The Bell jar 11-12

Esther tries to kill herself because she is depressed and is not content with the world that she lives in. She tries to drown herself, take too many sleeping pills. None of this works. The methods of suicide that Esther attempts is cowardly. She attempts to kill herself in a manner like the other people, the people that she looks down upon for being rescued and not doing it. Esther attempts to commit hari kari in complete opposition to the graphic way the samurai would do it. She admires their courage and that they do the action, whereas when you overdose, you sit there but the drugs do the actual killing. 

The Bell Jar Chapters 11-12

Esther dislikes Dr. GOrdon for the fact that he is not what she expected him to be. He is good looking and seemed conceited. The photo of his family also was a cause for negative attention from Esther. I think she dislikes him for the fact that he represents those people, like Dodo, that she cannot stand. The "normal" people of society. I think also, there is some jealousy in there too. Esther expected him to be ugly and like a stereotypical doctor, who can diagnose her, but he ends up making it seem as if her problems are her fault. She is jealous of him and she thinks he is probably superior to her. She wishes that she could have a family life like his, and as a result she resents him for his achievements. 

The Bell Jar 1

The first line of the book is used to convey Esther's unhappiness with what has occurred. She does not enjoy New york in the least, which is symbolized in her mentioning the Rosenbergs. The Rosenbergs were electrocuted for treason. Referencing a terrifying and unnatural death is something one does not do if they are having a good time.LAter on, Esther even tells the reader how much she hates electrocution. She also discusses the weather in a way as to paint her disappointment with her New York city vacation.   

Mona Lisa Smile 2

While we were watching Mona Lisa Smile in class I noticed that Betty made many "50s"-ish decisions. THis comes from the fact that her character has been written to represent the traditional values of that time. She is so submissive and subservient to her husband, yet she wants to have herself be like this on purpose. SHe makes comments that insinuate having a washer and dryer represent becoming settled down, thus accomplishing her life's goal by her early twenties. What i found most disturbing were the photos she took with her husband. It was like she was some cyborg slave that couldn't help herself. She was trained to believe that 2+2=5. It represented the unhealthy amount of consumerism that ran rampant in the 50s as well as the sexis views that both men adn women had. 

Mona Lisa Smile

The film that we began in class, Mona Lisa Smile, portrayed the 1950s, and in particular the college, as sort of cult-ish. It reminded me of something like the Branch Davidians or something, especially with the chanting, the weird speeches, and the people in robes. This happened in the inaugural opening to the start of the semester and with the game with the loops and sticks. Actually, it made that entire moneyed culture seem somewhat like a cult. I just hope that Maggie Gylenhall doesn't drink the kool-aid. The way women were brain washed into submissiveness seemed ridiculous to the viewer, but I'm sure that this was true and there were prevalent instances like this throughout the era. The question I have is this: were white women the only women who were indoctrinated like this or did it happen universally across the nation? I only ask because the only person of color in the film was a black chauffeur.