Syntax
· “I was supposed to be having the time of my life.
I was supposed to be the envy of thousands of other college girls like me all over America who wanted nothing more than to be tripping about in those same size-seven patent leather shoes I’d bought in Bloomingdale’s one lunch hour with a black patent leather belt and black patent leather pocketbook to match. And when my picture came out in the magazine the twelve of us were working on-drinking martinis in a skimpy, imitation silver-lame bodice stuck on to a big, fat cloud of white tulle, on some Starlight Roof, in the company of several anonymous young men with all-American bone structures hired or loaned for the occasion-everybody would think I must be having a real whirl” (2).
This is an example of one of the many voltas that Plath uses throughout the book. The short declaratory sentence at the beginning has a depressing tone. The following sentences are longer and much more in detail. Although the content of these sentences would normally be in a happier, more positive connotation because it is discussing light hearted subjects such as fashion, the tone is turned negative by saying that she should enjoy these things and she is not.
Plath normally has shorter, more concise sentences; these sentences are often just declarations of how Esther feels, and are most often containing a depressing tone. She often uses longer sentences when she talks about the things that do not really interest Esther, such as make up and the magazine, and includes a more detached tone for these kinds of sentences.
I loved your interpretation of this particular passage. I definitely see the long sentence versus short sentence structure that aids Plath in conveying the depressed tone of the book. Esther's clear apathy for fun and exciting topics truly shows that she is bored with her life and seeks to find some greater meaning.
ReplyDeleteI also admire your interpretation of Plath's humorous tone throughout the book. I believe that Plath used this as a strategy to show a different side to the meaning of the book. Perhaps Plath wanted to satirize those who were greedy and always wanting more from life in comparison to those who had very little. However, Esther does have many competent reasons for her depression as well and those female readers can definitely relate. It must have been a truly horrifying and depressing experience to work so hard your entire life and then through it all, only be worth a cover on a magazine, a secretary, or a domestic wife.
Your recognition of the volta was very well noted. Her usual short sentences that explain Esther's dull view of the world around her is capsized by two run on sentences that take on almost a mocking tone. I agree with you in that the connotation opposes the normal happy connotations typical when speaking about a great experience. I saw that Plath's sentence structure added to Esther's raw view on life and her spiral towards depression which kept her from seeing anything positive in even the best situations. I saw that her first sentence which as you noted is short, declarative, and concise leads you to believe that there will be a good explanation to follow however Plath simply combines many situations into two long, rambling sentences that continue further to mock the world around Esther and prove Esther's view that there is no point to life being that materialistic. Plath's choice to use such run on sentences open further the view into Esther's mind that there can be no happiness in her life and that all of these things that she lists does not interest Esther in any way.
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