...Benjamin Steele English 113 Dr. Gorman 2/9/2016 Question 2 Symbolism is a tool writers can use to imply ideas or qualities by the use of symbols. Stories filled with symbols can turn readers into investigators; keeping an eye out for anything and everything that can have an implied meaning. Raymond Carver, Ernest Hemingway, and John Steinbeck are masters at using symbolism to communicate to their readers. To no surprise these writers also use symbolism in the title of their stories. Three examples of this would be Raymond Carver’s story “Cathedral”, Ernest Hemingway’s story “Hills Like White Elephants”, and John Steinbeck’s story “The Chrysanthemums”. The question is; what is the symbolic meaning behind each of to these story...
Words: 802 - Pages: 4
...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 a woman in the mirror, who alienated and unfamiliar herself from reality. Throughout...
Words: 2756 - Pages: 12
...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...
Words: 946 - Pages: 4
...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...
Words: 1418 - Pages: 6
...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...
Words: 783 - Pages: 4
...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)...
Words: 758 - Pages: 4
...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...
Words: 514 - Pages: 3
...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...
Words: 1220 - Pages: 5
...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...
Words: 1064 - Pages: 5
...There are four psychic structures that govern the cause of a person’s thoughts and actions. They are hysteria, obsessional neurosis, perversion, and psychosis. Many characters in literature exemplify these structures. Some are Norman Bates from Joseph Stefano’s Psycho, Lawrence Shannon in Tennessee Williams' Night of the Iguana, Eliza in John Steinbeck’s Chrysanthemums and Madame Arcati in Noël Coward’s Blithe Spirit. Norman Bates shows symptoms of psychosis, Lawrence Shannon shows signs of hysteria and perversion, Elisa show signs of hysteria, and lastly, Madame Arcati shows signs of neurosis. All of these characters show symptoms of these mental structures through their different ways of thinking. Philip Hill defines a psychotic person...
Words: 1159 - Pages: 5
...SALAH-FEB First, I would like to acknowledge the efforts and contribution of every one who made the course a successful one. I have enjoyed and encourage others willing to purse it to continue with the ambition. It was too educative and informative enough and I really appreciate taking the course for the period. I have found that Inspiration comes from the environment we a living and therefore important for every interested person in these field to open up his or her eyes and ears to see and listen to it and this is in connection with the short stories and poetry I have read in this course. From the poetry work and the short stories ranging from the chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck, A worn path, The Tell-tale heart, and the “Araby” by James Joyce I have been able to understand the flow of writing story. Despite how short or long the writing is the following elements a very necessary in any form of writing. The character, setting, plot, and conflict are examples of the main elements of any story the author should put in to consideration at all time if his or her piece of work will come out successful. Setting is all about time or the place of action, character can be an individual or any other creature active in the story. The plot indicates the flow or series of events while the conflict is the struggle or an opposition that comes out in the story. I have discovered that the flow of the tension is very important and should be in such a way that it keep increasing throughout...
Words: 398 - Pages: 2
...06 November 2012 John Steinbeck: A Champion for the Common Man Born with the hand of a writer, John Steinbeck’s career sparked great political controversy, and greatly influenced the writings of his time. Widely considered one of America’s greatest novelists, his books are still frequently studied in school. Among his many accomplishments is the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the Nobel Prize in Literature. With notable works such as The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men, he expressed his dissatisfaction with capitalism and his sympathy for the struggle of the common worker in a way that captured the world’s attention – which resulted in some of his work even being banned. In the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck explores the pervasive theme of loneliness and illustrates the fallacy of the American Dream. Widely considered his masterpiece, however, is The Grapes of Wrath which depicts the struggle of a family of Oklahoman farmers who are forced into a migratory existence due to the drought and dust storms following the Great Depression. When considering both The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men, it is clear Steinbeck drew from his own personal experiences as a laborer when writing each of these novels. On February 27, 1902 in Salinas, California, John and Olive Steinbeck welcomed their third child and only son, John Ernst Steinbeck. John Ernst Steinbeck, Sr. was a county treasurer and Olive Hamilton Steinbeck was a schoolteacher. By all accounts, Steinbeck enjoyed...
Words: 2324 - Pages: 10
...blood Where in your body is your patella Where can you find London bridge today What spirit is mixed with ginger beer in a Moscow mule Who was the first man in space What would you do with a Yashmak Who betrayed Jesus to the Romans Which animal lays eggs On television what was Flipper Who's band was The Quarrymen Which was the most successful Grand National horse Who starred as the Six Million Dollar Man In the song Waltzing Matilda - What is a Jumbuck Who was Dan Dare's greatest enemy in the Eagle What is Dick Grayson better known as What was given on the fourth day of Christmas What was Skippy ( on TV ) What does a funambulist do What is the name of Dennis the Menace's dog What are bactrians and dromedaries Who played The Fugitive Who was the King of Swing Who was the first man to fly across the channel Who starred as Rocky Balboa In which war was the charge of the Light Brigade Who invented the television Who would use a mashie niblick In the song who killed Cock Robin What do deciduous trees do In golf what name is given to the No 3 wood If you has caries who would you consult What other name is Mellor’s famously known by What did Jack Horner pull from his pie How many feet in a fathom which film had song Springtime for Hitler Name the legless fighter pilot of ww2 What was the name of inn in Treasure Island What was Erich Weiss better known as Who sailed in the Nina -...
Words: 123102 - Pages: 493
