"The Bell Jar" and Esther's Depression

In "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath the main character, Esther Greenwood, sinks into depression during the summer after her third year of college. There are many factors and components that cause this to happen to Esther. The social restrictions placed upon women of her time, her own insecurities over her identity, and the pressure she receives from all of her close ones. She felt like her mind and soul should be with her body …

…dilemma which is that of a young woman who is unsure about life. After really hard times Esther begins gradually to recover. She enjoys the pleasant country-club surroundings that she is sent to and develops a closeness with her psychiatrist, Dr. Nolan. Esther also undergoes a more successful round of shock therapy, after which she feels the "bell jar" of depression lifting. At the end of the novel, Esther describes herself as optimistic and transformed.