Nessa Arr. November 1‚ 2010 Literary Analysis of The Chrysanthemums John Steinbeck’s 1937 story “The Chrysanthemums” depicts women as typical housewives back in the 1930’s only being allowed to cook‚ clean and mother. Elisa‚ who is the protagonist and the dynamic character in this story‚ is the typical women for this time period but rather than mothering‚ Elisa uses her need for power and strength in gardening. Gardening isn’t necessarily Elisa’s passion although in the story she claims she has
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In John Steinbeck’s The Chrysanthemums‚ the reader is introduced to the seemingly timid and shy Elisa Allen. Elisa is routinely planting her yearly sets of Chrysanthemums‚ which appear to be the sole receptor of her caring and gentle touch‚ but all the while it is evident that "the chrysanthemum stems seemed too small and easy for her energy." Her hidden eagerness seems not only out of place‚ but out of touch with her dry and wilted surroundings‚ of which her husband‚ Henry‚ abruptly interrupts her
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Throughout the ages women have been confined to the role of a family wife. Being born a women already gave you a set job to do for the rest of a girl’s life. In the Story “The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck‚ Elisa lives a hopeful life until is goes through a downward spiral as she faces the hard truth of the world around her. Elisa starts out by feeling the desire for something more in life but is constantly prevented from it. Elisa comments that “When the night is dark- why the stars are sharp-pointed
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A compilation of elegant word choice and syntax‚ “The Sun and Moon” is a poem written by author Chrysanthemum Ti. In this poem‚ Ti develops a story‚ told in a first person point of view‚ which illustrates both the gradual resentment and contentment felt by the narrator as she compares her successes and failures to those of her brother. In creating this tale‚ Ti utilizes a shift in tone as well as two significant metaphors to suggest that with time‚ perceptions change‚ which can allow for a greater
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Stockings” by Kate Chopin and “The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck deal with the journey to one’s identity‚ but they do so in different ways. In 1896 Kate Chopin wrote the story‚ “A Pair of Silk Stockings”‚ it takes place in an unnamed city large enough to have a department store‚ a fashionable restaurant‚ a theatre‚ a cable car and most likely depicts what it was like
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The Unhappily Married in Fiction The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck and Shiloh by Bobbie Ann Mason have many similar components with slight differences. The point of view in Shiloh is told by third person limited‚ and in Chrysanthemums it is also third person (mostly Elisa’s view.) The Chrysanthemums is a story about a wife named Elisa Allen who is unhappy with her life and marriage. Similarly‚ in Shiloh the main character’s name is Norma Jean Motif‚ and she is also unhappy with her marriage.
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very similar ways. In Sullivan’s essay‚ “The Cur in ‘The Chrysanthemums’”‚ the animals and humans in the story by Steinbeck are seen by the author as being characteristically similar throughout the story. Sullivan explains three ways in which the characters in Steinbeck’s story are characteristically similar throughout the story in the conflict essay about the cur in the story. The animals and the people in the short story “The Chrysanthemums‚” by John Steinbeck‚ interact in the same way that means
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women. The Great Depression gave women a taste of what life would be like as strong‚ independent people. However‚ when the Great Depression came to an end life returned to the way things were. In American author John Steinbeck’s short story “The Chrysanthemums” (1938)‚ he explores the life of a woman desperate for independence from a world run by men. Steinbeck uses symbolism to illustrate a woman’s search for fulfilment in a male dominated society. The description of the Salinas Valley is a direct
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David Van Nostrand Professor McRaniels English Comp II 13 September 2006 The Chrysanthemums Essay In his short story "The Chrysanthemums‚" John Steinbeck writes of a married couple and examines the psychology of the unhappiness in their marriage. It is a good depiction of marriage in the 1900’s which followed traditional roles‚ where the man is the chief breadwinner and the wife tends to household duties. The setting and the story’s protagonist‚ Elisa Allen‚ offer similar traits after his
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“In a Mans World” #In John Steinbeck’s‚ Chrysanthemums‚ he generalizes the spirit of a woman and delivers to the audience her thoughts and underlying emotions of being a woman in a “man’s world.” The chrysanthemums reflects Elisa’s character and her dreams of being free to grow‚ make decisions‚ free to travel‚ make her own money and most of all the desire to be attractive. Elisa feels closed in and secluded from the rest of the world‚ just as Steinbeck describes the atmosphere at the introduction
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