“The Chrysanthemums” In the story “The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck. The main character Elisa allen is visited by a stranger who apparently changes her outlook on life. According to the story she seems to be a stay at home wife who loves to garden and is fascinated by chrysanthemums. While she is gardening one afternoon while her husband was in town‚ a man stops at her house. He offers to fix any pots or tools she has. While they are conversing he strikes up a conversation about the chrysanthemums
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John Steinbeck’s "The Chrysanthemums" features a strong capable and unsatisfied woman‚ Elisa Allen‚ whose talent cannot be recognized in the male-dominated society. Elisa Allen is a strong‚ talented woman‚ with powerful hands just like a man’s‚ and she is "over-eager" to puts her potential into practice. Even though she is "over-eager and over-powerful"‚ she could use her potential only in her flower garden. Actually‚ she does an excellent job there‚ keeping the farmhouse "neat" with windows "hard-polished"
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Name Professor Course Date: Chrysanthemums: Literary Criticism At the turn of the 20th century‚ women were considered inferior to men: they were only required to stay at home‚ take care of households and children. “The Chrysanthemums”‚ as told by John Steinbeck‚ is a story of a woman during that period who tries to change the course of her destiny. In this story‚ the two-fold issues of femininity and symbolism play a critical part in explaining this helplessness. Steinbeck uses the narrative
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Noticed Prompt: How do the Chrysanthemums resemble the role of women in society? What kind of symbols help show the overall theme? Humans‚ just as flowers‚ can not fully live without sunlight‚ they can not develop without nourishment‚ and most of all‚ they can not flourish if life is constantly beating them down. Just as the Chrysanthemums fight to stay strong and powerful in the short story‚ “The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck‚ the main character Emily tries to do the same.
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Steinbeck’s "The Chrysanthemums" is a feminist text. Throughout the whole book there is a slight undertone about how Elisa is tired of her life and wants to leave her husband and the boring tedious life she leads there with him. While she is a somewhat strong woman‚ what with helping around on the farm‚ it still seems like she is eager to get away from it all and have an adventure. The story begins with discussing how good of a gardener Elisa is‚ and how proud she is of her garden. Gardening is usually
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John Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums” In John Steinbeck’s story “The Chrysanthemums” the symbolic connection between the flowers and Elisa‚ the main character‚ was very interesting. Throughout the story the chrysanthemums gave meaning to several things and the way things grew and changed. Although Elisa was a rather flat character within the story‚ she seemed to have been watered‚ grown‚ and blossomed like a flower; the symbolic connection between Elisa and the chrysanthemums illustrated a sense
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1.) When we first meet Elisa Allen in her garden‚ with what details does Steinbeck delineate her character for us? She is thirty-five‚ with a "lean and strong" face‚ a figure that "looked blocked and heavy in her gardening costume"; her most feminine features are covered‚ hidden from view—she wears a loose dress‚ a heavy apron‚ a man’s hat‚ "clodhopper shoes‚" and gloves. She is also described as full of energy—apparently too much stored‚ unexpressed energy" ". . . even her work with the scissors
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The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck has been labeled as a feminist story for its commentary on patriarchy and feminine self expression in the time of the story. This story highlights a strong woman’s attempt to break out of the shackles she has lived in for all of her life. The story comments on and symbolizes gender roles‚ female sexuality and character development. The Chrysanthemums is shaped by the common gender roles that is present in society. When the main character‚ Elisa‚ is first introduced
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Elisa lives in a ranch with her husband; Henry who she has been married to for quite some time. Although they live well‚ and Elisa has found joy in creating her Chrysanthemums‚ it is not enough to make her forget that she is not truly happy. Elisa learns to live like this‚ and she has settled for this for many years‚ but after one day seeing the kind of life that is really made for her‚ she is left with deep sadness when she realizes the life she wants is not a life for her. Elisa has conformed
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Briggs 3/5/2010 The Chrysanthemums Elisa Allen’s life can be interpreted in different ways‚ but there seems to be one common theme‚ oppression. Controlled by her husband’s and society’s expectations‚ she is confined to her pitiful life as a farmer’s wife. Through detailed descriptions and symbolism‚ John Steinbeck‚ author of short story‚ “The Chrysanthemums‚” a picture is painted of unattainable desires and hopelessness. Cynthia Bily of Short Stories for Students compares Elisa Allen’s life to ecofeminism
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