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Breaking Down Plath

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Breaking Down Plath is a practical guide designed for middle and secondary school students to explore the life and works of Sylvia Plath. It offers a critical biography, thematic analysis of her poetry, short fiction, journals, and letters, and places her work within the context of Cold War-era gender politics, mental health debates, and global conflict anxiety. The book clarifies key themes and the cultural significance of Plath's enduring influence.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$1899
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This book is well suited for students, educators, and parents seeking an accessible introduction to Sylvia Plath's life and literary achievements, especially those new to her work or studying her in educational settings.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A practical guide to Sylvia Plath’s works for middle and secondary school students

One of the most dynamic and admired poets of the 20th century, Sylvia Plath wrote work about war, motherhood, jealousy, rage, grief, death, and mental illness that challenged preconceptions about what poetry should be about. The enduring power of Plath’s poetry and prose continues to attract and fascinate a multitude of readers. Best known for her poems "Daddy" and "Lady Lazarus" and the novel The Bell Jar, Plath starkly expressed a sense of alienation closely linked to both her personal experiences and the wider situation of women throughout mid-twentieth-century America. With an eye towards demythologizing Plath and focusing on her achievements, Breaking Down Plath aims to contextualise Plath’s work in the larger scheme of Cold War-era gender politics, debates about mental health, and anxiety about global conflict.

Breaking Down Plath informs readers of essential facts about Sylvia Plath’s life and explores the works of the influential and controversial American poet, novelist, and short-story writer. Author Patricia Grisafi contextualises and clarifies important underlying themes in Plath’s works while providing insight into how interest in Plath’s work developed, how the story of Plath’s life has been told, what we still need to discover about her, and why her life and art matter.

Breaking Down Plath:

  • Presents a critical biography of Plath’s life
  • Offers a thematic tour through Plath's short fiction, journals, and letters
  • Explores the recurrent themes in Plath’s poetry
  • Features an overview of the reception of Plath’s work
  • Discusses the role of Plath in contemporary popular culture

This book is a primer for younger or new Plath readers and a welcome addition to the toolbox used by educators, parents, and anyone interested in or studying Plath’s life and work.

Series: The Breaking Down Series

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  • Breaking Down Fitzgerald
    A practical guide to F. Scott Fitzgerald's works for middle and secondary students F. Scott Fitzgerald was an American novelist, essayist, and writer best known for his glamorous novels that detailed life in America's Jazz Age—a term which he popularised. Throughout his career, Fitzgerald published four novels, four collections of short stories, and 164 short stories in magazines. His work...
    Paperback
    $1899
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • Breaking Down Plath
    A practical guide to Sylvia Plath’s works for middle and secondary school students One of the most dynamic and admired poets of the 20th century, Sylvia Plath wrote work about war, motherhood, jealousy, rage, grief, death, and mental illness that challenged preconceptions about what poetry should be about. The enduring power of Plath’s poetry and prose continues to attract and...
    Paperback
    $1899
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • Breaking Down Vonnegut
    A practical guide to Vonnegut’s works for young adults, secondary, and college students Kurt Vonnegut was a prolific American writer whose career spanned more than 50 years. Vonnegut’s world is a complex web. His books, short stories, and essays are among the gems of American literature, exploring themes of historical events and human limitations. Written for young adults through adulthood,...
    Paperback
    $1899
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781119782384

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Inc

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 15 March 2022

Country: United States

Imprint: Jossey-Bass Inc.,U.S.

Audience: Primary and secondary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 5.0mm

Width: 147.0mm

Height: 221.0mm

Weight: 159g

Pages: 128

About the Author

PATRICIA GRISAFI, PHD, is a freelance writer, editor, and educator based in New York City. Aside from teaching Plath’s work, she is the author of numerous essays on Plath and has presented research at academic conferences such as the 75th Annual Sylvia Plath Symposium.

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