Trapped in a Bell Jar
Trapped in a bell jar Bell Jar /bel jär/ a bell-shaped glass cover used for covering delicate objects or used in a laboratory, typically for enclosing samples. Esther Greenwood depicts herself as being in a bell jar, metaphorically, throughout the book. A bell jar is used to close off an object. She feels that she is trapped by her emotions, such as depression. As she progresses with her condition towards the end of the book, she changes the way she portrays the bell jar. She mentions that, “I would be sitting under the same glass bell jar, stewing in my own sour air.” Esther thinks that the new asylum she will be sent to will not have an impact on her health. She feels like there is no solution to her major problem. She acknowledges that she has her “own sour air” that does not allow her to feel positive emotions, no matter the place she is sent to. Moreover, she declares, "The bell jar hung, suspended ... I was open to the circulating air." This shows the importance of tr...