The female character I’m going to go with from The Bell Jar is Doreen. Doreen is societies idea of the perfect woman, shes blonde, blue eyed, perfect slim body, and just plain girly but as an adult. I see Doreen as one of those girls you would have wanted to be in high school, the popular girl. She’s not the boring type who just wants to sit around and do nothing, she wants to be out there, enjoying life. Her looks are her top priority, she has to look good in everything she puts on, you have to be able to notice her. I believe her primary job is to make sure she looks good, making sure to keep up with all the rules there are for being a woman. Such as not eating too much, wearing lots of make-up, wearing tight dresses and etc. Doreen is definitely someone who values her reputation and is mostly interested in looking good, and enjoying life with whatever man that’s looking to do the same.

Esther is very envious of Doreen as she says in the text, “I guess one of my troubles was Doreen.” (Plath 4) Esther sees Doreen and wishes that could be her, the beautiful one, the one that gets all the handsome guys like Lenny, just the perfect woman that she is. At the same time Esther is very annoyed with Doreen, being around Doreen makes it hard for her to be herself. When they are at the bar with Lenny and his so called friend Frankie, and shes orders a vodka straight up while Doreen order a “old-fashioned”, the waiter gives her a very odd look because it isn’t a girly drink like Doreen’s. I feel as if she has to pretend to be someone else when shes with Doreen just to fit in. If Doreen was a true friend to Esther she wouldn’t make it so hard for her and then basically throw it in her face, and that’s why they eventually being to drift apart.

In my opinion I don’t feel that Doreen represents a positive role model for women.She makes it seem like woman must be perfect and must have all the feminine qualities society sets out for them. A woman shouldn’t have to work hard to be beautiful and limit the things they want to do,or be someone other than who they are to fit in with society. Esther doesn’t dress to impress like Doreen she wears what makes her comfortable, what she feels she looks beautiful in. Like when they were going out Esther wore a dress that wasn’t even as expensive as I’m pretty sure Doreen’s own was as she wore a “white lace dress” (Plath 6) that hugged her body and showed off her curves.”This dress was cut so queerly I couldn’t wear any sort of a bra under it, but that didn’t matter much as I was skinny as boy, and I liked feeling almost naked on the hot summer nights.” (Plath 6).Most females like Doreen wouldn’t dare not wear a bra because then her boobs wont pop out the way she would want. Doreen just does too much.