Sylvia Plath was a troubled writer to say the least, not only did she endure the loss of her father at a young age, but she later "attempted suicide in her home and was admitted to hospital, where she was subjected to psychiatric treatment” for his depression (Dunn). Writing primarily as a poet, she wrote only one novel, The Bell Jar. This fictional autobiography "[chronicles] the circumstances of her mental collapse and subsequent suicide attempt" but from the point of view of the fictional protagonist, Esther Greenwood, who suffers the same loss and challenges as Plath (Allen 890). Due to the novel's strong resemblance to Plath's story, it was published under the pseudonym "Victoria Lucas". In The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath expresses themes of alienation and social pressure on women in the 1950s through symbolism, an unconventional protagonist, and imagery. Through an overwhelming sense of symbolism, the author demonstrates both the separation and pressures Esther Greenwood experiences. . The recurring image of a bell jar haunts Esther throughout her story, representing both her mental illness and her alienation from the society around her. As Dunn states “a glass 'bell' is used to cover and protect laboratory materials. Significantly, a bell jar also allows objects to remain in view. Much like a scientific specimen, Esther is easily visible to those around her in both observation and study. The jar in this case represents her mental instability, which leads her to be isolated from the rest of society and treated abnormally. Furthermore, “Plath [uses] the bell jar to indicate the circumference of the world of pain and mental suffering in which Esther Greenwood, the heroine, lives” (Evans 105). The heroine herself admits... middle of paper... the scandal they made in the tabloids and saw it only as an immediate means of exit, an escape route. Packed with descriptive words and phrases, these images contribute to the themes. From newspaper headlines to corpses, from bell jars to mental illness, from a submissive matron to a rebellious young woman, this novel hosts the two overarching themes of alienation and constraints placed on women in the 1950s. . Esther Greenwood separates herself from almost all of society and at the same time must overcome the restrictions that are imposed on her and that prevent her from achieving the future she aspires to. Through extensive imagery, symbolism and characterization Sylvia Plath delves into how people strive for perfection and acceptance through social standards and also how those who do not fully meet them become alienated from the society group, themselves or the group..