Water Imagery in Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar

Abstract

The emergence of water symbolism characterizes the entirety of the novel, it turns up in every important situation and conveys different connotations. The first half of the novel is characterized by the presence of untidy or semi-transparent alternatives of water. The disturbed state of water reflects Esther’s deranged mental condition. At the end, water turns into snow and ice, these become the central symbols of the last phase of the narrative. The various conditions of water mirror Esther’s mental state as well as they connect her to nature and emphasize the ability of nature to revive, which after all conditions her existence as well.