The Bell Jar
by grahamgator

Comment by tvsometime:
Haven't read it but this looks like a bell jar, and the butterfly might represent something about Sylvia Plath's spirituality, and the shot is well done. Giving the benefit of the doubt (due to my ignorance) my vote is a 6

The Bell Jar
by grahamgator

Comment by eniko:
You've captured not only the essence of being trapped, but I also feel that the external colors contrast well with the butterfly to create a feeling of depression and darkness. The choice of butterfly is good, as it bears resemblance to the fragile protagonist in the novel, albeit that I'm not sure that I visualized her as this colorful. A 7 from me.

under lock and key
by grahamgator

Comment by rjkstesch:
Interesting angle and shot, but missing the "detail in the ordinary." 5

The Bell Jar
by grahamgator

Comment by mariuca:
Sylvia Plath. Did not read the book but I read about it. The photo has a lot of meaning but the butterfly is alive and well while the jar seems to go through hell. Splitting hair. I expected more of a shattering feeling from this picture.
It has every piece that connects it to Plath but lacks the anguish.
7

summer drifting away
by grahamgator

Comment by Denielle:
This is my third favorite image in this challenge.
It's so simplistic, yet beautiful. The greens and blues give it a very "cool" sense, but the vibrancy of the yellows give it warmth.
There is great detail on the little snippet of the leaf that is showing. I love how the water is focused around the edges.
The only complaint I have is the haloing that can be seen in the reflection of the water.

Other than that, I love this!
Bumping to an 8

a slow death
by grahamgator

Comment by Devinder:
woooO! go graham! the old teams kickin it up

a slow death
by grahamgator

Comment by Stefano-M:
Great picture, Mary Ann!

rustic fruit
by grahamgator

Comment by lei_73:
That's a "texture" contest? Why do I think "what a nice smell!"? Hm.
Beautiful softness! Wish, I can see the melon closer, cropped tightly though!7

The Bell Jar
by grahamgator

Comment by Garry:
Quite beautiful in the sharpness and clarity. Wish the crop was a lot tighter, but that's just my preference. Lovely image, top 3 for me.

The Bell Jar
by grahamgator

Comment by Bear_Music:
The Bell Jar is a novel about madness, emptiness, and pain. There's a sense in which the pain can be seen to lead to rebirth, and a butterfly, emerged from its chrysalis, can be seen to embody that transformation, so the connection to the novel's not that far-fetched. Notwithstanding that, however, this is an awfully cheerful image to represent such a bleak book.

Also, as a nit, this isn't shaped like any bell jar I'VE ever seen. Bell jars are designed to seal an atmosphere or a vacuum, and they are usually shaped like cylindrical domes.

Still, it's got a deeper-than-obvious connection to the book and it's competently crafted. I'll give it a 6.