Independence is the Key

In the post that Lisa posted about how Esther is an independent woman made me think. The point that Lisa makes is very true. Plath makes a very clear point of making sure that Esther is not surrounded by men and not obsessing over them either. Although men are present in The Bell Jar they do not take over the story as in A Jest of God where Rachel spends most her time obsessing over Nick and what is happening between the two of them. 

Esther is aware of the fact that Buddy wants her to be his. Although she did spend some time of her life wanting him the way he wants her, that has past and is only present in the story when she looks back on those days before she realized what a hypocrite he really was. She never looks at men in a way that they may complete her as a woman but more in a way that they are trying to be completed by a woman. She makes it clear that she does not want to have children and does not want to get married. 

In the end, a man is not important to her.