Aliya Grayman Professor Gulliksen English 131 (D8) 24 October 2012 Your Inner Chrysanthemum How many people sit down and think about what symbolizes their lives? A symbol is a person place or thing that suggests something other than its literal meaning. In John Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums” Elisa Allen lives on a ranch with her husband Henry in Salinas Valley. Henry is off talking to men about the livestock on the ranch while Elisa is tending to her garden. A tinker comes up to their
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"The Chrysanthemums" is a short story by John Steinbeck which takes place in his birthplace of Salinas Valley‚ California. John Steinbeck weaves a tale about a woman’s transformation. In this short story we follow the protagonist Elisa Allen‚ a thirty-five year old rancher’s wife who holds a passion for growing chrysanthemums in her garden. Elisa is portrayed as a tough‚ strong person‚ and a masculine figure. "Her figure looked blocked and heavy in her gardening costume‚ a man’s black hat pulled
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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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In John Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums” Elisa Allen shows how women are being oppressed and trapped in a man’s world. Steinbeck does a good job developing the theme over the course of the story. Steinbeck uses many symbols to get his point across. In the first paragraph the theme is displayed when the narrator states the Salinas Valley is like living in a closed pot. A few paragraphs later the chrysanthemum flower is used as a symbol to display the theme. Finally‚ Elisa’s clothes are used to show
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In John Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums”‚ the reader visits Salinas Valley‚ California‚ where we meet a depression era ranch wife Elisa Allen. Elisa‚ married but lacks children takes great care in gardening‚ specifically raising Chrysanthemums or mums. Steinbeck exercises setting to create to an environment that reflects that Elisa has a lack of fulfillment. This includes extreme care of her “mums”‚ the environment surrounding her‚ also‚ how she covers up her femininity while gardening. As the story
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Symbolism in “Chrysanthemums” John Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums” is a story that is full of symbolism. At first‚ it just seems like a story about a woman and her garden but upon further examination‚ the story is actually about a woman’s yearnings and exasperation in her life. Steinbeck uses many examples‚ such as the flowers‚ her clothing‚ and The Salinas Valley. The Chrysanthemums are flowers that are used to symbolize Elisa’s thoughts and ideas and the limited opportunity in her life. Like
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The short story‚ “The Chrysanthemums‚” was written in 1937‚ by American author John Steinbeck. The short story centers around a thirty five year old housewife named‚ Elisa. Elisa works frequently in her luscious garden‚ often tending to her Chrysanthemums. Her marriage to her husband‚ Henry‚ appears to very bland and lacking any passion. While working in her garden one afternoon‚ a fix-it man in a covered wagon arrives to her and her husband’s home‚ asking if there is any work he can do for them
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The short stories‚ “The story of an hour" written by Kate Choplin and "The Chrysanthemums" by John Steinbeck have similar theme because the main character goes through similar struggle. Both character illustrates the struggle that they had to go through in the past. They did not have any rights like that the modern woman in today’s era have. They both live with the inequalities. However‚ they both have different experience as well as ending is different. Other difference that both stories have is
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Engl. 1302 April 15‚ 2013 Paper 1 Character Analysis “The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck John Steinbeck was born in 1902 and lived during what is said to be the most troubled time in American history. Steinbeck was alive during the Dust Bowl paired with the Great Depression‚ which is believed to be the reason for his almost melancholiac tone in some of his works but he seemed a very diverse writer. Along with “The Chrysanthemums”‚ Steinbeck is the author of the well-known and famous novel
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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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