I opened the door and blinked out into the bright hall. I had the impression it wasn't night and it wasn't day, but some lurid third interval that had suddenly slipped between them and would never end.
The quote reflects the protagonist's disorientation and emotional turmoil. When the character steps into the hall, the description of the lighting suggests a blurring of reality, as it neither fully embodies night nor day. This liminal space symbolizes a mental state caught between clarity and confusion, illustrating the depth of the character’s struggle with identity and existence.
Through this imagery, Sylvia Plath conveys a sense of unending discomfort and confusion, emphasizing the themes of despair and the search for meaning in "The Bell Jar." The idea of a perpetual twilight speaks to the challenges of navigating one's own psyche, with the character trapped in an indefinite moment, unable to find relief or resolution.