I've been wondering. . . I mean, I thought you might be able to tell me something. Buddy met my eyes and I saw, for the first time, how he had changed. Instead of the old, sure smile that flashed on easily and frequently as a photographer's bulb, his face was grave, even tentative -- the face of a man who often does not get what he wants.
In this excerpt from Sylvia Plath's "The Bell Jar," the narrator engages in a moment of introspection, reflecting on the changes in her friend Buddy. She notices a shift in his demeanor, indicating a deeper complexity in his character that contrasts starkly with the carefree person she once knew. The grave expression on his face suggests that he has faced challenges and disappointments, revealing a more vulnerable side to him.
The...
