Doreen and the Competing Selves

The Bell Jar

This flow traces Esther’s attraction to Doreen’s rebellion, her recoil from its consequences, and the eventual distance between them.

increasing

Bearing strength in each event

decreasing

A Kindred Wit A Kindred Wit from "The Bell Jar". Doreen’s Appeal A chosen confidante Doreen singles Esther out and shares cutting remarks about the other girls and their supervisors.

A Kindred Wit from "The Bell Jar". Doreen’s Appeal A chosen confidante Doreen singles Esther out and shares cutting remarks about the other girls and their supervisors.

Doreen’s Appeal A chosen confidante Doreen singles Esther out and shares cutting remarks about the other girls and their supervisors. Esther experiences the attention as proof that she is sharper and less conventional than her companions. An alluring alternative Doreen’s clothes, confidence, and ease with social rules suggest a life of decadence unavailable to Esther. Their bond begins partly as Esther’s wish to inhabit that freedom.

The Night Out The Night Out from "The Bell Jar". Following Doreen Away An unscripted choice Esther leaves the magazine girls’ cab and accompanies Doreen to a bar with Lenny Shepherd.

The Night Out from "The Bell Jar". Following Doreen Away An unscripted choice Esther leaves the magazine girls’ cab and accompanies Doreen to a bar with Lenny Shepherd.

Following Doreen Away An unscripted choice Esther leaves the magazine girls’ cab and accompanies Doreen to a bar with Lenny Shepherd. She wants to experience New York beyond the carefully planned itinerary. The observer’s position As Doreen and Lenny become absorbed in one another, Esther feels herself shrink into the room’s shadows. Her attraction to risk does not erase her loneliness.

The Hallway Vow The Hallway Vow from "The Bell Jar". A Moral Reversal Doreen’s collapse Drunk and sick, Doreen is left slumped outside Esther’s room.

A Moral Reversal Doreen’s collapse Drunk and sick, Doreen is left slumped outside Esther’s room. Esther considers abandoning her but cannot quite lock the door against her. Choosing a side Esther privately decides to watch Doreen while remaining loyal to Betsy and the innocent girls. The choice is less a permanent verdict than an attempt to separate her respectable self from her fascination with danger.

The Soup and the Mirror The Soup and the Mirror from "The Bell Jar". Care Without Confession A reversal of roles After Esther and the other girls are poisoned, Doreen brings her broth and stays beside her.

The Soup and the Mirror from "The Bell Jar". Care Without Confession A reversal of roles After Esther and the other girls are poisoned, Doreen brings her broth and stays beside her.

Care Without Confession A reversal of roles After Esther and the other girls are poisoned, Doreen brings her broth and stays beside her. The chain-smoking rebel becomes an unexpectedly tender caretaker. A small reconciliation Esther gives Doreen the mirror place card she saved, and the two laugh together. Their bond briefly exceeds the categories Esther had assigned to them.

A Farewell Party A Farewell Party from "The Bell Jar". Friendship at the Edge A final invitation Doreen tries to persuade Esther to attend a country-club dance before she leaves.

A Farewell Party from "The Bell Jar". Friendship at the Edge A final invitation Doreen tries to persuade Esther to attend a country-club dance before she leaves.

Friendship at the Edge A final invitation Doreen tries to persuade Esther to attend a country-club dance before she leaves. Esther is increasingly unable to decide and cannot bring herself to join the proposed outing. A parting gift Doreen packs Esther’s clothes and later gives her avocados for the train journey. Their affection remains, even as Esther departs carrying the burden of a crisis Doreen cannot repair.

early in Esther’s New York stay

an early New York evening

late that night, after returning to The Amazon

the morning after the Ladies’ Day banquet

Esther’s last evening in New York