On 18 August, I was fortunate to give a tour of some Sylvia Plath sites to four women involved in the current
The Bell Jar film adaptation: Kirsten Dunst (director), Dakota Fanning (lead actress), Lizzie Friedman (Producer, Priority Pictures), and Brittany Kahan (Producer, Echo Lake Entertainment). To my surprise, I was not nearly as nervous as I thought I would be. In part because I know the sites like the back of my hand, and also because all four were very relaxed and engaging and put me instantly at ease.
We started in Winthrop where we saw Plath's house at 92 Johnson Avenue before carrying on to Deer Island and Point Shirley were we experienced Plath's writings in living color. Armed with the
Journals of Sylvia Plath, her
Collected Poems, and of course a copy of
The Bell Jar, I read selected passages
in situ which helped contextualize the real places Plath wrote about in her works. This exercise illustrated how she may have made creative changes after recording them in her journal as she re-wrote them in poetry and prose.
 |
| Water Tower Hill and Yirrel Beach from Deer Island,Winthrop |
After this, we shuttled over to the grave of Otto Plath in Winthrop Cemetery and had an amble through the three separate yards before pausing for a good while at Plath's father's grave. This is always my favorite part of the tour because of how Plath reworked the experience of visiting the cemetery in her journals into other creative forms. I also find that everyone who visits these places reacts in quite similar ways but at the same time with complete uniqueness. Like Plath wrote: "It is good to have the place in mind."
 |
"They always knew it was you."
Dunst, Mr Sylvia Plath Info, and Fanning at Otto Plath's grave. |
The day was quite hot and so we left the open, bright expanse of Winthrop for the "motherly breath of the suburbs" in Wellesley. It was here where we had perhaps the highlight of the day: a in-house tour of 26 Elmwood Road. This was quite a moving and privileged experience. It was my second time in the house and I was able to observe more and gain a greater appreciation for its layout. Being there, too, on a hot summer day was actually informative as it kind of gave an indication why Plath may have so enjoyed summer camps and other experiences away from the house once she was in college.
 |
Ladies and the tramp:
Kahan, Fanning, Steinberg, Friedman, and Dunst. |
Following lunch, we drove to the tour's last stop: McLean Hospital. We drove around the "campus" and as we did this I pointed out which buildings where which as they appeared in
The Bell Jar and what they are called in actuality: Belsize was Belknap; Caplan was Codman; and Wymark was Wyman.
Then, sadly, I had to drop them back off at their hotel. It was an amazing day. The time went by quickly - a little too quickly as good times often do. But, also, I feel things were paced in such a way that it was not overwhelming. I was really happy that I did not make a complete fool out of myself, and also that I neither cut myself shaving that morning nor drooled or dripped salad dressing down my shirt. Phew! It is the little things... We had lots of great conversations and they asked fantastic questions - but please do not ask about that!
At their hotel, I admit I became a cheesy-fan and asked Kirsten and Dakota to sign the copy of
The Bell Jar that I used for this tour.
 |
| Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar, Faber, 1967. |
If you benefited from this post or any content on the Sylvia Plath Info Blog, my website for Sylvia Plath (A celebration, this is), and @sylviaplathinfo on Twitter, then please consider sending me a tip via PayPal. Thank you for at least considering! All funds will be put towards my Sylvia Plath research.
