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Characterization in the chrysanthemums
Characterization in the chrysanthemums
Characterization in the chrysanthemums
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The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck and The Worker in Sandalwood by Majorie Pickthall
Over the past few months in class we have learned about many aspects of literature. Some examples of them are characterization, setting, style, tone, allegory, theme, and symbolism. I chose to write this essay about the symbolism aspect that is featured in so many great works of literature. Two such stories that we have read in which symbolism is demonstrated is in The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck, and The Worker in Sandalwood by Majorie Pickthall.
In The Chrysanthemums, Steinbeck tells a story of a married couple living on a farm. The husband, Henry Allen, works most of the day while his wife, Elisa Allen, spends most of her time tending to her garden. The couple have no children. H...
Within Steinbeck's story, "Chrysanthemums," the main character, Elisa Allen, is confronted with many instances of conflict. Steinbeck uses chrysanthemums to symbolize this conflict and Elisa's self-worth. By examining these points of conflict and the symbolism presented by the chrysanthemums, the meaning of the story can be better determined.
Steinbeck, John. "The Chrysanthemums." Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Ed. X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 6th ed. New York: Harper Collins, 1995.
Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums” uses the tension between a wandering homeless man and Elisa Allen to suggest that although many women are dissatisfied with their roles in the household, the deepness at which gender roles are ingrained in society prevents them from assuming the positions that they want. Elisa flirts with the homeless man, but is reminded by him that her place as a woman is in the household; although she feels dismay at the thought, she does not challenge it due to the apparent inevitability of her situation. After passing him on the road later she is reminded of the fact that she will never be free to live life like the man, causing her to cry and feel “like an old woman:” (Steinbeck, 268) helpless when it comes to controlling
In the best works of literature, authors use symbolism in order to expand their themes. Symbolism acts to provide a better, deeper interpretation of the work of literature for the readers. This invokes the reader to continue reading a novel. J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye contains many aspects of symbolism that develops the themes of the childhood vs. adulthood and isolation vs. companionship. Salinger uses the symbols of Holden’s red hunting hat, the museum of natural history, and the ducks in the Central Park lagoon in his novel. Holden’s perpetual reiteration of the symbols reveals their importance.
"A symbol is an act, person, thing, or spectacle that stands for something else, by association a usually broader idea in addition to its own literal meaning" (Cassill & Bausch, 1728). John Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums" may seem as a story describing a simple day with the Allen couple. It begins with Elisa Allen working in her garden and her husband, Henry Allen, negotiating with two suited business men that want to purchase steers. They seem to engage in conversations and go about their day as they normally would do. By the time the story ends, they are on their way to dinner and a movie. At first glance, this story may seem as nothing special, just a day in the life of fairly happy couple attempting to enjoy their marriage. However, there is much more under the surface of what is written. The story has a relative amount of symbols which gives light on other details of the story. It is not until after looking at deeper meanings of some of the symbols that there can be a more comprehensive reading of the tale. If one takes a good look, one can notice that Henry is an uncommunicative husband, and Elisa craves for more from the relationship, and her life. The lack of passion between Elisa and her husband leads her to use her flowers, the chrysanthemums, and other household tasks as an outlet for the attention that she longs for. Elisa, like many other women, is limited by society's view on women's position in the home.
Symbolism is one of the most effective and powerful elements in writing. We see various examples of this all throughout "The Things They Carried." Symbolism enables us to tell a story one way, while all along trying to say another. I believe Tim O'Brien has achieved success in doing so in "The Things They Carried."
Many authors and poets uses symbolism to express emotion and sections throughout the text. Symbols is a great literary device that can help give messages to the reader without the author being too direct. In the story, “Barns Burning” by William Faulkner, Symbolism helps analysis different emotions and meaning throughout the story.
Symbolism throughout books and pieces of literature is almost as constant as the blue tint of the sky or the impending nature of thunder after lightening. Within practically every story or beginning is a concrete symbol that drives stories, actions or literaries. Without these symbols, literature would be interpreted as simplistic words on a page without any connection between readers and characters or actions. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger follows these ideas of symbolism, from Holden’s dramatic red hat to Central Park ducks. Though the story is riddled with symbols, Holden’s ideas of “The Catcher in the Rye” is the most important symbol which emphasizes child-like innocence.
We all have our limits--and what we want to do may be limited by how we might be viewed by society, or by those around us--but what holds us back even more is our lack of determination, our lack of self-confidence, and our non-willingness to break free due to nervous hesitation. This is a recurring theme in John Steinbeck’s story “The Chrysanthemums”. The plot of “The Chrysanthemums” centers on a particularly cold December afternoon of housewife (and gardening extraordinaire) Elisa Allen in Salinas Valley, California. Elisa is the wife of Henry Allen, a farmer in the dusty foot-hills of the previously mentioned Salinas Valley. During the day while Elisa’s husband is out tending to his ranch and “yellow stubble fields (p.206)”, performing the One of the first examples of this in the story is right at the beginning, where Steinbeck is first describing Elisa Allen and her garden.
Elisa Allen embodies the image of a simple woman eager to escape the confines of a gender defined role in society. Readers are introduced to Elisa as a 35 year old, strong woman living with her husband, Henry, on a ranch in Salinas Valley (Steinbeck 460). Elisa’s masculinity is highlighted from the attire she is wearing to the strength in her hands. Henry affirms that Elisa is capable in her endeavors when he states, “you’ve got a gift with things,” in regards to her garden (Steinbeck 460). Even though Elisa is delighted at Henry’s suggestion that she work in the orchard, the idea does not seem to get a second thought (Steinbeck 460). The idea of a woman working in the orchard is dismissed on the premise that the orchard is not a woman’s place. In Elisa’s account with the man in the wagon, her sexuality exudes in her graphic explanation of picking off the flower buds and being under the stars, to the point that she almost physically touches the man (Steinbeck 463). Her desire would go unsatisfied, as it would not be appropriate for her to act on her impulse. Elisa is searching for fulfillment in life but finds her role to be trivial. Intrigued by the idea of traveling, as the gentleman in the wagon does, she states, “It must be very nice. I wish women could do such things.” She is shot down as the man replies, “It ain’t the right kind of a life for a woman” (Steinbeck 464). This conversation clearly depicts the prevalent inequality of the sexes. Furthermore, once the man leaves in the caravan Elisa cements her urge for something more, looking out at the horizon whispering, “That’s a bright direction. There’s a glowing there” (Steinbeck 464-465).
The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck is not just a simple short story. Yes it is a short story about a country housewife that lives a boring life and grows beautiful flowers. She is then mislead to believe that a perfect stranger has interest in her flowers and is moved to reveal to him her secrets in growing them and even give him not only some of her prized shoots from the flowers but also some work so that he is given what he originally wanted. She then finds her shoots thrown haphazardly on the side of the road. She begins to ask for wine and becomes very saddened and begins to weep. On the surface it seems like a very superficial story about how a woman could be deceived by a man into believing that he has interest in what she can accomplish. However when one reads the story from a higher critical perspective, especially the last line one realizes how deeply profound the story really is. The last line of the story where the main character Elisa Allen declares that a little wine will be enough and she begins to cry like an old woman reveals that she has grudgingly accepted her lot in life and accepts that she can only experience so much fulfillment due to her position in society and the fact that it has stolen her youth and left her a bitter old woman.
John Steinbeck uses symbolism to give alternate meanings to his short story “Chrysanthemums.'; A symbol is a device used to suggest more than its literary meaning. He uses these symbols to look further into the characters and their situations. The character Elisa has a garden, which is more than just a garden, and the chrysanthemums that she tends are more than just flowers. There are actions that she performs in the story, which also have other meanings.
In Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums" Elisa, poster woman for the feminist movement is a victim of her environment by disconnected. Working attempts to change and coming to realization that she will remain oppressed. Elisa opens her door of acceptance to Tinkerman. She yearns for someone to understand her quest for adventure. Buried in the third world of individualism, behind her fenced flowers, she longs for escape. Despite her efforts, she looks forward to the recognition of her circumstance and imprisonment.
At first glance John Steinbeck’s "The Chrysanthemums" seems to be a story about a woman whose niche is in the garden. Upon deeper inspection the story has strong notes of feminism in the central character Elisa Allen. Elisa’s actions and feelings reflect her struggle as a woman trying and failing to emasculate herself in a male dominated society. Elisa is at her strongest and most proud in the garden and becomes weak when placed in feminine positions such as going out to dinner with her husband. Steinbeck carefully narrates this woman’s frequent shifts between femininity and masculinity over a short period of time.
John Steinbeck’s short story “The Chrysanthemums” portrays the struggle for equality and respect in a man’s world for the protagonist Elisa Allen. Steinbeck defines Elisa as a strong, proud woman who is limited from personal, social, and sexual fulfillment by the prevailing conception of a woman's role in a world dominated by men. From the beginning of the story, Steinbeck effortlessly describes boundaries Elisa faces through the detailed description of the geography and weather. Steinbeck notes the Salinas Valley as having “gray-flannel” fog and closed off from the sky and the rest of the world (Steinbeck). The expected gendered roles Steinbeck designates to Elisa such as the garden work and what he designates for the men in the story such as the Tinker, being able to travel when “the weather is nice”, show the boundaries against Elisa’s self-fulfillment. He goes into detail about Elisa’s image and persona, her femininity is being suppressed from her facial features, to her clothing, and even the way she handled the chrysanthemums was “over-powerful and over-eager”. By doing this, Steinbeck was able to have the reader examine Elisa’s boundaries that limit her space and self-expression, and present her vulnerability and strength of a woman in the 20th century being dominated by men.