Blog Post 13: New York "Psycho?"

In The Bell Jar, beginning in chapter 9 we see that Esther decides to go out once more with Doreen. It is clear that Esther simply has not learned her lesson about dealing with Doreen and going out with her. This time Doreen brings Esther with her to a Country Club dance with herself and Lenny. There she meets her woman hating blind date, Marco. Marco is far from a generous gentleman and doesn't treat Esther too well. At some point during the dance the two of them step outside and Esther questions Marco on his love life. Marco then reveals that he is in love with his cousin, but he can not manifest his love because she is preparing to be a nun. When Esther makes a friendly suggestion that Marco can now "love somebody else someday" (Plath. 108) Marco explodes into a fit of rage and begins to attack Esther. I believe that this attack comes from a place of deep insecurity on Marco's behalf as Marco repeatedly calls Esther a slut while he attacks her. This part of the book depicts an interaction between two individuals with some sort of mental instability. In chapter 10 Esther takes an optimistic approach after being told that she did not get into the writing course in which she requested at school. This chapter also starts to obviously show Esther's mental downfall more obviously. Esther takes on the task of writing her own novel in which she struggles to barely even begin. "I'm writing a novel," (Plath. 121) Esther's says ever so boldly before she decides to give up. Edna begins to visit a psychiatrist by the name of Dr. Gordon who asks her different questions about things such as college life and more. Dr. Gordon advises Esther's mother to bring her to his hospital to receive shock treatment. Esther begins to think about many alternate means such as killing herself or fleeing to Chicago, the only thing that stops Esther is her fear of blood and the fact that the bank closes before she's able to run away to Chicago. As Esther sits in the park contemplating suicide, the "little chorus of voices" (Plath. 146) that seem to be a positive and optimistic voice for her, but also a bit harsh.