This is the second time I've read "The Bell Jar," and I feel I more appreciated it this time. I recently came across the movie adaptation of "The Miseducation of Cameron Post" and was reminded of my initial gripe with it, that being that the movie strips away the first 2/3 of the book where we get to know Cameron and her irreverence and relationship and dynamism and places you right in the conversion camp. I forgot how about 2/3 of "The Bell Jar" takes place before the asylum. I think first reading it as an institutionalized teen, I felt eager to get to the "post-crack-up" phase, underappreciating the build-up of again: Esther's irreverence and relationships (with Buddy and peripheral characters) and dynamism. This is all to say that Plath's novel is brilliantly structured and felt to draw you into the downward spiral that is depression and, eventually, suicidality. Esther is a laugh-out-loud character; she's relatable and hilarious. "The Bell Jar" is surrounded by significant tragedy due to Plath's own struggle and death, but I'd dare you to call it doleful. It's a frisky little foray into the psyche.