The Chrysanthemum (Elisa's troubles)

The Chrysanthemum In the Chrysanthemum, Elisa is a woman married to a man who makes her unhappy and she does nothing about this. Elisa lives her unhappy life while being gardener like her mother and other woman once were. Elisa troubles are in my opinion entirely her fault and she is responsible for everything that happens to her. Elisa is a woman who’s unhappy with the overall image of a woman and what a woman was supposed to do; like stay in the home and be the gardener and the cook and maintain the household completely, while the man of the house went out and made the money while exploring more then what he already owned. This is reflected in the story when Elisa is gardening at the beginning of the story. John Steinbeck uses Elisa’s gardening appearance and her gardening methods to foreshadow her unhappiness and her fantasy to be looked at and accepted the same as a man is in society at this time. As said in story, Steinbeck introduces Elisa by saying “Her face was lean and strong and her eyes were as clear as water. This would be the ideal introduction for a man in a fairy tale. He then says “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,” which shows how Elisa was totally against her position in that society as a women and trying to compete against the image which women were believed to portray. This expressed the desire that Elisa had for having a happier and fulfilling life for herself while living a life such as a man would. Steinbeck also portrayed Elisa’s manly desires while further describing man like strength and energy when saying