split her body make her wonder "what terrible thing it was that I had done."
How does Esther describe her first shock treatment?
A nurse wearing thick glasses hooks Esther up to the shock machine, and a jolt shakes Esther “like the end of the world.” She wonders what awful thing she did to deserve this punishment. The treatment reminds her of the time she accidentally electrocuted herself with her father's lamp. Dr.
What treatment did Esther get for her mental illness?
After two brief psychiatric evaluations, Esther is prescribed an antiquated, anesthesia-free version of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). It only takes one traumatic “treatment” for Esther to drop out of care. After several suicidal gestures, she pens a suicide note and attempts to overdose on sleeping pills.
How is Esther treated in the bell jar?
Esther is admitted to a mental institute, where she is treated by a progressive psychiatrist who, among other things, eases her concerns about premarital sex and encourages her to obtain a diaphragm. In addition, Esther undergoes electric-shock treatment, which makes her feel as if she has been freed from a bell jar.
What happens to Esther after she loses her virginity?
Esther had met Irwin on the Widener Library steps at Harvard. After some drinks and dinner, Esther had decided that she would lose her virginity to Irwin. But after they have sex, Esther starts to hemorrhage.
How many shock treatments did Esther?
They go outside, and Esther notices that the metaphorical bell jar has lifted and she can breathe the open air. Dr. Nolan tells her she will have shock treatments three times a week.
What did Esther complain of when she was sick?
Esther throws out the dead and dying flowers and rearranges the bouquets, which displeases the women. They complain, and Esther runs away from the hospital.
Does Esther get a lobotomy in The Bell Jar?
Valerie shows Esther the scars at her temples and explains that she has had a lobotomy. She says she used to be angry all the time, and now she feels fine. She has no desire to leave the hospital.
Does Esther escape The Bell Jar?
But in the novel, there is a happy ending. Through Esther's struggle, she finally learns how to escape her bell jar. In the end, she does become free; while in the case of Plath, it's the opposite.
Why did Esther hemorrhage in The Bell Jar?
When she loses her virginity, she bleeds so copiously that she must seek medical attention. The presence of blood suggests a ritual sacrifice: Esther will sacrifice her body for peace of mind, and sacrifice her virginity for the sake of experience.
What happens to Esther at the end of The Bell Jar?
The novel ends with Esther entering a conference with her doctors, who will decide whether she can leave the hospital and return to school. It is suggested near the beginning of the novel that, in later years, Esther goes on to have a baby.
Why does Esther lose her virginity?
Esther believes that losing her virginity will transform her, because her culture continually sends the message that an immense gap exists between virginity and sexual experience.
Does Esther leave the asylum?
She will be leaving Belsize to live with a nurse in Cambridge. Even though Esther is due to leave the hospital for winter semester at college, Joan's eminent departure makes her jealous. While on town leave, Esther meets a math professor named Irwin on the steps of the library at Harvard.
How is the theme of isolation developed within The Bell Jar?
A sense of confinement permeates Plath's novel, even as represented by the bell jar that forms the title of the book. The bell jar symbolizes Esthe...
Why does Esther feel she needs a relationship?
Esther believes that she needs to become involved in a relationship, as a result of societal pressure. Everyone seems to believe that Esther should...
Write a critical note on Confessionalism from your reading of Plath’s The Bell Jar.
Much of the narrative has a confessional tone to it. Consider the theme of sexuality. Many of Esther's problems stem from a conflicted view of fema...
Why can't Esther read?
Esther’s illness becomes more severe. She cannot read, because the letters appear to literally slide and dance when she focuses her eyes on them. She seems to become delusional, instantly hating her doctor and crying about the stranger in the park as if she actually believes the unknown woman caused all of her problems.
Why can't Esther jump out of the window?
On the way to her treatment, Esther encounters a woman who threatens to jump out of the window, which she cannot do because bars across the windows would prevent her. A nurse wearing thick glasses hooks Esther up to the shock machine, and a jolt shakes Esther “like the end of the world.”.
What hospital does Esther go to?
Esther goes to Dr. Gordon’s hospital for her shock treatment. The hospital waiting room looks like part of a summer hotel, but the inhabitants sit listlessly. They remind Esther of store mannequins. On the way to her treatment, Esther encounters a woman who threatens to jump out of the window, which she cannot do because bars across the windows would prevent her. A nurse wearing thick glasses hooks Esther up to the shock machine, and a jolt shakes Esther “like the end of the world.” She wonders what awful thing she did to deserve this punishment. The treatment reminds her of the time she accidentally electrocuted herself with her father’s lamp. Dr. Gordon again asks her what college she attends, and again remembers the nurses who were stationed there during the war. Esther feels dreadful, and tells her mother she is through with Dr. Gordon. Her mother says that she knew Esther was not like those people at the hospital and feels sure she would decide to get better.
Why does Esther break down?
The first true breakdown that Esther has occurs primarily because of her established indecision concerning her career. Faced with making a concrete decision about what she wants to do after graduating from college, Esther becomes unstable and breaks into tears.
What happens to Esther's mother when she arrives?
When she arrives, Esther's mother asks what happens to her face, but she merely says that she cut herself. Esther's mother immediately gives her bad news: she didn't make the writing course, and would be spending a summer in the suburbs. Esther returns to her house, a small, white clapboard house in a quiet suburb.
What does Marco offer Esther in Chapter 10?
Plath even parallels the earlier proposal by Buddy Willard in this chapter; Marco offers Esther a diamond, a symbol of marriage, in exchange for her independence, sexual and otherwise. For Esther, the proposal' by Marco is a more violent extension of the one offered by Buddy. Chapter Ten:
What does Esther want to be?
Esther does not know what she wants to be, but Jay Cee says Esther wants "to be everything.". Esther claims she wants to be a poet, and Jay Cee gives her a long-stemmed paper rose with which to be photographed. The photographer notices how Esther seems about to cry, and she finally breaks into tears.
What does Jay Cee mean by Esther's neuroses?
Jay Cee echoes Esther's defined neuroses' through her answer that Esther wants to be "everything," and thus once again defines her primary problem. Once again, Sylvia Plath equates sexuality with violence during the encounter between Esther and Marco in this chapter.
What happens when Esther buries her head into Jay Cee's couch?
She buries her head into Jay Cee's couch, and when she lifts her head again the photographer and Jay Cee are gone. When Jay Cee returns, she gives Esther an armful of manuscripts to amuse her.
What does Hilda say about the Rosenbergs?
Hilda discusses the Rosenbergs with Esther, claiming that she is "so glad they're going to die.". Esther says that the Rosenberg situation is awful, but Hilda says that "it's awful such people should be alive.". Esther has her picture taken in Jay Cee 's office, but feels as if she is going to cry.
What does Esther's nurse tell Esther?
This wall-eyed nurse tells Esther that everyone is "scared to death" before their first shock treatment. When it is time for Esther's treatment, her temples are covered with grease, and Dr. Gordon fits two metal plates, one on each side of her head, with a strap.
Why does Esther turn her face to the wall?
But Esther is not angry; she has only turned her face to the wall because she thinks that George wants to see how a crazy girl looks. Esther then asks for a mirror, and against the nurse's wishes, she takes it and breaks it.
Why is Esther blind?
And in a way, Esther is blind because she doesn't know what to do, or which way to turn. Except for the pain of the electroshock treatments, she could easily become a zombie also. She is at the mercy of her caretakers, who do not understand her.
Why is Mrs Greenwood worried about Esther?
Greenwood doesn't notice. She is worried only about why Esther won't cooperate with the doctors — who are called Doctor Syphilis and Doctor Pancreas by Esther because she can't remember their real names.
What does Esther see in the hall?
As Esther follows Dr. Gordon and prepares to undergo her first electro-shock treatment, she sees a shouting, struggling woman being dragged along the hall by an unsympathetic nurse with a medicinal smell. This wall-eyed nurse tells Esther that everyone is "scared to death" before their first shock treatment.
What does Esther decide about the Weeping Scholar Tree?
Even when Esther goes to Boston's Public Garden, she analyzes things in the most negative light. She decides that the Weeping Scholar Tree must have come from Japan, and then she goes into a long reverie on the merits of disembowelment. However, she concludes, she hates the sight of blood.
What newspaper did Esther read?
The seamy sides of life and violence and death fascinate her, partly because all her family ever read was the Christian Science Monitor, a newspaper that Esther claims treated such things as "if they didn't happen.". Even when Esther goes to Boston's Public Garden, she analyzes things in the most negative light.
How does ECT work?
ECT uses electric currents to stimulate a person’s brain to induce a controlled seizure. Researchers do not exactly know how ECT works, but one theory is that it could regulate neurotransmitter activity. This article looks at how ECT works, whether it is an effective treatment, and its controversial history. It also discusses some alternative ...
What is electro shock therapy?
Electroshock therapy, also known as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), is a treatment for severe major depression, bipolar depression, and other mental health conditions. Psychiatrists may recommend ECT when a person does not respond well to other treatments. ECT uses electric currents to stimulate a person’s brain to induce a controlled seizure.
How long does an ECT last?
An ECT session may last for about 1 hour, which includes 15–20 minutes for the procedure and 20–30 minutes of recovery time. A person may receive ECT two or three times a week for a total of between six and 12 sessions. The frequency and number of sessions will differ among individuals depending on the severity of the condition and ...
Why is ECT negative?
The negative perceptions of ECT originate from previous misuse and the historical lack of consistent administration of general anesthetics or muscle relaxants. Furthermore, when healthcare professionals first introduced ECT, many people did not consent to the therapy.
Why do doctors recommend ECT?
However, doctors recommend ECT for some people because it is low risk and carries few side effects. Researchers are still not sure how ECT works, but they understand that it has many effects on the brain, including increasing blood flow and triggering the release of neurotransmitters and hormones.
How long can you drive after ECT?
After the session, a person must not drive for 24 hours. They should also try to arrange for someone to stay with them until they go to sleep. Although ECT is an effective treatment, a person will need to continue their medication and receive more ECT sessions to prevent a relapse.
Is ECT a negative thing?
The media has tended to portray ECT in a negative light — for example, in the film version of “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest.”. However, attitudes toward ECT are changing, and people are beginning to view it as an effective treatment for those with mental health conditions that are resistant to medication and therapy.
How many times does Esther receive shock treatment?
She tells Esther that she will receive shock treatments three times a week. Joan and Esther both receive letters from Buddy Willard, and Joan asks whether Esther will let Buddy visit her at the asylum. Joan suggests inviting Mrs. Willard, for she has always liked Buddy's family more than Buddy himself.
What does Esther feel when she is betrayed?
Esther feels incredibly betrayed, but for the shock treatment but for the "bare-faced treachery" of Dr. Nolan. Esther shouts at Dr. Nolan that she said she would tell her, but Dr. Nolan says she thought it would only keep Esther awake. Esther makes Dr. Nolan promise that she will be there. Dr.
Why does Buddy wonder about Esther?
He wonders because he dated Joan and then Esther. Esther wonders whether someday the bell jar might descend again, and whom she will marry now that she has been in an asylum.
What does Esther tell Joan about her puke?
She tells Joan that she does not like her, and that she makes her puke. Dr. Nolan schedules an appointment for Esther to get birth control pills, which will give her "freedom from fear, freedom from marrying the wrong person, like Buddy Willard, just because of sex.". Her next step is to find a proper man.
What does Joan tell Esther about her psychiatrist?
Chapter Nineteen: Joan tells Esther that she had a long conversation with her psychiatrist, Dr. Quinn, and she will become a psychiatrist herself. Esther thinks it is unfair that Joan is leaving before she does, even though Esther is merely staying at the asylum until her winter term begins.
What does Esther's decision to get birth control pills represent?
Esther's decision to get birth control pills represents a different reaction to the male sexuality that Buddy symbolizes. Esther secures birth control pills as a means for female empowerment. For her, the birth control pills symbolize freedom and power.
What does Esther worry about after speaking to a nurse?
After speaking to a nurse who tells her about the "boobies in the state place that worry [her] off her feet," Esther worries that she will be demoted back to Caplan, then Wymark and finally the state institution. The nurses do not serve Esther breakfast one morning, for she will receive shock treatment.
What is the idea being conveyed in Esther?
So the idea being conveyed in Esther is that purification precedes beautification.
How long does it take for myrrh to purify?
But according to some, the initial six month treatment with oil of myrrh was meant to purify her. They say that oil of myrrh was commonly used for antiseptic and anti-fungal purposes and as a deodorant. Therefore the first six months of her preparation were for cleansing, healing and purification.
Why did God put Esther in a position?
The fact that God placed Esther in a position so she could deliver her people-even before they were in danger-shows His far-reaching providence at work for His chosen people. This revelation would have been a great encouragement to the Jews of the postexilic period, as it has been to all believers since then.
What does Mordecai say in Esther 2:20?
She still did the commandment of Mordecai, as when she was brought up with him, Esther 2:20; Esther 2:20. Mordecai say in the king's gate; that was the height of his preferment: he was one of the porters or door-keepers of the court.
Why did Mordecai become a magistrate?
Evidently Mordecai received an appointment to a governmental position as a magistrate or judge because of Esther’s influence ( Esther 2:19 ). The "king’s gate" was where people settled legal matters in the capital. His position probably enabled Mordecai to overhear the plot to assassinate the king ( Esther 2:21-23 ).
How did God put down one that was high and mighty from her seat?
How God put down one that was high and mighty from her seat we read in the chapter before, and are now to be told how he exalted one of low degree, as the virgin Mary observes in her song ( Luke 1:52) and Hannah before her, 1 Samuel 2:4-8. Vashti being humbled for her height, Esther is advanced for her humility.
What is the margin of Esther 2:7?
She was a beauty, fair of form, good of countenance; so it is in the margin, Esther 2:7; Esther 2:7. Her wisdom and virtue were her greatest beauty, but it is an advantage to be a diamond to be well set. (4.) Mordecai, her cousin-german, was her guardian, brought her up, and took her for his own daughter.
What does Esther 2:3 mean?
2. A house (a seraglio) was prepared on purpose for them, and a person appointed to have the charge of them, to see that they were well provided for. 3.
When every maid's turn was come to go in to King Ahasuerus, after that she had been
Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to King Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of women ,.... That were prepared in the house of the women to be presented to the king for his liking; for it seems that these virgins came in turns to him, according to the time they had been in the house; as did the wives of the kings of Persia, as Herodotus relates p:
