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 at her home and was hospitalized , where she underwent psychiatric treatment' for her depression (Dunn). Writing primarily as a poet, she wrote only one novel, The Bell Jar. This fictional autobiography “[chronicles] the circumstances of her mental breakdown and subsequent suicide attempt,” but from the perspective of the fictional protagonist, Esther Greenwood, who experiences the same losses 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 societal 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 the pressures that Esther Greenwood experiences. . The recurring image of a bell haunts Esther throughout her story, representing both her mental illness and her estrangement from the society around her. As Dunn says, “A glass cover is used to cover and protect laboratory equipment. It is important to note that a bell also allows objects to remain visible. Much like a scientific specimen, Esther is easily visible to those around her, whether she is being observed or studied. The pot in this case represents her mental instability, which leads to her being isolated from the rest of society and being treated abnormally. Additionally, “Plath [uses] the bell 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... in the middle of the newspaper... the scandal she caused in the tabloids and who only saw it as an immediate solution, a way to escape. Rich in descriptive phrases and words, this imagery contributes to the themes. From headlines to corpses, from bells to mental illness, and 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 must simultaneously overcome the restrictions placed on her that prevent her from achieving the future she yearns for. Through extensive imagery, symbolism, and characterization, Sylvia Plath explores how people strive for perfection and acceptance through social norms and how those who do not completely conform to them are alienated of the company group, either by themselves or by the group..