...Character Analysis: Elisa Allen John Steinbeck has a very engaging mind. He not only makes people think when they read his work; he makes them think through a number of scenarios with his tales. I believe that looking at this story, you sense this woman, Elisa Allen, is a woman who is very unhappy with her life. The only satisfaction Elisa gets out of life is being in her garden with her "family" of chrysanthemums. Elisa is very unsettled with her life as a whole. She does not like being stuck on the farm, away from the world and people outside her valley. She does not have any children so she treats her chrysanthemums as if they were her only allowed talent, gift, and special accomplishment, since they are a childless couple. Elisa lives in the valley with her husband, Henry Allen on a farm in California. Farm life is a hard life, with few distractions, or entertainments that would take her away from the drudgery of her life. Elisa's only personal real passion on the farm is to tend to her garden, which is full of her beloved chrysanthemums. Elisa Allen does not have any offspring of her own so she tends to and treats her chrysanthemums as if they were her precious children. Elisa loves to work in her garden so much that it consumes most of her spare time each day. Elisa’s garden is her private escape, where she is free to daydream, yearn, and wonder about life outside of her valley. Her little fenced in garden not only keeps the dogs and cattle out, but her husband does...
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...Loneliness and Alienation The feeling of ‘loneliness and alienation’ is the most terrible emptiness of life. The Short story, “The Chrysanthemums” by John Stein back is about the woman protagonist Elisa Allen. In addition, in a single stanza haiku” The Strange Beautiful Woman” by Marylyn Nelson, is the poem about the woman in the mirror. Both women have intensive desire of the fulfillment in their life and struggling in their inadequate world to overcome the feeling of Loneliness and Alienation. “The Chrysanthemums” is a story of a Woman’s proud and emotion. Elisa is a strong woman who feels frustrated with her present life. Her frustration stems from not having a child and from her husband’s failure to admire her romantically as a woman. The garden of chrysanthemums is the only outlet to relive her frustration. Steinbeck symbolizes the chrysanthemums as Elisa’s children. She handles her garden and tends the chrysanthemums with love and care, as she would nurture her own kids as a protective mother. She places a wired fence around her flowers; She assures “no aphids, no snow bugs, or snails or cutworms” are there. Her terrier finger destroys such pests before they can get started” (228). Elisa‘s ability to grow such flowers reinforces the fact that the flowers are the replacement of her children. Feminism in Nelson’s point of view, “A strange beautiful woman” at a first glance, seems innocent which does not let her accept her identity. Nelson introduces...
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...Literature Response Sheet Title: “The Chrysanthemums” Author: Jone Steinbeck Narrator: non-participant, partially omniscient Setting: Elisa’s garden Protagonist: Elisa Allen Antagonist: the man Characters: Henry Allen, Elisa Allen, two other men, Symbols: chrysanthemums, Elisa’s body and character, fence, wagon, prize fight Polarities: man-woman, equal-unequal, knowledgeable-ignorant, strong-weak Theme: Women should be equality treated as man. Response: Elisa has a very strong body and character, but all of those are restricted by the society. She cannot reveal all her abilities freely. She wants women to be treated equally as men, and she is eager for the life she wants in her heart, but she cannot live in it, which makes her very upset about it. We can tell how much she wants women to be treated as a man from a few examples. Form the beginning, she watches her husband talking to the other man and asks her husband what they are talking about. She does not only care about what women can do, she also notices what women cannot do. Later, when Elisa tells the man that she wishes women can do things like sleeping in the wagon, the man responds “it ain’t the right kind of a life for a women” (p247), and Elisa was not happy. She questions the man “How do you know? How can you tell” (p247), just like she is questioning the society, “how could you treat women unequally?” In the end, Elisa asks her husband a few things related to prize fights and asks if there are women...
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...The Chrysanthemums John Steinbeck wrote a story about a middle-aged woman, Elisa Allen, which is called “The Chrysanthemums”. While Elisa was working in her flower garden, two men stopped by her husband’s, Henry Allen, foothill ranch trying to make a business deal with him. Elisa is thirty-five years old that is described as a strong, beautiful, and hard working woman who loves her gardening job; she is full of emotions, eagerness, and have eyes clear as water. In addition, Elisa has a full knowledge of taking care of the garden’s flowers, specifically the chrysanthemums. That was mentioned in the story declaring, “(With her trowel she turned the soil over and over, and smoothed it and patted it firm. Then she dug ten parallel trenches to...
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...Lindsay Nguyen Stephanie Denny English1102 November 1, 2015 Portrayals of women in The Chrysanthemums Throughout history, women have been considered lower class than men. Women have been treated unequally in society. Women’s intelligence and potential have often been undervalued and ignored. Due to this social misconception of female ability, women sometimes struggle to achieve their dream. In “ The Chrysanthemums”, John Steinbeck describes the female role through his character Elisa Allen whose life is limited, isolated and suppressed by the patriarchal society she lives in. “Elisa is an incipient feminist who dresses and acts like a man and is dissatisfied with a woman's conventional role” (Evans 244). Often times, women have social barriers and limitations that stop them from being able to go out and achieve their dreams. For instance, when a woman is married it is normal for society to see her as a motherly figure/homemaker. If a woman would go out and pursue her own dreams, she would be looked at in a negative way especially in the 1930’s. In the story, Elisa Allen is a strong farm wife who stays at home and takes care of her garden while her husband goes to work every day on the ranch. Elisa is very good at gardening, but she could never work at the ranch like her husband. Her life is limited, and she cannot do anything besides put all her strength into growing the chrysanthemums in her garden. While her flowers are big and beautiful, her husband does not share the same...
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...John Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums" "The Chrysanthemums" is a short story by John Steinbeck which takes place in his birthplace of Salinas Valley, California. John Steinbeck weaves a tale about a woman's transformation. In this short story we follow the protagonist Elisa Allen, a thirty-five year old rancher's wife who holds a passion for growing chrysanthemums in her garden. Elisa is portrayed as a tough, strong person, and a masculine figure. "Her figure looked blocked and heavy in her gardening costume, a man's black hat pulled low down over her eyes, clod-hopper shoes, a figured print dress almost completely covered by a big corduroy apron." (45) Elisa possesses a great energy for working on the ranch with her husband Henry, but in a way she feels unappreciated by her husband and frustrated with her current life. The married couple seems to get along relatively well, however, their way of talking together is very formal. Elisa's frustration stems from not having a child, and her husband's failure to admire her romantically as a woman. Elisa's outlet for her frustration is her flower garden, which she is exceptional at growing. It is shown by her fine chrysanthemums, "Some of those yellow chrysanthemums you had this year were ten inches across" (46). Her husband however, doesn't really appreciate her gift for growing the flowers but would prefer that she used her gift to grow another crop. "I wish you'd work out in the orchard and raise some apples that big." (46)...
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...John Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums” By Patricai.Mozee1 Unit 5IP Literature “The Chrysanthemums” I have chosen to explain why I think that Elisa’s situation is not over and that a “storm” could be brewing later. Elisa Allen at the age of thirty five working in her flowers garden was married to her husband Henry. “The Chrysanthemums” Elisa had strength and probable frustrate with her life. It was hard to describe what she really look like in her garden costume with a black hat (The Chrysanthemums, pp. 227). She is cutting the Chrysanthemum stalks with a pair of short scissors (The Chrysanthemums, 2012, pp. 228). The story states that her work with the scissors was over powerful (The Chrysanthemums, 2012, pp. 228). With all that energy, Elisa would be able to handle any job given to her. Elisa is a very confidence and strong minded person. This story is about a strong minded women and her garden. In this garden Elisa grow a flower that was called “The Chrysanthemum”. Her husband admire her work raising “The Chrysanthemums and mentioned how he wish she could work in the orchard and raise some apples ten inches big (The Chrysanthemum, 2012, pp. 228). This story is also about Elisa feelings and actions. Elisa was also a dynamic character in this story. She was strong and lonely but yet married to henry. Elisa was a friendly person and became friends with this man. I guess she was interested and decided to dresses up looking...
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...Santiago E Midterm The short story "The Chrysanthemums “by John Steinbeck is about a woman named Elisa Allen who is not content with the life she is living. Elisa is frustrated with her husband not admiring her romantically and not having a child. The way Elisa would let her frustration out is working in her flower garden where she grows chrysanthemums. John Steinbeck used chrysanthemums to symbolize the inner self of Elisa and of every woman. The chrysanthemums was Elisa`s way out of her world. The chrysanthemums are like children to Elisa. Elisa works her garden and handles the chrysanthemums with the love and care that a parent shows there child. Elisa is very protective of her flowers and places a wire fence around them. She makes sure that "no aphids, no sow bugs or snails or cutworms"(page 351) get in there. The bugs represent harm to the flowers, and just like a good mother she gets rid of them before they can harm her children (plants). The chrysanthemums are a symbol of like children, and she is very proud of them. When Elisa's husband gives her attention and compliments her flowers that she had grown she gets happy and proud. Elisa is happy and pleased that she can grow these beautiful flowers. Elisa's pride in her ability to grow the flowers gives her the reinforcement that the flowers are a replacement for her children. The second part of the story the chrysanthemums symbolize Elisa's femininity and sexuality. The picture of Elisa taking care of the flowers as if they...
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...The Chrysanthemums Summary How It All Goes Down At a ranch in the Salinas Valley, Elisa Allen tends to her chrysanthemums while watching her husband talk business with some men down by the tractor shed. She does her gardening work with ease and eagerness. She's a strong lady, and she has got planter's hands, whatever that means. Her husband returns from his successful business deal, and he wants to go into town to celebrate. They plan to finish their work for the day and head into Salinas for dinner. With Henry off working, Elisa returns to her chrysanthemums. Enter intrigue. She's interrupted by the arrival of a stranger – a man who fixes pots and pans. He drives up to the house on a ramshackle wagon and asks Elisa for directions and work. Elisa and the man have quite the conversation, and Elisa seems to develop a connection with the stranger (see what we mean about intrigue?). This connection culminates when she passionately tells the man about her chrysanthemums, and gives him some sprouts. Overcome with emotion, she almost reaches out to touch the man, who soon takes off, leaving Elisa all alone and flustered. When he leaves, she returns to the house and bathes and gets dolled up for date night with her hubby. He arrives home and gets ready, too. As they head for town, she sees the chrysanthemum sprouts she had given the man lying by the side of the road. Soon after, Elisa and Henry's car passes the wagon and the man. After discussing their evening out a bit more, Elisa...
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...Stronger Than Appears In John Steinbeck’s short story, ‘The Chrysanthemums’, Elisa Allen is one the main protagonists. The story follows Elisa Allen through a seemingly typical day, focusing on an encounter with a traveling peddler. The reader discovers more about her through her actions and dialogue as the story continues. Elisa Allen’s strong will, feministic viewpoints, and nurturing persona are showcased in Steinbeck’s ‘The Chrysanthemum’. Allens strong will is highlighted when she is tempted to I have an intimate affair with the peddler but after a short moment of temptation, she realizes what she's doing and quickly regained her composure. Steinbeck writes, “ Her hesitant fingers almost touched the cloth. Then her hand dropped to the ground” (Steinbeck, 7). It is shown the disappointment she has within herself after she...
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...American Intercontinental University Unit 5 IP Eng 206 The Chrysanthemums Set in the 1930s, The Chrysanthemums provides the reader with several symbols that correlate with the time. Elisa Allen seems to be a typical obedient, docile wife who looks after her husband and their home. But as you read on, Steinbeck uses symbols that give deeper insight to Elisa, her marriage, and her feelings. It is realized that there is more to Elisa than initially thought. Elisa is sexually repressed and held captive by a male dominated society that thinks of women as nothing more than mothers and housekeepers. The first significant symbol is the discussion of the weather. Steinbeck describes the winter fog, and how it sits over the valley like a lid on a pot (para 1). This can be seen as a metaphor to describe Elisa feeling trapped in her boring life. There is the mention of the sun shining around the area, on the fields nearby, but no sun in the valley where Elisa lives. The sun is generally associated with warmth and happiness. The fact that it is not present in Elisa’s environment symbolizes that she isn’t happy. The most obvious of symbols is the chrysanthemums. The chrysanthemums are representation of Elisa’s being. She is isolated in the valley; there are no neighbors to speak of. Her husband, his ranch-hand and their dogs are the only people around. She takes pride in her chrysanthemums. This is obvious in the way she cares for them. She is meticulous in the way she trims each...
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...Skye Meadows EGL 102-09 John Steinbeck's short story "The Chrysanthemums" is about a proud, vigorous woman named Elisa Allen who feels frustrated with her present life. Like Elisa, the chrysanthemums are beautiful, vigorous, and flourishing. Their flowerbed, like Elisa’s home, is neat, orderly and scrupulously authoritatively mandated. Elisa specifically identifies herself with the blossoms, even verbally expressing that she becomes one with the plants when she inclines to them. When the tinker descries the chrysanthemums, Elisa visibly brightens, just as if he had descried her rather than the chrysanthemums. She offers the chrysanthemums to him at the same time she offers herself, both of which he disregards and tosses aside. His repudiation of the flowers additionally mimics the way society has abnegated women as nothing more than mothers and housekeepers. Just like her, the flowers are unobjectionable and additionally nonessential: both are merely decorative and integrate little worth to the world. First, the chrysanthemums denote Elisa’s young children. She is always in her garden and manages the chrysanthemums with love and care, just as she would handle her own children. Elisa is very protective of her blossoms and puts a cable barrier around them; she ascertains "no aphids, no sowbugs or snails or cutworms" are there. "Her terrier fingers destroy such pests afore they can get commenced" ().These pests represent natural harm to the blossoms, and, just as any good mother...
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...The Chrysanthemums This story starts off on a winter's day in Salina Valley, California, where Henry’s wife Elisa Allen is working in her flower garden. Her husband was out in the field speaking to strangers. Elisa is a 35 year old woman who is attractive and pretty.She doesn't look the part, she wears a masculine gardening outfit with men's shoes , hat and gloves on. Elisa’s character reminds me a lot of myself. She is a tomboy,strong with great will at heart but also process a touch of class. Like myself, I enjoy gardening. She pays special attention to her chrysanthemums. Her house is very neat, well kept and clean. Henry makes her feel happy and proud when he praises her on her work. Elise has a “growing hand” in her garden work and her husband wishes she could do the same with growing fruit. Of course there’s no doubt in Elisa mind that she could. But, It seems to be that Henry is being sarcastic and joking around with her. It strikes me as him being almost smart and arrogant. Henry explains to Elisa about the strange men . They were from the Western Meat Company and they purchased thirty of Henry’s steers for a good price. Henry wanted to celebrate by taking Elisa out for dinner and a movie. He suggested a fight but Elisa is very hesitate about fights, and refuses to go to a fight. As she continues to cater to her chrysanthemums, a wagon drives up to her driven by a large , old bearded man. He wore a ragged ,dirty shirt and had rough hands. On his wagon, it advertised...
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...John Steinbeck: Chrysanthemums Analysis The authors’ use of vivid details draws the reader into the lonely world of Elisa Allen. The dismal setting at the very onset of Steinbeck’s short essay, allows nature to become a part of the overbearing shadow of Elisa Allen’s hopelessly trapped existence. From the closed off valley to the fenced in garden, Elisa’s mundane covered pot imprisons her needs on various levels. As the story states, “It was a time for quiet and waiting”. She waits to be appreciated and taken seriously by her husband, Henry. She waits and longs for a meaningful sexual relationship that will have depth and substance in the prime of her life. She waits for a chance to fulfill her dreams of adventure, and yet even though she is strong, proud and willing she is never given the opportunity to discover who she is or what else she may be capable of doing. The strong, sturdy, beautiful chrysanthemums become an extension of Elisa. For when the flowers were well taken care of by her planters’ hands, they bud, thrive and grow into outstanding sturdy blossoms that are the talk of the county. She too would like to bud like the flower, to be opened up to new awakenings, adventure and feelings of appreciation and beauty. The fact that she longs to be a part of something bigger than herself is seen in the numerous brief trancelike depictions of her physically being at the ranch and yet looking toward the horizon at what possibly lies just out of...
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...Analysis Essay| Chrysanthemums| Feminism The story Chrysanthemum by John Steinbeck was written in 1937, when the United States was recovering from the Great Depression and women were still struggling to gain equality in a male dominated world. His story speaks of the life of Elisa Allen, a housewife in the Salinas Valley. Though she is characterized as a strong woman, whose talents lie in growing flowers and possibly crops, her gender denies the thought that she is capable of great things. The inequality of gender is one of the most prominent motifs in this story. Elisa is described as a masculine and strong woman. “She was thirty-five. Her face was lean and strong and her eyes were as clear as water. Her figure looked blocked and heavy in her gardening costume, a man’s black hat pulled low down over her eyes, clod hopper shoes, a figured print dress almost completely covered by a big corduroy apron with four big pockets to hold the snips, the trowel and scratcher, the seeds and the knife she worked with. She wore heavy leather gloves to protect her hands while she worked” (Steinbeck, 321). Everything concerning Elisa is usually described as strong and is generally very manly. The possibility that a woman could be feminine and strong was a concept that was just not thought possible “Her home has the masculine qualities of being "hard-swept" and "hard-polished” (Steinbeck, 320). Elisa is an intelligent and talented person, as we can see by her gift of growing healthy and...
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