https://padlet.com/nrafei2403/flfxshk0bchni9f2 Sylvia Plath en-us 2022-02-28 17:24:48 UTC 2022-03-22 15:32:25 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/1f614.png nrafei2403 https://padlet.com/nrafei2403/flfxshk0bchni9f2/wish/2069955576 Sylvia Plath’s works do not support the American Dream, because they illustrate the challenges that women faced during the era, place financial struggles at the forefront, and present the situation of women and the lower class as hopeless by describing characters who are consistently unable to succeed despite their hard work.

]]> 2022-02-28 17:31:33 UTC https://padlet.com/nrafei2403/flfxshk0bchni9f2/wish/2069955576 nrafei2403 https://padlet.com/nrafei2403/flfxshk0bchni9f2/wish/2069964809 Plath’s only novel, The Bell Jar, goes against the American Dream by including themes of the oppression of women and the hopelessness of hard work. The main character of the novel, Esther, lives in, “the male-dominated 1950s American society,” which, “does not encourage Esther to excel.” She pursues her ambitions but fails time and time again and loses hope, eventually attempting suicide. Her repeated failure and suicide attempt send a message to the reader that hard work is hopeless for women, and that not everyone can succeed. This idea, along with the idea that Esther was not encouraged to excel by American society, directly contradict the American Dream idea that American society allows anyone to succeed through hard work.

]]> 2022-02-28 17:36:15 UTC https://padlet.com/nrafei2403/flfxshk0bchni9f2/wish/2069964809 nrafei2403 https://padlet.com/nrafei2403/flfxshk0bchni9f2/wish/2069967041 On top of her defeatist view on the potential for achieving one’s ambitions, Sylvia Plath’s work is generally characterized by pessimistic themes and imagery. Her work is described as having a cynical tone and as including, ”bold metaphors and stark, often violent and unsettling imagery.” The unsettling themes she wrote about include mental illness and suicide, and it has been suggested that Plath was, “preoccupied with death and psychological suffering.” One who believes that hard work is rewarded would likely have a more optimistic tone in their work. The dark and cynical nature of Plath’s work indicates that Plath does not agree with the American Dream.

]]> 2022-02-28 17:37:12 UTC https://padlet.com/nrafei2403/flfxshk0bchni9f2/wish/2069967041 nrafei2403 https://padlet.com/nrafei2403/flfxshk0bchni9f2/wish/2069968967 In her work, Plath frequently exposes tensions and struggles faced by certain groups in American society. Plath often wrote, “about the social restrictions on individuals,” and “hinted at some of the tensions hovering just beneath the surface of the American way of life in the post war period.” Her depiction of the American way of life is clearly negative, and reflects her perspective on the state of American society during the era. By discussing the social restrictions on individuals, Plath exhibits her view that American society limits people from achieving their full potential, directly conflicting with American Dream ideas.

]]> 2022-02-28 17:38:15 UTC https://padlet.com/nrafei2403/flfxshk0bchni9f2/wish/2069968967 nrafei2403 https://padlet.com/nrafei2403/flfxshk0bchni9f2/wish/2069973283 Plath’s work tends to have a bleak attitude towards life and the possibility of success. Her work is influenced by, “her increasing anger, bitterness, and despair toward life,” and displays, “the increasing frustration of her aspirations,” later in her life. These scornful feelings are not indicative of one who thinks highly of American society. The inclusion of references to Plath’s aspirations being impeded paints a picture of an American society that is harsh and shatters people’s dreams.

]]> 2022-02-28 17:40:33 UTC https://padlet.com/nrafei2403/flfxshk0bchni9f2/wish/2069973283 nrafei2403 https://padlet.com/nrafei2403/flfxshk0bchni9f2/wish/2069973921  ]]> 2022-02-28 17:40:53 UTC https://padlet.com/nrafei2403/flfxshk0bchni9f2/wish/2069973921 nrafei2403 https://padlet.com/nrafei2403/flfxshk0bchni9f2/wish/2076588713 2022-03-03 20:01:05 UTC https://padlet.com/nrafei2403/flfxshk0bchni9f2/wish/2076588713