Bell jars are glass containers with a rounded top and open bottom. They are used in scientific experiments, to protect delicate items, and to protect plants from frost and predators. Sylvia Plath’s novel The Bell Jar uses the jar as a metaphor for the repression of women in American society.
A bell jar is a piece of glass with a rounded top and an open bottom. There are a number of uses for these jars; for example, historically, they have been used to create a vacuum for scientific experimentation. Many scientific supply stores sell them in an assortment of sizes, along with other accessories that can be used in conjunction with them, and they can also be purchased through specialty glassware suppliers.
When used in the laboratory, a bell jar can be fitted to a tight fitting base which will ensure a clean seal. The inside of the jar can be transformed into a vacuum in order to experiment with various objects in the vacuum. The clear glass makes the results of the experiment easily visible and for this reason these jars are often used in science lessons to demonstrate basic experiments. Most major laboratories use other, more reliable technologies to create vacuum cleaners for experimentation.
A glass bell can also be used to protect and display delicate items, such as antique china. Typically, the item on display is mounted on a sturdy base and the jar is lowered onto it. The Victorians were particularly fond of this type of display and bell chimes can still be seen in very formal or nostalgic households. Using such a jar is a great way to make sure an item is admired while staying out of harm’s way, even if sun bleaching issues can arise.
Some gardeners also use bells to protect delicate plants. When used with outdoor plants, they can minimize frost damage or protect a plant from insects and other predators. Indoors, a jar can hold a plant to be mauled by pets, and it will also help keep the plant dust-free and less susceptible to changes in temperature. Small compositions of plants under the glass bells are also sometimes used.
In 1963, Sylvia Plath, a famous American writer, published a novel called The Bell Jar. The title referenced the fact that a bell jar essentially traps something to keep it on display. Plath used the jar as a metaphor to talk about the repression of women in American society. The work is considered a classic of the roman à clef genre and is especially popular with students and authors of psychologically beaten poetry.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
