Confusion Of Gender Roles In The Bell Jar Sylvia Plath

Confusion of Gender Roles in The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath

There is a specific difference between the gender and sex of an individual. The gender of a person refers to whether they identify as male or female socially. The sex of an individual regards their internal organs and chromosomes. In the 1950’s, the people of America were divided into extremely specific groups of male or female. Depending on a persons gender group, they were expected to follow certain rules and theories of living. In the novel The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, the audience can recognize these gender roles. Esther, although a woman, fantasizes of playing the role of a male in society. Her sex indicates she contains organs of a female, but her mind desires to be a male.
The first symbol the audience is introduced to is a bell jar. It describes quite accurately the novels overall feelings in Esther’s mind. A bell jar encloses an object and the object cannot be released until it either dies from suffocation or someone helps it out. The bell jar in Esther’s life is a symbolic representation for the body she believes she is trapped in, this being, the body of a female. She wishes throughout the novel to be released from her current sex and take on the gender of a male. One will notice the remarks Sylvia Plath writes about Esther looking in the mirror relating to the feelings Esther has of being trapped in a female body. Each time a mirror is mentioned, Esther is unable to identify who exactly is looking back at her. The image reflected back is never who she expects, because it does not
Women had the stereotypical roles, one would identify with today. They were to cook, clean and take care of the children, which essentially, would keep the men happy. Men were able to set out on trips, work and maintain some aspect of authority within society. The book Eye Rhymes focuses on the works of Sylvia Plath. Kathleen Connors and Sally Bayley, also argues this gender differentiation between males and females: “Stevenson hit up two central issues of the fifties: firstly, the role of the wife and other in the service of her husband and children as inculcator of morality and social purpose; and secondly, the fifties domestic policy of containment of the female” (184). Although these rules were known among society, Esther always appeared to want to rebel against them. This is due to her consistent desire to be a male rather then what she physically appears to be. The audience can see multiple examples throughout the text that demonstrates Esther’s rebellion. Her boyfriend Buddy reveals to Esther that he has had a female partner in bed, while he was with Esther. At this time females who had recreational sexual encounters were greatly frowned upon. A female should save herself for the man she is to marry. Esther, however, has different thoughts on this topic. It is evident that she thinks more like a male then a female, “If it had been any other boy I would have merely