Who Is John Steinbeck's The Chrysanthemums: Gender Criticism

Gender Criticism Essay of John Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums” When John Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums” was first published in the 1930’s, it was a time of great societal change. Women, who had always been seen as fragile and weak, were struggling for equality in a male dominated society. This story was Steinbeck’s attempt to draw attention to this subject, and bring these issues to light. This story is centered on the main character Elisa Allen. Elisa is unhappy and frustrated with her position in life, and she is struggling to establish masculinity in any way that she can. Her character is first introduced as “blocked and heavy”, with clodhoppers, heavy gloves and a man’s black hat. Her face is described as “eager and mature and handsome.
When her husband Henry concludes his business with the cattle buyers, Elisa immediately wants to know who the men were and what they wanted. Henry pays her a compliment about her “strong new crop” of chrysanthemums. She is smug and pleased with his masculine choice of words, but then he immediately invites her to dinner in town. She seems to deflate at his statement, as if his invitation reminded her of her femininity. She then goes back to her masculine role of working with the
She goes in to get ready for dinner with her husband and scrubs herself “until her skin was scratched and red”. She is retreating back to her feminine traits without really thinking about it. She then puts on her best underwear and dress and applies makeup. Her husband comments on how nice she looks, and this flatters her. While on the way to dinner with her husband Elisa finally realizes that she had been taken advantage of. She sees that the handy man has discarded her beloved chrysanthemums in the ditch on the side of the road. She realizes that the man used flattery of her and her flowers to get work. This realization makes her break down and cry. She then understands that she is doomed to her current role in society, a passive woman, and she hates it. This story also points to the arrogance and assumptions of men. Elisa’s husband never thinks that there could possibly be anything for her to be unhappy about. Elisa starts to get combative toward him and challenging his compliments when they are getting ready to leave the house. She is upset that he told her she looked nice, when earlier in the day he described her as strong. Then after she sees the flowers on the side of the road she remarks on how good it will be to have dinner away from the house. The husband acts bewildered and says, “Now you’re changed again.” He doesn’t understand why she should have anything to be upset about. I think