Liquor Quote by Sylvia Plath
““Ordering drinks always floored me. I didn't know whisky from gin and never managed to get anything I really liked the taste of. Buddy Willard and the other college boys I knew were usually too poor to buy hard liquor or they scorned drinking altogether. It's amazing how many college boys don't drink or smoke. I seemed to know them all. The farthest Buddy Willard ever went was buying us a bottle of Dubonnet, which he only did because he was trying to prove he could be aesthetic in spite of being a medical student. "I'll have a vodka," I said. The man looked at me more closely. "With anything?" "Just plain," I said. "I always have it plain." I thought I might make a fool of myself by saying I'd have it with ice or gin or anything. I'd seen a vodka ad once, just a glass full of vodka standing in the middle of a snowdrift in a blue light, and the vodka looked clear and pure as water, so I thought having vodka plain must be all right. My dream was someday ordering a drink and finding out it tasted wonderful.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, 1963
The narrator struggles with social expectations around drinking, seeking authenticity while confronting peer pressure and self-doubt.
In simple terms: She wants a simple drink but feels judged by others.
Embrace personal taste despite social norms.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- college life
- social gatherings
- personal ordering
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you assert personal preferences in group settings?
- What does “plain” symbolize for you?
The desire for authenticity may clash with cultural expectations.