While picking out books to read; there were many to choose from. Most I have already read, and was very entertained by reading them. I did not want to read a book that I have already read though. So I chose a book that seemed interesting, and I could relate too. The Bell Jar is about a girl who struggles with depression. In a way I could relate to her. I witnessed someone who went through depression and ended up taking their own life. Therefore I wanted to see what Plath’s view on depression was. I’m not that far into the book to understand her point of view of depression. I am far enough in the book to figure out that Esther is depressed. She is not as wild as her friend Doreen. Doreen likes to go out and drink till the point she is about to black out. In the beginning of the book Doreen gets drunk and ends up staying out with a guy while Esther goes home. She shows up at Esther’s door drunk and slurring her words. At that point Esther is fed up and done with Doreen acting the way she does. I just don’t understand why Esther still hangs out with Doreen when they are nothing alike. I guess I will have to read more to figure out why.
I felt the same way about how you were confused on why Esther kept putting up with Doreen after all that she's done with the getting drunk, and being wild, and going home with somebody she met just that night. I feel like Esther feels like she can't really push Doreen aside for what-ever reason, so she just finds it better to put up with her. I'm also really sorry to hear about the person you knew who took their life because of depression.
I'm sorry that you knew somebody who took their life, but I'm happy that you chose this book to see how Plath saw/handled depression. Also, I think we can all agree that Doreen has got to go! She really is a polar opposite of Esther, but maybe that's why Esther keeps around, so she can live through her? If that makes sense? Like she isn't like Doreen and can't be like her, but maybe she secretly would like too..
So far in the novel The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, Esther also known as Elly in the book is a complicated, yet simple character to read about. I haven’t gotten so far in the book to where I can describe Elly in such depth, but what I do know from what I’ve read is that Elly is just another girl looking for herself. She wonders at times why she is currently where she is. Depression is a major part of this book. Like most teens, depression is common. It may hardly ever be talked about, but teens go through it and so did Elly. Like I said before, I don’t know about Elly enough to pin-point how she really feels, but just by reading in her perspective you can almost tell that she is sad. She’s explains her sightings so witty, it’s like she uses it to cover up how she really feels. I think that’s what I really like about her because I feel like a lot of people do that just to hide all the pain that they actually have, so I found that really interesting. I’m very excited to read more about Elly and how she ends up figuring herself out.
I think your response is perfect. It literally makes light on everything that's going on in the book. From Elly herself to what the book is about and I love how excited you are to delve deeper into the book and understand Elly. I really just love this response, I don't know why haha.
I feel the same way about Elly and her being a complicated but simple character. I think it is really hard for people who are depressed to really "find themselves" mostly because they are not so sure about why they are living in the first place.
Sara Blaga So far, while reading The Bell Jar, I have loved every second of it. I feel like I adore this book so much, because I relate to Elly in a lot of ways. I just feel that she has created this persona to impress everyone, and in ways I do that too. I really love Plath’s style of writing; it makes the book feel kind of like a dream. I don’t really know how to describe the feeling I get when reading this book, I just know that it is eerie and I feel like something bad might happen as I keep reading the book. The most interesting thing about this book is how it also feels like it could take place in modern times, the way Elly talks to the style and the events that she goes to, it just seems very modern. I just want to discuss the future in this book and see what will happen next, because I really feel like something might happen to Elly; something that could change her. I’m really excited to continue reading and see what exactly the meaning of this book is, and the parallels between the character Elly, and Sylvia herself.
I really like how you said when you read the book it almost feels like a dream. I thought that too! I feel like everything's almost in her head a little bit too much, but it's really nice to get deeper into.
I really like how you can relate to the book. I also relate to the book. I cant really explain how I feel reading this book either, but I think I feel that Elly is having issues finding herself and she should take her time in finding herself rather then getting involved with someone else.
"If you expect nothing from somebody you are never disappointed." (Pg. 48) I feel like this quote is true in many ways, that's why I chose it. I've read, and heard this quote so many times before, that I believe it's 100% true. It stuck out to me because I feel like I live by it. Whenever I got my hopes up in the past, it always led to somebody getting hurt, and that somebody always ended up being me. Even in the present, I'm still left getting disappointed because I have so much faith in people, that when I expect the best, I'm not completely satisfied because it's not the best I was expecting. I'm the kind of person who puts everybody before myself. I'm very selfless, and I think that's why I try not to get my hopes up, and I try not to expect so much from other people because I know that there is a chance that somebody will end up getting let down. It's really hard to cope with that because it happens everyday. When I try to keep myself from getting my hopes up, I find it as a way of protecting myself from harm. Although it's a habit to expect something from people, I'm still learning not to do so. This quote is just really relate-able for me in my personal life, that's why I really liked it. Also when I read I can see why Elly doesn't like expecting things from other people. She knows that she's going to get disappointed, and I honestly find that really sad. She seems like the character to keep to herself most the time, and that's understandable. She's very intelligent, and she knows how everything ends up working out in her favor. I feel like she's trying to protect herself too.
Assignment #2 "I wondered what terrible thing it was that I had done." (Plath 118)
I chose this quote because it is so powerful, it actually brought me to tears when I read that passage. It is such a critical point in the novel because you really see that this maybe the end of any hope you have for Esther. She came to the psychologist to seek help, and if anything, all it did was make it worse for her. I love this quote because it brought such a reaction out of me when I read it. I couldn't believe that she felt she had done something absolutely terrible for her to get this treatment. And if you read the part beforehand, she didn't do anything wrong. It brought to my attention that back then, people really didn't identify with depression and they didn't know how to handle it the right way. Furthermore as you continue on to read you see how much more depressed and suicidal Esther becomes. The passages become so much more detailed and explicit that you cringe while reading it. I can see for those reasons why it's banned, but I don't really think that's a good reason for it to be banned. I feel like if anything, this book is a good thing for students to read and should even be assigned more, so that maybe students who are battling with depression can identify with it. What do you think guys, should it be banned? Or should it be brought up more to make light of depression? How do you feel when you read this quote? Have you ever felt like this before? This book is heavy and really brings out raw emotion while reading it, I hope you guys are feeling the same!
"I multiplied three by ten and got thirty, which seemed beyond reason.." (Plath 57)
I chose this quote because I think that Elly is jealous. I think that her hearing that there was other women who have had sex with Buddy before they got together is hard on her. Especially during that time period. During that time period people usually didn't have sex until they were married. In Buddy's case he had sex with someone before he got married, and now they are not even together. I like this quote because it shows that she does not yet understand that she is jealous but it shows that she actually really cares for Buddy, even though it upsets her that he is not a virgin. This quote is important because it seems like that this is the reason that Elly actually left Buddy. In my eyes to me it seems like she wanted to be his first. This passage does not explain or give me any ideas to why the book was banned, but im sure once I read more I will figure out the reason why the book was banned. This explains to me that Elly doesn't know how to express her feelings that well to other people. It is hard for her to let people know how she is feeling and make them understand why she feels a certain way. Instead of dealing with the issue or try working it out she runs away from the situation.
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath follows a young woman, Esther Greenwood and she's received the opportunity for a scholarship that would take her to New York City. There, she stays in a hotel known by the Amazon which is also a hotel for women only. Throughout the book she goes through major life events such as dealing with depression. I really liked this book, personally. I thought it was very well put together, and well written. While I read, I never felt only one emotion when reading the book. I would always have multiple feelings towards myself while reading. This book made me laugh, and it did make me sad at certain parts in the book. I would recommend this book to anybody who knows somebody else dealing with depression, or even somebody who is dealing with depression with themselves. I feel like this book provides a really well understanding on how one deals with depression. I think what made this book interesting for me was that this book is closely written about the author and her personal life. Sylvia Plath actually took her own life because of depression. I think that's really important to know when reading this book because it's almost like this book is an autobiography about Sylvia through somebody else’s' eyes. I enjoy that about this book a whole lot. I can see from reading this book cover to cover, why it was banned. Esther goes very into detail when talking about how she brings herself to deal with depression. There are parts in the book where self-harm comes into place, and also dark thoughts of having a life end. If readers like very detailed scenes to read about, or if they'd like to read about what depression is and the impact it has on a human being, then I think this book is worth reading.
The book takes place in the early 1900’s it is understandable that Esther would stay in a hotel for only women. Knowing that this book takes place in a time period that is completely different then the one I live in; it is hard to fully understand the way people think and why they are not aloud to do certain things. Especially because in the 21st century it wouldn’t be that big of a deal. I agree that this book describes a well view of someone who is dealing with depression. Although some people might be okay with reading about people who have depression and the way they feel and think. I personally would not want to read another book about depression, mostly because I find it more disturbing than enjoyable to read. As you said “There are parts in the book where self-harm comes into place” I personally don’t like reading about people harming themselves. I have had it happen to a family member and I don’t want the reminder of what happened to him, in my head. I recognize that there are people out there who are fine with reading about those types of situation, but books that include those situations are just not right for me.
I do not feel that it is ever acceptable to ban a book from the school library, because it’s like taking away somebody’s right to something. It’s taking away their knowledge and imagination. The student’s role in a book ban is more of a victim because they can’t do anything about the situation and they can’t have a say in it, because of adults having more of an authority over them. My response to anyone that would want to censor a book from my school library is this: What will it do for you? You’re not reading the book, and you’re not protecting or preventing your child from it, because eventually they will find a way to read that book. It’s like telling someone to not do something, but they will want to do it anyways, to try it out or maybe it’s because they like doing things they’re not supposed to do. It’s really not doing anything except causing a raucous. I believe my book, The Bell Jar, was challenged because of the content of it; people weren’t exactly understanding or comfortable with the idea of suicide and depression. They didn’t know that, that was what people thought when they were depressed or suicidal; therefore they didn’t think it was necessary for others to know or understand. I don’t think the book is a literary bible such as other books that are praised for their work, but I do believe it is a good thing for students to read and have in their schools because they have access to something that they can possibly connect to and have a better understanding of. This book could be somebody’s safe haven, and for it to not be accessible in their school, it could affect them. We just wouldn’t know it.
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath was an okay book. I was not fond of it. The book was not that fantastic, nor was it horrible. This book is about a young women named Esther. She is also known as Elly. Esther is in her early 20’s trying to figure out who she really is. Along the way she has to get through some difficult obstacles. For example, Esther is living with a deadly disease. She is living with depression. Depression can be very hard to deal with. Depending on how bad your depression is. In Elly’s case her depression got worse over the years. She had been unhappy for so long, for as long as she could remember. Not only does Esther feel like she has no purpose in this world; at one point she felt loved by a certain young man. This makes it harder on her figuring out that he was not the right guy for her. My first impression of this book was that I thought that it was going to be very interesting seeing things from Esther’s point of view, considering her condition. After reading the book I was not as satisfied. I did not find the book that interesting, mostly because of the dark thoughts that she had. I recommend this book for people who are interested in looking to how other people view the world. Some people might be disturbed by this book due to Elly’s dark thoughts and the way she thinks of things. In conclusion I personally did not like the book. I felt that her thoughts were very disturbing. It made me uncomfortable the way that she talked about certain things. Although I did not like this book, other people might enjoy it more than I did.
I can understand why you didn't find the book to be as good as you'd hoped it would be because I kind of felt like that too, until I actually started reading. I didn't find her dark thoughts interesting either, but I did find it interesting on how she dealt with them. I completely understand where you're coming from when you say how this book isn't really your favorite.
I can totally understand why the book isn't your favorite because it's pretty plotless and if anything more like a diary. Esther is relatable in some ways, but she's also extremely dark as you continue to read. That's why the book wasn't your favorite cause it's a little too hot to handle lol.
In today's world it feels like school libraries are paying more attention to the kind of books that are being provided for students. In my view, I do think that it is good that books are being more paid attention than usual, but I don't really agree with how certain books are being taken out of due to its content. I feel as if a book were to be banned from the school library that it would have to include really bad and inappropriate content. Although some books like that exist, it should be all up to the reader that decides to read it. If a book interests a person, but the book is banned, I think that the person who wants to read it should be able to. Books are meant to be read, and people are meant to read the books that catch their interest. If a student really wants to read a book that is banned, and they can't check it out from their school library, I would say to go check it out from a local library. I would say go for it. Even though I am all for going after a banned book even though it is banned from the school library, I do think there is a time and place for censorship, but I don't think that time and place belongs in high school libraries. People who don't want a book to be read, should just leave it along because somebody who wants to read it should be able to whenever they feel like it. Readers can choose for themselves, and it should stay like that.
I personally don’t think it is fair to band a book in a school library. Teachers and librarians have a right to tell us what to do sometimes, but telling students what to read is kind of ridiculous to me. Not allowing students to read certain books, or even books that we want to read; I feel it is against our first amendment. For example how people can have the freedom of speech, and religion, etc. Us, students should have the freedom to reach any book we want. I understand the reason schools band books. There are some students who are not capable of reading books with disturbing thoughts, violence, or even sexual involvement. Although some students are not capable of being mature about some scenes in the books, that shouldn’t mean that other students who are mature enough to read those books do not have the option to read them. The one thing that I don’t understand is that if they band the book from the library, students can still go to public libraries and check the book out there and read it at school. Therefore students can still get around the rules to read a band book, and bring it to school. In conclusion I just think it is unfair to band books from school librarys.
The Bell Jar is the only novel written by American poet, Sylvia Plath. This novel gives the readers insight to Plath’s mind; in fact it was inspired by her life and what she was going through at the time. The story is about Esther Greenwood and it follows her descent into depression and rise out of it. It doesn’t really follow a plot per say, in fact it is more of a diary. I think this makes the book stronger as you read it because it was written with the author’s life in mind. You feel what Esther was going through and you feel hopeless; that is what I felt throughout the book. This book was my safe haven, because I’ve been depressed myself. You feel like you’re not good at anything and you don’t have the special drive or passion for what you used to; that is what Esther struggles with in the novel. I recommend this book without a doubt to anyone, because if anything, somebody could be going through what Esther is going through, and this book could help them come to understanding with their depression. Esther was sent to multiple hospitals and psych wards because no one knew what she was going through. Nobody knew how to diagnose her; they just thought that she was “wrong”. This book was banned because the content was too dark to understand for some readers. The details described in this novel are explicit, but I don’t think that means it should be challenged and banned in schools. High school students are old enough to learn about clinical depression and 20% of them will have depression by the end of their teen years; therefore they should be allowed to have access to this novel and other novels like it. This novel is without a doubt very relatable to any student in High School or just going through their teens, because it’s real and honest. It doesn’t hide anything from the readers, and maybe that was another reason for being banned, because some people can’t handle the truth.
While picking out books to read; there were many to choose from. Most I have already read, and was very entertained by reading them. I did not want to read a book that I have already read though. So I chose a book that seemed interesting, and I could relate too. The Bell Jar is about a girl who struggles with depression. In a way I could relate to her. I witnessed someone who went through depression and ended up taking their own life. Therefore I wanted to see what Plath’s view on depression was. I’m not that far into the book to understand her point of view of depression. I am far enough in the book to figure out that Esther is depressed. She is not as wild as her friend Doreen. Doreen likes to go out and drink till the point she is about to black out. In the beginning of the book Doreen gets drunk and ends up staying out with a guy while Esther goes home. She shows up at Esther’s door drunk and slurring her words. At that point Esther is fed up and done with Doreen acting the way she does. I just don’t understand why Esther still hangs out with Doreen when they are nothing alike. I guess I will have to read more to figure out why.
ReplyDeleteI felt the same way about how you were confused on why Esther kept putting up with Doreen after all that she's done with the getting drunk, and being wild, and going home with somebody she met just that night. I feel like Esther feels like she can't really push Doreen aside for what-ever reason, so she just finds it better to put up with her. I'm also really sorry to hear about the person you knew who took their life because of depression.
DeleteI'm sorry that you knew somebody who took their life, but I'm happy that you chose this book to see how Plath saw/handled depression. Also, I think we can all agree that Doreen has got to go! She really is a polar opposite of Esther, but maybe that's why Esther keeps around, so she can live through her? If that makes sense? Like she isn't like Doreen and can't be like her, but maybe she secretly would like too..
DeleteSo far in the novel The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, Esther also known as Elly in the book is a complicated, yet simple character to read about. I haven’t gotten so far in the book to where I can describe Elly in such depth, but what I do know from what I’ve read is that Elly is just another girl looking for herself. She wonders at times why she is currently where she is. Depression is a major part of this book. Like most teens, depression is common. It may hardly ever be talked about, but teens go through it and so did Elly. Like I said before, I don’t know about Elly enough to pin-point how she really feels, but just by reading in her perspective you can almost tell that she is sad. She’s explains her sightings so witty, it’s like she uses it to cover up how she really feels. I think that’s what I really like about her because I feel like a lot of people do that just to hide all the pain that they actually have, so I found that really interesting. I’m very excited to read more about Elly and how she ends up figuring herself out.
ReplyDeleteI think your response is perfect. It literally makes light on everything that's going on in the book. From Elly herself to what the book is about and I love how excited you are to delve deeper into the book and understand Elly. I really just love this response, I don't know why haha.
DeleteI feel the same way about Elly and her being a complicated but simple character. I think it is really hard for people who are depressed to really "find themselves" mostly because they are not so sure about why they are living in the first place.
DeleteSara Blaga
ReplyDeleteSo far, while reading The Bell Jar, I have loved every second of it. I feel like I adore this book so much, because I relate to Elly in a lot of ways. I just feel that she has created this persona to impress everyone, and in ways I do that too. I really love Plath’s style of writing; it makes the book feel kind of like a dream. I don’t really know how to describe the feeling I get when reading this book, I just know that it is eerie and I feel like something bad might happen as I keep reading the book. The most interesting thing about this book is how it also feels like it could take place in modern times, the way Elly talks to the style and the events that she goes to, it just seems very modern. I just want to discuss the future in this book and see what will happen next, because I really feel like something might happen to Elly; something that could change her. I’m really excited to continue reading and see what exactly the meaning of this book is, and the parallels between the character Elly, and Sylvia herself.
I really like how you said when you read the book it almost feels like a dream. I thought that too! I feel like everything's almost in her head a little bit too much, but it's really nice to get deeper into.
DeleteI really like how you can relate to the book. I also relate to the book. I cant really explain how I feel reading this book either, but I think I feel that Elly is having issues finding herself and she should take her time in finding herself rather then getting involved with someone else.
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ReplyDeleteKate
ReplyDeleteAssignment #2
"If you expect nothing from somebody you are never disappointed." (Pg. 48)
I feel like this quote is true in many ways, that's why I chose it. I've read, and heard this quote so many times before, that I believe it's 100% true. It stuck out to me because I feel like I live by it. Whenever I got my hopes up in the past, it always led to somebody getting hurt, and that somebody always ended up being me. Even in the present, I'm still left getting disappointed because I have so much faith in people, that when I expect the best, I'm not completely satisfied because it's not the best I was expecting. I'm the kind of person who puts everybody before myself. I'm very selfless, and I think that's why I try not to get my hopes up, and I try not to expect so much from other people because I know that there is a chance that somebody will end up getting let down. It's really hard to cope with that because it happens everyday. When I try to keep myself from getting my hopes up, I find it as a way of protecting myself from harm. Although it's a habit to expect something from people, I'm still learning not to do so. This quote is just really relate-able for me in my personal life, that's why I really liked it. Also when I read I can see why Elly doesn't like expecting things from other people. She knows that she's going to get disappointed, and I honestly find that really sad. She seems like the character to keep to herself most the time, and that's understandable. She's very intelligent, and she knows how everything ends up working out in her favor. I feel like she's trying to protect herself too.
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ReplyDeleteAssignment #2
ReplyDelete"I wondered what terrible thing it was that I had done." (Plath 118)
I chose this quote because it is so powerful, it actually brought me to tears when I read that passage. It is such a critical point in the novel because you really see that this maybe the end of any hope you have for Esther. She came to the psychologist to seek help, and if anything, all it did was make it worse for her. I love this quote because it brought such a reaction out of me when I read it. I couldn't believe that she felt she had done something absolutely terrible for her to get this treatment. And if you read the part beforehand, she didn't do anything wrong. It brought to my attention that back then, people really didn't identify with depression and they didn't know how to handle it the right way. Furthermore as you continue on to read you see how much more depressed and suicidal Esther becomes. The passages become so much more detailed and explicit that you cringe while reading it. I can see for those reasons why it's banned, but I don't really think that's a good reason for it to be banned. I feel like if anything, this book is a good thing for students to read and should even be assigned more, so that maybe students who are battling with depression can identify with it. What do you think guys, should it be banned? Or should it be brought up more to make light of depression? How do you feel when you read this quote? Have you ever felt like this before? This book is heavy and really brings out raw emotion while reading it, I hope you guys are feeling the same!
"I multiplied three by ten and got thirty, which seemed beyond reason.." (Plath 57)
ReplyDeleteI chose this quote because I think that Elly is jealous. I think that her hearing that there was other women who have had sex with Buddy before they got together is hard on her. Especially during that time period. During that time period people usually didn't have sex until they were married. In Buddy's case he had sex with someone before he got married, and now they are not even together. I like this quote because it shows that she does not yet understand that she is jealous but it shows that she actually really cares for Buddy, even though it upsets her that he is not a virgin. This quote is important because it seems like that this is the reason that Elly actually left Buddy. In my eyes to me it seems like she wanted to be his first. This passage does not explain or give me any ideas to why the book was banned, but im sure once I read more I will figure out the reason why the book was banned. This explains to me that Elly doesn't know how to express her feelings that well to other people. It is hard for her to let people know how she is feeling and make them understand why she feels a certain way. Instead of dealing with the issue or try working it out she runs away from the situation.
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ReplyDeleteAssignment #3
ReplyDeleteThe Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath follows a young woman, Esther Greenwood and she's received the opportunity for a scholarship that would take her to New York City. There, she stays in a hotel known by the Amazon which is also a hotel for women only. Throughout the book she goes through major life events such as dealing with depression.
I really liked this book, personally. I thought it was very well put together, and well written. While I read, I never felt only one emotion when reading the book. I would always have multiple feelings towards myself while reading. This book made me laugh, and it did make me sad at certain parts in the book. I would recommend this book to anybody who knows somebody else dealing with depression, or even somebody who is dealing with depression with themselves. I feel like this book provides a really well understanding on how one deals with depression.
I think what made this book interesting for me was that this book is closely written about the author and her personal life. Sylvia Plath actually took her own life because of depression. I think that's really important to know when reading this book because it's almost like this book is an autobiography about Sylvia through somebody else’s' eyes. I enjoy that about this book a whole lot. I can see from reading this book cover to cover, why it was banned. Esther goes very into detail when talking about how she brings herself to deal with depression. There are parts in the book where self-harm comes into place, and also dark thoughts of having a life end. If readers like very detailed scenes to read about, or if they'd like to read about what depression is and the impact it has on a human being, then I think this book is worth reading.
The book takes place in the early 1900’s it is understandable that Esther would stay in a hotel for only women. Knowing that this book takes place in a time period that is completely different then the one I live in; it is hard to fully understand the way people think and why they are not aloud to do certain things. Especially because in the 21st century it wouldn’t be that big of a deal. I agree that this book describes a well view of someone who is dealing with depression. Although some people might be okay with reading about people who have depression and the way they feel and think. I personally would not want to read another book about depression, mostly because I find it more disturbing than enjoyable to read. As you said “There are parts in the book where self-harm comes into place” I personally don’t like reading about people harming themselves. I have had it happen to a family member and I don’t want the reminder of what happened to him, in my head. I recognize that there are people out there who are fine with reading about those types of situation, but books that include those situations are just not right for me.
DeleteAssignment #4
ReplyDeleteI do not feel that it is ever acceptable to ban a book from the school library, because it’s like taking away somebody’s right to something. It’s taking away their knowledge and imagination. The student’s role in a book ban is more of a victim because they can’t do anything about the situation and they can’t have a say in it, because of adults having more of an authority over them. My response to anyone that would want to censor a book from my school library is this: What will it do for you? You’re not reading the book, and you’re not protecting or preventing your child from it, because eventually they will find a way to read that book. It’s like telling someone to not do something, but they will want to do it anyways, to try it out or maybe it’s because they like doing things they’re not supposed to do. It’s really not doing anything except causing a raucous. I believe my book, The Bell Jar, was challenged because of the content of it; people weren’t exactly understanding or comfortable with the idea of suicide and depression. They didn’t know that, that was what people thought when they were depressed or suicidal; therefore they didn’t think it was necessary for others to know or understand. I don’t think the book is a literary bible such as other books that are praised for their work, but I do believe it is a good thing for students to read and have in their schools because they have access to something that they can possibly connect to and have a better understanding of. This book could be somebody’s safe haven, and for it to not be accessible in their school, it could affect them. We just wouldn’t know it.
Assignment #3
ReplyDeleteThe Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath was an okay book. I was not fond of it. The book was not that fantastic, nor was it horrible. This book is about a young women named Esther. She is also known as Elly. Esther is in her early 20’s trying to figure out who she really is. Along the way she has to get through some difficult obstacles. For example, Esther is living with a deadly disease. She is living with depression. Depression can be very hard to deal with. Depending on how bad your depression is. In Elly’s case her depression got worse over the years. She had been unhappy for so long, for as long as she could remember. Not only does Esther feel like she has no purpose in this world; at one point she felt loved by a certain young man. This makes it harder on her figuring out that he was not the right guy for her. My first impression of this book was that I thought that it was going to be very interesting seeing things from Esther’s point of view, considering her condition. After reading the book I was not as satisfied. I did not find the book that interesting, mostly because of the dark thoughts that she had. I recommend this book for people who are interested in looking to how other people view the world. Some people might be disturbed by this book due to Elly’s dark thoughts and the way she thinks of things. In conclusion I personally did not like the book. I felt that her thoughts were very disturbing. It made me uncomfortable the way that she talked about certain things. Although I did not like this book, other people might enjoy it more than I did.
I can understand why you didn't find the book to be as good as you'd hoped it would be because I kind of felt like that too, until I actually started reading. I didn't find her dark thoughts interesting either, but I did find it interesting on how she dealt with them. I completely understand where you're coming from when you say how this book isn't really your favorite.
DeleteI can totally understand why the book isn't your favorite because it's pretty plotless and if anything more like a diary. Esther is relatable in some ways, but she's also extremely dark as you continue to read. That's why the book wasn't your favorite cause it's a little too hot to handle lol.
DeleteAssignment #4
ReplyDeleteIn today's world it feels like school libraries are paying more attention to the kind of books that are being provided for students. In my view, I do think that it is good that books are being more paid attention than usual, but I don't really agree with how certain books are being taken out of due to its content. I feel as if a book were to be banned from the school library that it would have to include really bad and inappropriate content. Although some books like that exist, it should be all up to the reader that decides to read it. If a book interests a person, but the book is banned, I think that the person who wants to read it should be able to. Books are meant to be read, and people are meant to read the books that catch their interest. If a student really wants to read a book that is banned, and they can't check it out from their school library, I would say to go check it out from a local library. I would say go for it. Even though I am all for going after a banned book even though it is banned from the school library, I do think there is a time and place for censorship, but I don't think that time and place belongs in high school libraries. People who don't want a book to be read, should just leave it along because somebody who wants to read it should be able to whenever they feel like it. Readers can choose for themselves, and it should stay like that.
Assignment#4
ReplyDeleteI personally don’t think it is fair to band a book in a school library. Teachers and librarians have a right to tell us what to do sometimes, but telling students what to read is kind of ridiculous to me. Not allowing students to read certain books, or even books that we want to read; I feel it is against our first amendment. For example how people can have the freedom of speech, and religion, etc. Us, students should have the freedom to reach any book we want. I understand the reason schools band books. There are some students who are not capable of reading books with disturbing thoughts, violence, or even sexual involvement. Although some students are not capable of being mature about some scenes in the books, that shouldn’t mean that other students who are mature enough to read those books do not have the option to read them. The one thing that I don’t understand is that if they band the book from the library, students can still go to public libraries and check the book out there and read it at school. Therefore students can still get around the rules to read a band book, and bring it to school. In conclusion I just think it is unfair to band books from school librarys.
Sara Blaga
ReplyDeleteAssignment #3
The Bell Jar is the only novel written by American poet, Sylvia Plath. This novel gives the readers insight to Plath’s mind; in fact it was inspired by her life and what she was going through at the time. The story is about Esther Greenwood and it follows her descent into depression and rise out of it. It doesn’t really follow a plot per say, in fact it is more of a diary. I think this makes the book stronger as you read it because it was written with the author’s life in mind. You feel what Esther was going through and you feel hopeless; that is what I felt throughout the book. This book was my safe haven, because I’ve been depressed myself. You feel like you’re not good at anything and you don’t have the special drive or passion for what you used to; that is what Esther struggles with in the novel. I recommend this book without a doubt to anyone, because if anything, somebody could be going through what Esther is going through, and this book could help them come to understanding with their depression. Esther was sent to multiple hospitals and psych wards because no one knew what she was going through. Nobody knew how to diagnose her; they just thought that she was “wrong”. This book was banned because the content was too dark to understand for some readers. The details described in this novel are explicit, but I don’t think that means it should be challenged and banned in schools. High school students are old enough to learn about clinical depression and 20% of them will have depression by the end of their teen years; therefore they should be allowed to have access to this novel and other novels like it. This novel is without a doubt very relatable to any student in High School or just going through their teens, because it’s real and honest. It doesn’t hide anything from the readers, and maybe that was another reason for being banned, because some people can’t handle the truth.