Isolation In The Chrysanthemums By John Steinbeck

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John Steinbeck’s short story, “The Chrysanthemums,” is an illustration of a married woman’s frustration with the limitations imposed upon her by society. As Steinbeck’s character, Elisa Allen, tends her garden and interacts with the male characters in the story her annoyance and emotions from living in a male dominated world are revealed. Throughout the story Steinbeck relays the main characters feelings of isolation, dissatisfaction and oppression by her environment.
Steinbeck conveys the feeling of isolation that the main character, Elisa Allen, struggles with while describing the setting. This is shown when the narrator stated, “The high grey-flannel fog of winter closed off the Salinas Valley from the sky and from all the rest of the world” (Steinbeck 846) and continued by stating the, “valley (was) a closed pot” (Steinbeck 846). Just as Elisa is depicted as living in an isolated area she also feels a separation from others. This was supported in the text when she was, “working in her flower garden, looked down across the yard and saw Henry, her husband, talking to two men in business suits” (Steinbeck 846). Her husband …show more content…

When she expressed a desire to travel like the repairman she was told, “It ain't the right kind of a life for a woman” (Steinbeck 850). While inquiring about the fights she asked, “"Do any women ever go to the fights?” (Steinbeck 853). Her husband replied, “sure, some ... . I don't think you'd like it "(Steinbeck 853). This indicated that it was rare for a woman to attend the fights and not a place a lady should attend. The oppression she felt was most vividly expressed when Elisa realized the injustice of her situation and cried, “like an old woman” (Steinbeck 853). The limitations imposed on Elisa by society, where women were oppressed, compounded her frustration of living in a male dominated

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