Sylvia Plath

[jamie_stringer]

I told myself I would only write in here once a day, but I'm already breaking my own rule. Anyway, I’m reading The Bell Jar right now. I’m only about half way through. I can’t believe I haven’t read this book until now. I think it would have had a major impact on me if I had read it when I was 19, the age of Esther, the main character. She

Comments

[sam_mi]

You know that Sylvia Plath had a bad end. Insanity and suicide can be favorite daydream material for too many in literary circles. I went through a phase of reading poetry. A certain understanding started to wash over me as I was reading the works of such minds: there's a sort of urge/desire to make radical statements about life, the human condition. Here's the common denominator: loss of hope/lost hope. Loss of hope or lost hope which drags on and on is almost certainly the path to a premature death brought about by one's own hand. ("Hope deferred makes the heart grow sick." (From the Psalms or Proverbs. Can't remember offhand which.)

Hope is always, always present. Great literary talent sometimes loses sight of that necessary fact. Once that happens indulging oneself in sad/tragic digression becomes normal. Then off you go to the gas stove, or to reading labels on household products in search of caustic substances, or to statistics about tallest bridge spans, or NRA class offerings...

I would add that committing suicide is guaranteed to screw up your children for life. I know you didn't mention children, nevertheless, I felt I had to add that comment.

Sorry, Jamie if I'm overstepping the boundaries of our acquaintance. I know we're colleagues, and you weren't soliciting advice from me or anyone else for that matter. Just a cautionary observation.

[jamie_stringer]

Hi sam_mi. No worries! You are not overstepping bounds at all. I know what you mean. Reading a book like this puts me in a strangely morose and thoughtful mood. I do know about Sylvia's untimely end, but don't know enough about her to know why she did it. It amazes me that she could have written a book like this, which is clearly a cry for help, and then not gotten the help she needed. It's very sad, especially when you think about how talented she was. I'm still working through it (I'm at the part where she gets electric shock treatment - ugh!) but it does make me thankful that I'm not depressed. I have known people who are afflicted with depression, and it became obvious to me that it is a chemical imbalance, or a disease, that the person really can't control. And you're right, it's that LOSS OF HOPE that really affects them. Must be terrifying. Anyway, I really appreciate your comments and your concern! It's always nice to hear from you Sammi.