The Chrysanthemums By John Steinbeck Analysis - 935 Words

In John Steinbeck‘s short story â€Å"The Chrysanthemums † Elisa Gives off the impression that she is not satisfied with her life. She can’t put a finger on her source of discomfort, but knows that she is not quite satisfied with how her life is continuing. Elisa’s husband doesn’t give her the proper attention she is craving, so elisa turns to her only sense of compassion; her garden. Elisa uses her beloved chrysanthemums to express her inner feelings about what it’s like to truly care for something. Elisa’s garden brings her joy and passion, hence the reasoning she is always spending her time there. Elisa realizes that in order to be happy with your life, you have to deal with the pain along the way. Throughout the story, Elisa struggles to†¦show more content†¦She is pushed into being dependent on her husband and the only way out is her garden. Elisa does not reveal herself to anybody. She is very quiet and keeps to herself a nd her garden until she meets the tinker. When Elisa meets the tinker she begins to let a little part of her personality go. â€Å"Elisa took off her gloves and stuffed them in her apron pocket with her scissors† (BL, 209). Elisa taking off her gloves symbolizes her expressing herself. She is now exposed to another human and the outside world. Elisa is also interacting like she never would typically do. Elisa begins to open up to the tinker and feel what it feels like to interact further than her usual conversations. She begins to reveal herself and allow him to see a side of her that is typically hidden. Another piece of symbolism in the story is when the tinker leaned over Elisas fence. This symbolised trust between Elisa and the tinker because Elisa does not let anybody get close to her, or her garden. Elisa soon removes her hat and that symbolises that she is confident and found a little stretch of freedom. When the tinker realizes the beauty of Elisa flowers, a new sense of passion pours out of Elisa. She feels excited and full of joy because her dedication and hard work was finally noticed. Toward the end of the story, Elisa gives the tinker the chrysanthemums. This symbolizing trust between them. When ELisa gave the tinker her flowers, she also gave him a piece ofShow MoreRelatedThe 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 AllenRead MoreAnalysis Of Chrysanthemums By John Steinbeck971 Words   |  4 PagesChrysanthemums† has many different ideas of what women’s roles are in today’s society. I think one of the key themes is gender inequality. Elisa is a passionate, independent, and a beautiful person inside and out. And no matter what she does or says, her husband will never see her for more than an object. Because the story is written through Elisa’s point of view and is set in 1938. Because of this, it really portrays where women stood at that time. Taking place during winter in Salinas Valley,Read MoreAnalysis Of John Steinbeck s The Chrysanthemums 1256 Words   |  6 PagesComparative Essay In â€Å"Chrysanthemums† john Steinbeck, the author, focuses on Elisa Allen, one of the main characters. She is presented as weak in that her daily activity consisted of tending her garden of chrysanthemums; Steinbeck focuses on how they provide insight into Elisa and how she relates to them, religiously. He implies that even though she fits a weak character, there are places in the narrative at the beginning that suggest some strong points and her longing towards the end. There areRead MoreAnalysis Of John Steinbeck s The Chrysanthemums 1532 Words   |  7 PagesJohn Steinbeck’s short story â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† shows a time when women are controlled and restrained to a traditional lifestyle. It portrays a struggle for equality that is played out through the eyes of the third person narrator. In telling the story, the narrator depicts the story through speech, actions and appearances of the main character, Elisa. Her place in the story is that in a w orld of masculinity during the times of the Great Depression and a fight to keep a bit of her happinessRead MoreAn Analysis Of John Steinbeck s The Chrysanthemums 1025 Words   |  5 PagesRichard Courtney ENG 1110 December 22, 2016 An Unsatisfied Life John Steinbeck’s â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† is a short story about a woman named Elisa and her unhappiness with her life. She is a woman living in a man’s world in the late 1930’s. Elisa and her husband, Henry, are childless. She is confined to a lonely life where she cares for her husband, their farm house, and her precious chrysanthemums. Throughout the story Steinbeck indicates Elisa’s struggle as a woman who wants more out of her lifeRead MoreSymbolism in The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck Essay1547 Words   |  7 PagesSymbolism in The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck The Chrysanthemums, one of John Steinbecks masterpieces, describes a lonely farmers wife, Elisa Allen. Elisa Allens physical appearance is very mannish yet still allows a hint of a feminine side to peek through. John Steinbeck brings symbolism into play to represent Elisa Allens frustrations and hidden passions. Isolation is another representation through symbolism found in The Chrysanthemums. Elisas failing detached marriage is representedRead 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 fi nally ending and women’s rights were risingRead MoreEssay on Analysis of The Chrysanthemums1139 Words   |  5 PagesAnalysis of The Chrysanthemums The short story The Chrysanthemums gives insight into the life of its author. John Steinbeck was born on February 27, 1902, in Salinas, California. The locale of the story is of key resemblance to the Salinas in which Steinbeck was born and bread. Salinas was a typical American small town, [differing] only in location and a few distinctive features (McCarthy 3). The protagonist of this story, Elisa Allen, also resembles Steinbecks first wife. SteinbeckRead MoreCharacter Analysis the Chrysanthemums1220 Words   |  5 PagesEngl. 1302 April 15, 2013 Paper 1 Character Analysis â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† by John Steinbeck John Steinbeck was born in 1902 and lived during what is said to be the most troubled time in American history. Steinbeck was alive during the Dust Bowl paired with the Great Depression, which is believed to be the reason for his almost melancholiac tone in some of his works but he seemed a very diverse writer. Along with â€Å"The Chrysanthemums†, Steinbeck is the author of the well-known and famous novelRead More The Chrysanthemums Essay1649 Words   |  7 PagesJohn Steinbeck’s, The Chrysanthemums, was published in 1938 in a book of short stories, entitled The Long Valley. The Chrysanthemums has been a rather powerful draw for scholars because of its wide gap for interpretations and analysis of its main protagonist character, Elisa Allen and also the unique descriptions used to portray the deeper meaning behind the setting of the story. Themes of sexuality, oppression of women, as well as other numerous types of conflict portrayed in this rather somber