The Bell Jar

I just finished reading The Bell Jar and recommend it to everyone who, like me, is an introspective psychology major with closet dreams of writing more than client letters and various legal documents. Sylvia Plath's fictional account of her own life experiences winds its way into the slipping mind of a college-aged girl. She is aware of her mind's decay and endures the psychiatric treatments available in the earlier part of the 1900s. From the moment I heard the premise of this book, I started my library watch in hopes of making it my next read. Libraries can be pretty frustrating at times, and a few months went by as I waited for my turn to read about a life trapped in a bell jar. This sentence on the first page assured me I was going to like the book -

"Mirage-gray at the bottom of their granite canyons, the hot streets wavered in the sun, the car tops sizzled and glittered, and the dry, cindery dust blew into my eyes and down my throat."

I appreciate an author's ability to, with words, describe people, events, and scenery in such depth that I can almost taste the ideas. I relish words and the way they can be finely crafted to allow the reader a glimpse of the author's imagination. As a writer I am and have always been concise. I find little reason to ramble and have always had difficulty meeting page limits. However, when I am blessed by the time and inspiration to write something other than an assignment for work or school, I love sitting and reflecting on different and better ways to describe the ideas flowing through my mind. I am excited when the words flow together to create a crystal clear picture of my thoughts.

Plath's novel resounded with descriptions like the one above and satisfied my desire to both look into and attempt to understand a tired mind. Enjoy!