My Final Reflection

My final thoughts on the course work, and my choice of text.

I think this course overall has been a great opportunity to explore different topics and ideas that I wouldn’t normally look into. Being able to see different sides of literature history has been a really eye-opening experience, especially when it came to topics like Anglo-Saxon poetry, which I wouldn’t have pursued on my own.

The Bell Jar was a beautiful mix of descriptive language and mind-bending ideology about how the world works. There was constantly unexpected turns and more to digest with every new chapter. It definitely stimulated both sides of the spectrum- the imagery was rich and unique, which developed my imagination, while the topics Plath discussed (like sexism, mental illness, and inexperience with the world) were more intellectual and get me thinking about how they apply today.

Looking into the 1950s and 60s in America was an interesting experience. What is taught in history class doesn’t always focus on the societal standards of the time period, and it’s hard to believe how far we’ve come in 70 years, especially in terms of new technologies and systems. I loved looking at the old pictures and fashion of that era, because most of it is much different from today. I was really inspired by Plath’s writing style to incorporate more imagery because I really enjoyed how she writes. Reading her novel inspired me to write more poetry and stories and try new techniques when I experiment. Her style is really fun and descriptive, especially when Esther was separated from reality. Her vocabulary is so exquisite and I would love to learn from the words she uses to improve my writing.

I would definitely choose The Bell Jar again. I think this book was the perfect choice to connect with the author and analyze, so it was great for the final summative, but more than that it was an important book to read for the time that we now live in. In this day and age, when mental illness is more talked about than ever, reading about past experiences are important to changing the future of care. Especially for those who don’t understand what it’s like to endure vivid thoughts of death and darkness on a daily basis, it’s an important look into the mind of someone going through that. I was intrigued before I read The Bell Jar, and amazed after reading it.