Sylvia Plath’s famous fig tree analogy from her novel “The Bell Jar” is one that has been in Instagram bio’s, quoted in speeches and applied to the lives of many readers. Fans of the poet can relate to her struggle in choosing the right path in life, as most of us have experienced before. Her metaphors for life are meant to make readers relate to her hopelessness, when in reality, there are several ways to keep yourself from watching every opportunity wither.
Plath sits under a tree, thinking about her young life and the many lives she could pursue. Every life, a fig, hangs from the tree, presenting her with the most vibrant, fruitful future. The issue is that there are too many options to choose from, leaving Plath frozen in her indecision and watching every purple beauty shrivel and turn black.
This metaphor was one that I thought I lived by. I pictured every fig as I made my way through high school, and I always felt that I sat at the root of the tree, frozen. However, as I have started to make large decisions, including answering the question of college that looms over most seniors, I have found how to move to different fig trees.
The idea that all options die if one is not chosen is a false dichotomy, painting the choices you make in life an “all or nothing” situation. In every choice there is risk, but humans will adapt. Figs will continue to grow in your life, and it is important that you pick not what you think will be perfect, but what you are passionate about.
The great thing about literature is that it speaks to a lot of readers. It acts as a guiding principle rather than a set of rules. What we can conclude from the words of Plath is that seniors have multiple futures in reach, different paths that all lead to different things. But the point to life is never about picking the right one, as there will never be a right one.
As college decisions return, job opportunities come in and graduation looms, do not be afraid of making an incorrect choice. Do not let indecision stop you. Take Plath’s metaphor as an opportunity to choose the figs offered or go find another fig tree. Uncertainty can be a beautiful thing in any new stage of life, as long as it is embraced.
“As I look towards graduation, there are so many options to choose from, but no one tells you how to pick the right choice,” senior Alyssa Angeles said. “But no matter where you go, as long as you keep moving forward and working hard, you will succeed.”
In the end, the point may never be about searching for the perfect fig, but rather trusting yourself enough to reach for one. Like Plath, seniors face many choices. But unlike her, the choices do not have to fade away. Whether you choose a new tree or take a chance and pick a new road to follow, the most important thing is that you are moving forward and not getting stuck under your own fig tree.
