Discussion Questions for Day One of _The Bell Jar_
I'd like you to focus on visions and the visual in this first installment of _The Bell Jar_. Feel free to ask questions relating to this topic, or on a subject of your choosing.
When Esther looks out of her hotel window, she remarks that "It wasn't the silence of silence. It was my own silence" (18). What does she mean and what might this reveal about her mental state?
Although Esther's family has several bad encounters with German, why is it that Esther wants to learn the German language? What is her relationship with language?
Esther remarks that she hates Technicolor, noting with disgust that she hates how the colors are so saturated. Despite this, what is the significance of the fact that she often describes the colors of her surroundings?
What does Esther's description as a quiet girl with "brown eyes and brown hair"(3) tell us about her relationship with Doreen, a beautiful girl with "bright white hair standing out in a cotton candy fluff round her head and blue eyes like transparent agate marbles" (4)?
When Esther looks out of her hotel window, she remarks that "It wasn't the silence of silence. It was my own silence" (18). What does she mean and what might this reveal about her mental state?
ReplyDeleteWhat does the story of Mr. Manzi and the Chemistry course reveal about Esther's character? What does she think the story reveals about her character?
ReplyDeleteWhat is the significance of Esther's love or almost obsession with food, some of which turns out to be poison for her to eat?
ReplyDeleteHow does Esther's perception of text/the written word differ from her experience of the physical world? Which does she seem to prefer?
ReplyDeleteAlthough Esther's family has several bad encounters with German, why is it that Esther wants to learn the German language? What is her relationship with language?
ReplyDeleteEsther remarks that she hates Technicolor, noting with disgust that she hates how the colors are so saturated. Despite this, what is the significance of the fact that she often describes the colors of her surroundings?
ReplyDeleteWhat is the significance behind Esther's problems withe silence and her constant problem of not knowing what to say?
ReplyDeleteWhat is the significance of the recurring motif of female mentor figures?
ReplyDeleteWhat are Esther's attitudes toward the other girls. Does she aspire to be different from them, or is she attracted to the lifestyle they lead?
ReplyDeleteWhat is the impact of the execution of the Rosenburgs on Esther?
ReplyDeleteWhy does Esther's description of the city and people reflect on her perspective of the world?
ReplyDeleteWhat does Esther's description as a quiet girl with "brown eyes and brown hair"(3) tell us about her relationship with Doreen, a beautiful girl with "bright white hair standing out in a cotton candy fluff round her head and blue eyes like transparent agate marbles" (4)?
ReplyDelete