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The Chrysanthemums summary
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Character Analysis of Elisa Allen in "The Chrysanthemums" by John Steinbeck "The Chrysanthemums," written by John Steinbeck, captures one day in the life of a woman who yearns for a more fulfilling life. Elisa is first portrayed as a woman whose tasks are exceeded by her abilities. As the day continues, a stranger briefly enters her life and, through manipulative words, fills her heart with hopes of change and excitement. We learn that these newly-found hopes are crushed when Elisa eventually realizes that she has been used. A stranger manages to break Elisa's heart, not because of who Elisa appears to be, but because of who Elisa really is. To understand "The Chrysanthemums," we must first know the "real" Elisa. As she is first introduced to the reader, Elisa seems to be a woman who is satisfied with her life. Elisa appears to be part of a happy, fulfilling marriage; her husband, Henry, is earning a comfortable living and he even offers to take her out to dinner and a movie in celebration of his most recent sale. We assume that Elisa's main hobby and obsession are...
In this short the Chrysanthemums, written by John stein beck. The author tells a character who is in need of love. Stein back reflects the charazteratiom of Elisa in the story because he shows us how Elisa character changes threw out the story. The traits of Elisa’s show us that Elisa is strong and want affection and resorts to the chrysanthemums as a way to show herself.
The main character in John Steinback’s short story: The Chrysanthemums, is a married woman named Elisa Allen. She is a hardworking diligent young woman. In the opening chapters of The Chrysanthemums, Elisa is seen heartily in a great degree tendering to her gentle flowers. Powerful she is – gentle and conservative with her strength. She knows her weakness. Like the gentle calm flow of water embedding itself into layers of strata – which forms the highest peaks and grandest canyons.
The two short stories have different characters, plot and setting and yet they have a common ground in which human beings are deeply involved. In short, the setting of each work powerfully suggests a rather calm, dull and peaceful mood at a superficial level; however, the main characters are struggling from the uncontrollable passions and exploding desire at heart. First of all, in "The Chrysanthemums" the Salinas Valley is depicted as somewhat dull, like "a closed pot." In addition, its geographical setting represents an isolated atmosphere, and, furthermore, Elisa's actions of handling chrysanthemums can be translated into a static, inactive one. However, when it comes to her concealed passion, the whole picture in this piece can be interpreted in a different way. In fact, Elisa is portrayed as "over-eager, over-powerful" in a sharp contrast to the unanimated space in which she lives. On top of that, Elisa expresses her volition to explore uncharted worlds like the peddler who happens to visit her farm house. Also, it must be noted that, even though Elisa does not reveal her desire openly largely due to the authoritative patriarchal system, Elisa's interior motive is directed toward the violent, bloody prizefights. In other words, the imbalance between the relatively restricted setting and Elisa's vaulting desire to wander into the unknown territory is chiefly designed to strengthen the overall imagery of Elisa, whose drive to experience the violent outer world. At the same time, it can be inferred that appearance (setting) and reality (Elisa's human nature) are hard to understand.
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.
"The Chrysanthemums", one of John Steinbeck's masterpieces, describes a lonely farmer's wife, Elisa Allen. Elisa Allen's 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 Allen's frustrations and hidden passions. Isolation is another representation through symbolism found in "The Chrysanthemums." Elisa's failing detached marriage is represented through two symbols. The two reoccurring symbols are the chrysanthemums and fences. John Steinbeck draws pity from the reader for Elisa Allen who desperately wishes to experience the passions of a fulfilling marriage and the stimulation of a man's life. Through symbolism in "The Chrysanthemums," John Steinbeck creates a sexually repressed and discouraged Elisa Allen who is isolated from society however still retaining their values and is also trapped in a fruitless marriage.
The animals in Yellow Wallpaper, Chrysanthemums, and Boys and Girls represents the characters and their characteristics. In Yellow Wallpaper John’s wife has postpartum depression. John is her physician but he doesn’t let her go out or do anything. She sits in a room that she hates and eventually escapes. Chrysanthemums is about a girl named Elisa and she loves to grow chrysanthemums. She meets this guy who is on the road all the time and he lives off of fixing broken pots and pans. Boys and Girls is about a family whose father takes the foxes fur and sells it for calendars. They get two horses named Mack and Flora who are going to potentially be used as horse meat. They don’t kill them instantly because at the time they had too much meat so they used them on the fields although Mack is lazy. They eventually kill both
Though she cannot actually leave with the Tinkerer she gives him a potted flower, a piece of herself, and detailed instructions as to how to care for and nurture it. This moment demonstrates the inability for women to have their own lives because they are considered second class citizens. The chrysanthemums going out with the tinkerer is the closest she will get to going on an adventure. If Elisa had not been ignored, she would not have been made so vulnerable. The tinkerer,
In the novel The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd the protagonist Lily matures and progresses throughout the novel, learning new skills and tips. When Lily finds out a terrifying truth about her mother she tries not to believe it and runs away. Taking her house maid, who recently was put in jail, with her she travels to a city which she thinks can help her find the truth about her mother. As she goes through this life changing adventure she changes in many ways, in one way she gains confidence, also she realizes the Boatrights and the other Daughter of Mary can act as her mother and finally how she thinks of her dad, T Ray.
As Elisa and her husband leave for dinner, she sees that the tinker has thrown her chrysanthemums onto the side of the road. This is a painful and emotionally experience, she realizes that she has been used, in a way. “She tried not to look as they passed it, but her eyes would not obey. She whispered to herself sadly, "He might have thrown them off the road.” ….” But he kept the pot," she explained.” She has let someone into the most personal aspects of her life and soul, has given him a piece of herself and the tinker has merely discarded it. Elisa try to forget the horrible moment with some wine at her dinner with her husband. “"Henry," she asked, "could we have wine at dinner?” She wants to take away the pain by using alcohol as her source of escape from the reality she is living in. This is a painful experience for her--she realizes that she has been exploited, in a way. She has let someone into the most personal aspects of her life and soul, has given him a piece of herself (quite literally) and the tinker has merely discarded it. Up until this moment, allowing herself to feel has only been positive for Elisa. But now she realizes that to truly experience life, one must feel pain as well. This is difficult for Elisa. She wants to revert back to her "fog" of not feeling; she wants to take away the pain by putting up her barriers again. At the end of the story, Elisa is “crying weakly, like an old woman” she could not control her feeling broke and unwanted by the one person she thought was interested in her and her
Living a distant life can have dire effects on a person which Elisa consistently displays in the story which acts as the first reason on why Elisa does not come of age. When Henry, Elissa’s husband, approaches Elissa, she nervously asks,“ Henry, who were those men you were talking to?” ( Steinback 2). Just by hearing the phrase, rReaders can tell something is not sitting right with her as if she were riddled with anxiety or fear. These characteristics in her voice are signs she is disconnected from the people around her. Elisa most likely does not receive much attention in her life from other people, and Henry appears to be Elisa’s only person to talk with. Without Henry, Elisa would truly be alone which would cause her to feel even more distress than she already does. Elissa may have abandonment issues which is why she tensed up when she saw Henry speak to the people from the meat company. Elisa’s self-alienation stops her from coming of
John 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 short story have made it a popular study among scholars and students alike. Steinbeck also uses literary elements including a dramatic tone, rich symbolism, and personification which increase the stories feeling and value exponentially. Steinbeck was critically acclaimed for his portrayal of the “common man” through his ability to illustrate in a “realistic style rich with symbolism,” the essence of life in the 1930’s (Price, Victoria).
...and ready to be rediscovered again. Early in the story Henry offers Elisa to a dinner in town and half heartedly suggests going to a local fight. Elisa not keen of fights refuses. In retrospect to her inner ambitions Steinbeck tactfully portrays the message that the only way to follow “the bright direction” Elisa strongly wants is to be willing to fight for it. Nonetheless, don’t be fooled to believe any such inspirations to be acquired will come to you. But Elisa verily on the edge at the end of the story asks Henry about the fights and he suggests if she wants to go. She refuses, Steinbeck again symbolically suggesting she is unwilling to fight for what she wants. So her chrysanthemums will remain out of reach until she decides to do so.
Innocence is something always expected to be lost sooner or later in life, an inevitable event that comes of growing up and realizing the world for what it truly is. Alice Walker’s “The Flowers” portrays an event in which a ten year old girl’s loss of innocence after unveiling a relatively shocking towards the end of the story. Set in post-Civil War America, the literary piece holds very particular fragments of imagery and symbolism that describe the ultimate maturing of Myop, the young female protagonist of the story. In “The Flowers” by Alice Walker, the literary elements of imagery, symbolism, and setting “The Flowers” help to set up a reasonably surprising unveiling of the gruesome ending, as well as to convey the theme of how innocence disappears as a result of facing the harsh reality of this world.
In the opening of the story Elisa is emasculated by the description of her clothing. She wears "a man’s black hat pulled low down over her eyes, clodhopper shoes, a figured print dress almost completely covered by a big corduroy apron…" (paragraph 5). When Elisa’s husband Henry comes over and compliments her garden and ability to grow things Elisa is smug with him and very proud of her skill with the flowers. Her "green thumb" makes her an equal in her own eyes. When Elisa’s husband asks her if she would like to go to dinner her feminine side comes out. She is excited to go eat at a restaurant and states that she would much rather go to the movies than go see the fights, she "wouldn’t like the fight’s" at all (paragraph 21). Elisa is taken aback with her own submissiveness and quickly becomes preoccupied with her flowers as soon as her husband leaves. When the drifter comes and asks Elisa for work to do she is stern with him and refuses him a job. She acts as a man would to another strange man and becomes irritated. When he persists in asking her she reply’s "I tell you I have nothing like that for you to do" (paragraph 46). The drifter mentions Elisa’s chrysanthemums and she immediately loosens up as "the irritation and resistance melt(ed) from her face" (paragraph 51). The drifter feigns great interest in Elisa’s chrysanthemums and asks her many questions about them. He tells her he knows a lady who said to him "if you ever come across some nice chrysanthemums I wish you’d try to get me a few seeds" (paragraph 56). Elisa is overjoyed by any interest in her flowers and gives the man chrysanthemum sprouts to take to his friend.
In the story, Steinbeck used the third person limited point of view to show that Elisa still has that dim hope for change. We see her inner struggles by the chores she performs throughout the household as she acts “strong” towards her husband and the bearded man as a sign of responsibility in herself. In paragraph 8 of page 9, the narrator explicitly says, “Elisa stiffened and her face grew tight. Henry stopped short and looked at her. ‘Why—why, Elisa. You look so nice!’”. The composure that follows once Henry steps in shows Elisa’s loyalty towards her husband. This indicates that Elisa has changed from her usual self where she no longer has borders to instill her actions. Steinbeck further emphasizes how Elisa has changed by having the husband describe her physical and emotional transformation. The third person limited point of view increases how the feeling is described by showing how happy Elisa is after Henry comments on her clothing. This point of view increases the feelings that Elisa has shown throughout the story by showing what she expressed in the environment. It is only by the end when she finally realizes that taking down her borders had resulted to lagging from her current