The silence depressed me. It wasn't the silence of silence. It was my own silence. I knew perfectly well the cars were making noise, and the people in them and behind the lit windows of the buildings were making a noise, and the river was making a noise, but I couldn't hear a thing. The city hung in my window, flat as a poster, glittering and blinking, but it might just as well not have been there at all, for all the good it did me.
The protagonist expresses a profound sense of depression stemming from a personal silence rather than an absence of sound. Although the external world is filled with noise from cars, people, and the river, she feels disconnected and unable to perceive any of it, as if she is trapped in her own emotional void. This illustrates her internal struggles, highlighting how personal turmoil can drown out the vibrancy of life around her.
The imagery of the city appearing as a flat, unengaging poster emphasizes her feelings of alienation. Despite the bustling life outside her window, it brings her no joy or connection. This reflects the overarching themes of isolation and the search for meaning in "The Bell Jar," encapsulating the contrast between the lively world and her own muted existence.
