The Bell Jar

what are the circumstances leading up to esther's suicide attempt and of her rescue?

suicide, rescue, esther

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Esther loathes the shock treatment, and tells her mother that she will not see Dr. Gordon and will not go back for treatment. Her mother merely responds that she knew that her baby wasn't like the awful people in the hospital. Soon after, Esther prepares a hot bath so that she can commit suicide through slitting her wrists, but she can only bear to make a Œpractice' cut on her knee.

Esther considers killing herself by hanging, but her house has the wrong type of ceiling to do so, and attempts to drown herself while swimming with friends but cannot. Finally, Esther writes a note to her mother that she is going for a walk, but instead hides herself and takes a bottle of sleeping pills.

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http://www.gradesaver.com/the-bell-jar/study-guide/short-summary/