the flowers that Elisa Allen grows mimic her own existence. Elisa lives in the Salinas Valley which is isolated from the rest of the world by mountains and a high dense winter fog. She yearns of the day when she will break free of her mundane life and a valley that holds her prisoner. Maybe it is wishful thinking or she may be ready to take on a world that considers her the weaker sex. Henry and Elisa Allen live on a cattle ranch in the Salinas Valley and it is here that Elisa relishes in her
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jump off the Nail‚ a high cliff. When her depressed friend Elisa jumps‚ Elisa has mental breakdowns‚ and in the end drives off the cliff and dies. The setting‚ where the majority of the action happens is in La Paloma‚ California which is the home of “The Nail” and “The Deep”. “The Nail” is a 90 foot cliff and “The Deep” is the underwater of the sea. Teenagers jump “The Nail”‚ even though it is very dangerous‚ in to “The Deep”. Elisa has lots of flash backs of the jump with scooter. All of
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can have wine. It will be plenty” (177). From “gardening” to “wine”‚ that’s the farthest way Elisa could go. Gardening‚ which is usually a female job but also occasionally attempted by men‚ can be done by Elisa with a tint of so-called “masculinity”; wine‚ which is a drink usually for a man‚ but is also allowed for a woman‚ can be drunk by Elisa without the danger of raising brows from the society. Elisa has been venting her repressed energy and emotion through planting chrysanthemums‚ and now she
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"The Chrysanthemums‚" Steinbeck effectively uses symbols to help the reader understand the story’s plot and obtain insight into characters’ thoughts and feelings‚ primarily Elisa. As the story’s main character‚ Elisa is a lonely thirty-five-year-old woman‚ who serves as the channel in which most of these symbols are used. Elisa feels neglected by her husband‚ Henry‚ who is always working cattle on their foothill ranch. He shows her little affection and attention‚ which causes her to become a very
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dead end lives. In the story “The Chrysanthemums‚” by John Steinbeck‚ Elisa Allen is caught off guard while working in the garden on the Allen ranch‚ by a tinker‚ in a wagon with a misspelled advertisement on the side in black paint. The tinker manages to gain Elisa’s trust by pretending to care about the Chrysanthemum’s in the ranch’s garden and then gets Elisa to find pans to pay for the fixing of. The tinker drives away and Elisa goes to get ready for a celebration dinner with Henry Allen‚ and a
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Fantasy Project “Enchanted” In El Dorado California‚ once called Mud Springs‚ lived two twin sisters Elisa and Elizabeth. These 11 year olds lived with their grandmother Myra whom took care of them since they were 4 years of age after their parents passed away in a tragic car accident. They lived humbly in a small log cabin. Elisa and Elizabeth’s favorite pass time was to play in the forest; they loved acting and playing as magicians attempting to do magic tricks. One early evening right
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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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“The Chrysanthemums” written by John Steinbeck depicts the trials of one woman‚ Elisa Allen‚ attempting to gain power in a man’s world. Elisa tries to define the boundaries of her role in an extremely closed society. As the story progresses‚ Elisa has trouble extending her power outside the fence surrounding her garden. While she is inside the “wire fence that protected her flower garden from cattle and dogs and chickens” (Steinbeck‚ 1938) Which paragraph was the statement in? she is able to
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Elisa Allen in Steinbeck’s "The Chrysanthemums" and Louise Mallard in Chopin’s "The Story of an Hour" have a great deal in common because of the fact that they both went through similar struggles. Both Elisa and Louise prove to be strong women that clearly had dreams of their own such as being equal to men and having a passionate relationship with a man. Although that may be true‚ they lacked resemblance in the true desire they each yearned for. Firstly‚ Elisa and Mrs. Mallard related in the
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Kathleen Roddy ENGL 1102-208 7-20-2011 The Antagonist is Not Who You Would Think In “The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck‚ the character’s conflicts are very obscure. The main character‚ Elisa‚ is in constant conflict with herself‚ which she projects onto her husband and the tinker. Though Elisa appears to be dissatisfied with her life‚ she has no way to change it‚ and she becomes increasingly crass as the story progresses. Although she appears to be the victim‚ she is the story’s antagonist
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