According to M. L. West , the story of Pandora and the jar is older than Hesiod 's versions . This also explains the confusion and problems of Hesiod 's version and that it is inconclusive . M. L. West writes that the story of Pandora and her jar is from a pre-Hesiodic myth , and that this explains the confusion and problems with Hesiod 's version and its inconclusiveness .