The Bell Jar
During the 1950’s, the woman’s role in society was to wed, bear children, and manage the household, as the silent and submissive housewife. The male was obviously the dominant figure and to be obeyed always. It was also a time when women’s individuality and sexuality continued to diminish. With the prevalence of television in every home, women were given visual models of what they should look like and their husbands expect to see when they get home from work. Along with seeing a perfect woman on television, women also saw the female role being portrayed only as a maternal figure in adulthood and a virginal teenager. Women’s sexuality was reduced to a maternal obligation. Women were not allowed or were thought of as not being sexual only at times of procreation. The idea of sexuality was foreign and appalling. According to these standards, Esther apparently does not seem to conform to the general role of a woman in the 1950’s.