The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck Essay - 1122 Words

The Chrysanthemums Summery This short story was published during the aftermath of the women’s rights movement and during WW2. John Steinbeck cared about the political and societal malpractices and portrayed his views in his writings. This short story belongs in a collection called The Long Valley. Elisa Allen is working on her garden and she sees her husband, Henry, speaking with two men about selling his steers. The garden bed and the house are called to attention and it is pointed out that they are very clean and organized. Once the strangers leave, Henry comes over to her and politely praises her on how lovely the garden looks and then wishes that she would attend to the orchards in the same way. She at first is egger to help but†¦show more content†¦On the side of the road, Elisa notices the plants she had given the tinker were just unceremoniously dumped and left. Henry notices the change in her mood and asks, but she just brushes it off and says they should go out more often. She asks if they could have wine with dinner and talks about if women go to the fights. She hides her face as she cries. Several themes and symbols are prevalent in this story. Elisa is a representation of women in the 1920’s. She is a stereotypical housewife. Women were perceived as objects and not people that have thoughts and feelings. Intellectual women had an even worse time than others. When she learned of the tinkers glamorous lifestyle (compared to hers), she envied him. Even just discussing the idea of a working woman was ludicrous to him. Henry and the tinker represent the paternalism of the era. Henry only tells her the workings of the ranch when she asks a direct question such as when she was curious about the two men at the beginning. He is condescending, ignorant, and emotionless towards his wife. The tinker only uses her to get money for food. He only commented on the flowers after his initial request was shot down. He most likely used her connection to the flowers as a way to build rapport and get her to open up more to the idea of giving him another chance. He then tosses her ( the flowers) away when he was done with her. Now this doesn’t mean the men in this story were bad people. They were just victims of theShow MoreRelatedThe Chrysanthemums By John Steinbeck875 Words   |  4 Pages Introduction The Chrysanthemums author, John Steinbeck, struggles to equality using Elisa Ellen. The Chrysanthemums depicts a capable, a woman who is denied fulfillment socially, sexually, and personal fulfillment through prevailing the woman s role conception in the men dominated the world. The appearance, speech, and actions of Elisa depict that frustration that women experienced in 1930 s Steinbeck s masculine world. Thus, this brings the questions: In what ways does Elisa s characterRead MoreThe Chrysanthemums By John Steinbeck982 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Chrysanthemums† is a short story written by John Steinbeck. The story was originally published in 1937 before later being released as a part of his The Long Valley collection. This is an important story as it expresses women in a way that is more realistic, showing their true boredom, ambition, and capabilities. Some scholars interpreted this story differently, but C. Kenneth Pellow interprets it as â€Å"radically feministic. † The Great Depression was finally ending and women’s rights were risingRead MoreThe Chrysanthemums By John Steinbeck1559 Words   |  7 PagesThe Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck is a rich piece of work that has many underlying meanings hidden within it. I find that it was no mistake that this entire short story is a metaphor. 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Elisa uses her beloved chrysanthemums to express her inner feelings about what it’s like to truly care for something.Read MoreSymbolism in the Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck1758 Words   |  8 PagesJohn Steinbecks The Chrysanthemums is a story that is full of symbolism. After the first read, it might seem like an innocent tale about a woman and her garden. However, upon further examination, the reader learns it is actually a story about a womans desires and frustrations in her life. Steinbeck uses many examples, such as the flowers to symbolize the thoughts and ideas of the main character, Elisa, in this story. Elisa Allen is a lonesome woman who gets pleasure from growingRead MoreThe Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck Essay1029 Words   |  5 PagesSteinbeck’s â€Å"Chrysanthemums†: How Boundaries Limited Elisa’s Pursuing for Self Fulfillment â€Å"The Chrysanthemums†, â€Å"a brilliant piece of writing, perhaps the best story Steinbeck ever wrote†, as expressed by Jay Parini in his article Lawrence’s and Steinbeck’s â€Å"Chrysanthemums†, is one of the most interesting and ambiguous story of this writer. Steinbeck’s little story shows to the reader the reality of women during the nineteenth hundreds and the great depression. In order to show this reality,Read MoreThe Chrysanthemums By John Steinbeck Analysis949 Words   |  4 PagesBiography John Ernst Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California, which is where the short story, â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† is set in 1902. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature and his held in high regard, but not quite as high as Faulkner and Hemingway. Steinbeck died of a heart attack in Salinas, California in 1963 (Levant). Overview Steinbeck published the short story The Chrysanthemums in 1937 and included as part of his collection The Long Valley the following year. In the story, Henry Allen