Comparing Women In The Chrysanthemums And A Worn Path

Steinbeck’s message involves women. According to him, women are unimportant and shouldn’t be involved in working society. Also, that women don’t work and aren’t busy. In the book, most women do not have names, they refer to them in ways such as “Curley’s wife.” This shows that women were thought to not be as important as the men. Then, there is Aunt Clara who has a name, but Steinbeck makes Lennie constantly forget her name. He is saying the same thing as with Curley’s wife that women aren’t important and her own relative can’t remember her name. Women were also thought to be a burden or hold men back from achieving the american dream, or living the life they want to live, for example when Aunt Clara is talking about George in Lennie’s dream. She said, “All the time he coulda had such a good time if it wasn’t for you. He woulda took his pay an’ raised hell in a whore house, and he coulda set in a poolroom an’ played snooker.

Many readers who analyze Steinbeck's short story, "The Chrysanthemums", feel Elisa's flowers represent her repressed sexuality, and her anger and resentment towards men. Some even push the symbolism of the flowers, and Elisa's masculine actions, to suggest she is unable to establish a true relationship between herself and another. Her masculine traits and her chrysanthemums are enough to fulfill her entirely. This essay will discuss an opposing viewpoint. Instead, it will argue that Elisa's chrysanthemums, and her masculine qualities are natural manifestations of a male dominated world. Pertinent examples from "The Chrysanthemums" will be given in an attempt to illustrate that Elisa's character qualities, and gardening skills,

In John Steinbeck‘s short story “The Chrysanthemums ” Elisa Gives off the impression that she is not satisfied with her life. She can’t put a finger on her source of discomfort, but knows that she is not quite satisfied with how her life is continuing. Elisa’s husband doesn’t give her the proper attention she is craving, so elisa turns to her only sense of compassion; her garden. Elisa uses her beloved chrysanthemums to express her inner feelings about what it’s like to truly care for something. Elisa’s garden brings her joy and passion, hence the reasoning she is always spending her time there. Elisa realizes that in order to be happy with your life, you have to deal with the pain along the way. Throughout the story, Elisa struggles to

Now, these words do not tend to be used to describe the typical picture of feminine beauty but rather to describe the typical picture of masculine beauty. Also, the gardening is apparently “inadequate to Elisa’s needs” (Skredsvig). It is mentioned that her work with the scissors is "over-eager, over-powerful," and "the chrysanthemum stems seemed too small and easy for her energy". It shows that Elisa can do much more with her potential

Throughout the story “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck, women are mentioned only a handful of times. There are very few female characters in this story and only one actually appears in the book. The others are mentioned by name alone. One of these characters, specifically Curley’s wife, is a perfect example of a subject that is often ignored by readers. Even if he doesn’t come out and say it, Steinbeck makes the women in this story corrupting influences. Motifs like the constant use of red in the description of those women illustrate the allure and violence surrounding them. Whether they are a slut like Curley’s wife, a squawker like the girl from weed, or someone who kills dreams quietly like Susy, women in “Of Mice And Men” are just no

Elisa, the main character in “The Chrysanthemums,” appears to be bored with her current lifestyle, which becomes apparent when she constantly inquirers about “the fights” that not many women attend (Steinbeck). Additionally, her boredom becomes even clearer when “the very big man” confronts Elisa for directions. At first, Elisa shows the man her usual tired, not-very-interested personality. However, once the man asks about her chrysanthemums, something that she adores, she immediately becomes alert and interested in the conversation. It appears that Elisa wasn’t used to feeling this “happiness” when she “shook herself free and looked about to see whether anyone had been listening (Steinbeck).” Furthermore, it becomes obvious that she is generally unhappy with her life when she and her husband are driving to the movies. After again asking her husband about the fights and hearing his response, she breaks down into tears

MyHang Phan Professor Floridia English 102 10/21/2014 Lost in the Valley The short story "The Chrysanthemums" by John Steinbeck is about a woman who struggles with the roles and expectations of a female in the mid-1930. The story takes place in the Salinas Valley where a young beautiful woman named Elisa lives with her husband, Henry. Henry is a businessman who takes care of the orchard; meanwhile, Elisa spends her time tending to her chrysanthemums. Elisa wears heavy clothes de-sexualizing her.

The valley keeps Elisa within the confinement of her quaint life. The two men in Steinbeck’s story, Henry and the Tinker, do not notice the intelligence, beauty, and potential that Elisa has just as society does not see it either. Steinbeck uses

Steinbeck uses Elisa’s clothing to symbolize her masculinity as well as her isolation from the outside world in order to reveal how society’s standards cause women to become frustrated with the opportunities

In the short story “The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck a woman named Elisa lives in a male dominate time and seems to be dissatisfied with her life. Elisa and her husband live in the Salinas valley located in California. Elisa spends most of her time working in her chrysanthemums garden. Her husband just struck a good deal and sold a portion of his cattle and wants to take his wife out on a date. As the day goes a man comes to Elisa house asking for directions but he actually had a completely different motive. He was in desperate need of work and didn’t know where his next meal would come from. After there somewhat brief conversation she gives him something to work on and he goes on his way. Her thoughts are not reviled and the short story truly lacks in showing her emotions and discontentment. The story shows how a feminist woman can feel very out of place when it comes to her life and her job.

“The Chrysanthemums” Reading the short story “The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck made me realized that society as a whole has not change when it comes to the equality among men and women. Even though, today women are allowed to perform many tasks and activities that was in the past only performed by men; men are still given authorities over females. This short story is about a woman named Elisa who was not valorized by her husband because she was a female. She was treated more like a child rather than grown up woman. Moreover, due to her husband’s negligence to acknowledge her abilities, Elisa become really unhappy in her marriage.

“The Chrysanthemums” was written by John Steinbeck and published in 1937. During the 1930s and even long before then, women were considered insignificant. Society was male-dominated. It was practically a law that men were to rule society. Women were supposed to be delicate, elegant, and submissive. They were banned from being anything more and anything less than their designated gender roles. Steinbeck brings the reader into the personal life of Elisa Allen’s, who is harassed with the gender stereotypes for women of this time. For the duration of “The Chrysanthemums,” it portrays gender inequality, femininity, and emotional isolation that is projected onto Elisa.

The setting of a short story often plays a major role in revealing the theme of the story, especially in short stories where the characters cannot show their full personality because of the narrative’s short length. In “The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck, the setting offers the reader deeper understanding of the story and especially the main character, Elisa Allen. Set in Salinas Valley, California, Steinbeck expertly contradicts the expectations that come along with a California setting: lazy days in the sun, the thrill of adventure, and the warmth of perennial happiness. The setting reveals the isolation plaguing Elisa Allen and her desperation for intimacy while also mirroring Elisa’s inner feelings.

Since she doesn't recognize what Henry is talking about with the men in suits who go to the farm, we don't know either. So, basically we feel, see and touch everything that she does. Considering the time that this story was written in 1938, the way that Steinbeck represents Elisa’s character is

"[Elisa's] passionate involvement with the process of planting becomes an expression of all the suppressed romance in her life" (Lewis 393). "She is a strong, childless woman of thirty-five that has subliminated her maternal instincts by producing remarkable flowers" (French, John 83). Nevertheless, "the plants and flowers cannot compensate for the lack of understanding and affection from her husband" (McCarthy 27). In the story, Elisa plays the role of a simple-minded lady who allows her husbands thoughts and actions to dominate her. "Elisa's marriage neither fills her time nor fulfills her desires" (Hughes 24). However, Beach concludes that Elisa without a doubt has a "soul" and is much less simple than she seems (Beach 32).