The Bell Jar

by Sylvia Plath

I know this has been reviewed by many others. But while the book appears on many of the must-read lists, I found it was one of the most depressing books I've ever read. Supposedly, Plath is writing about her own life and attempts at suicide masked in comedic drama. Esther has received a coveted six-week internship at a famous magazine publishing house. During a summer break from her college classes that are covered by scholarships, she lives at a hotel for girls - those what were prominent in large cities during the 1950s and 1960s. Even as she has her mental breakdowns, those expenses are covered by a wealthy matron. I find myself jealous of all that has been given to her and she seems to have no appreciation for any of it. In fact, nothing nor no one seems to be good enough. All she can see are the flaws of others.

It seems to me that when someone is continually looking for perfection in others while ignoring their own blemishes, they are going to be disappointed. The protagonist in this book tears down and dissects everything around her. This book seems to glamorize that depression. But then, maybe shock treatments were the "thing" back then like psychiatric and psychological treatments seemed to be the "thing" in the 1960s. I read other reviews of this book, I read explanations of this book, but the thing I wonder is if had she not committed suicide shortly after the publication of the book, would it still be a must-read?