Esther's trip to the Adirondacks not only ends with a broken leg; it is another gray experience that reminds her that "promises never come to pass." It makes her think that perhaps she should become a Catholic — an idea that comes to her whenever she is in a tight spot or depressed. She fantasizes that being a Catholic would solve all her problems — if she became a really devout Catholic.
It must be noted here that it is not that Esther's experiences are so unusual, but that it is her perception of them that is so different. Millions of American girls have had mixed feelings about their virginity, about whether or not to swallow their distaste and marry a soon-to-be successful but egotistical and dull student. Even more college-age girls have had skiing accidents, probably. And many have gone off to New York City, or other cities, or exotic places to try to find their fortune and their adulthood. What makes The Bell Jar a compelling book, besides its being a truthful, if superficial, rendering of this adolescent dilemma, is that Esther Greenwood is experiencing this in 1953. Esther is obviously years ahead of the women's liberation movement of the 1970s. What makes Esther so appealing is that she is so alone. And, of course, it is her extreme alienation that leads to her suicide attempt.
One of the major themes of these four chapters is that, for Esther, life is mostly like the day after Christmas, a day when she usually feels "overstuffed and dull and disappointed." The promises of Esther's young life too often turn out to be unsatisfying. She has adored Buddy from afar, yet his kisses do not affect her when he finally shows an interest in her. In short, Esther does not seem able to find a relationship with honesty in it, and she cannot even enjoy dating in a superficial way. Yet she is driven to want to date men — perhaps mostly because of social convention, but also because she is embarrassed to study in her room on Saturday nights. When Buddy is in the TB hospital, that relieves her of an obligation to date. For a brief time, she is happy not to be bothered with social plottings.
