... to reproduce and to serve a man. However, Edna Pontellier, the protagonist of The Awakening, Esther Greenwood, the protagonist of The Bell Jar, both feel that there is no man suitable for them, for their sentimental goals, therefore, they feel that they have no place in the "universe". Plath in The Bell Jar explores the woman in the 1950s; indeed, she writes about the 1900s feminism. If we think a bit about nowadays woman's position ... Esther seems to be cured, she feels that the bell jar is still above her head and she is afraid that sometimes it will trap her again. Thus, one could s...

• Word Count: 870
• Approx Pages: 3

... tradition"" (Plath 229). Esther often refers to sex and lack of virginity as a "corruption"." This of course, as referenced before, ties into the idea of Esther being a social deviant. In Stephanie Tsanks, "The Bell Jar: A Psychological Case Study," states the bell jar as a symbol of society's stifling constraints and befuddling mixed messages that trap Sylvia Plath's heroine, Esther Greenwood, within its glass dome (166). In ... Esther unmistakably makes it known that she is not like any other woman and that she has a strict vision of what it means to be a lady. As duly noted in, "The B...

• Word Count: 2257
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School

... you do not have a strong base your building will collapse. In Sylvia Plath's, "The Bell Jar," the theme of identity is a recurring topic. Many characters in the book have difficulty finding their identities and purposes in life; one such character is Esther Greenwood. Throughout the novel, Esther fights to look past the social conformities that constantly surround her. Esther lacks a sense of who she is due ... from her mother and being involved with her peers who also live troubled lives. Esther's instability stems from the misguiding relationships within her life which eventually caus...

• Word Count: 1680
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School