How Does Steinbeck Use Gender Stereotypes In The Chrysanthemums

When thinking about gender in past years compared to gender in todays world there is a large leap to where gender and its stereotypes have come. For many individuals gender is an intense controversial topic. Although we are all human beings trying to live up to some kind of goal there are still these stereotypes degrading each other based on how we are born. Many times we see the stereotypes of gender in society being portrayed through the "typical character roles" within stories read.
In the short story "The Chrysanthemums" John Steinbeck shows the gender stereotype through his characters; Elisa, Henry, and the tinker. The story takes place in a later time when woman did not have many rights. Elisa would stay at home to clean, cook, get the clothing together and prepare the bath ready each day for her husband while Henry left home to tend to his working duties. In many ways Elisa's jobs have stuck with woman to this day. In our society woman have more right. Both, men and woman, work all day and come home to sometimes work even more. However, even though the woman has been working just as hard some men come home expecting food to
In the short story there is an accident and a man, known as the Misfit, is harming the family one by one. In attempt to stop the Misfit from killing everyone the grandmother tells him, "You've got good blood! I know you wouldn't shoot a lady! I know you come from nice people" (458). This is a stereotype more towards the older woman nowadays, especially grandmothers. Grandmothers are seen to be sweet older woman who will do or say anything to keep others happy. If the stereotype of the grandmother being sweet and uplifting would have been changed to something else the story may have changed with it. If the grandmother instead was more aggressive there may have been a different outcome for the family and maybe someone or all could have been