The Consequences of Dysfunctional Family Relationships
An intimate home life can serve as a haven in a chaotic and confusing world. On the other hand, a dysfunctional family can serve as a source of insecurity and distrust. Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums” and Tyler’s “Teenage Wasteland” prove that families who fail to spend quality time with each other and show physical affection develop lukewarm and strained relationships. These short stories model how weak and disconnected relationships arise through a lack of quality family time and physical affection within a family.
Elisa and Henry’s relationship in “The Chrysanthemums” is lukewarm and strained, caused by a lack of spending quality time together as a husband and wife. Living alone
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The Coble family is too busy to spend time together. Their schedule is so tight they do not have time to even eat supper as a family. Daisy takes Donny to his evening tutoring sessions three times a week leaving Amanda sitting at the dinner table, still finishing her dessert (Tyler 188). Daisy is so preoccupied trying to fix Donny’s problems that she forgets to invest in her daughter’s life. “‘You’ll never guess what happened at...’ Amanda would begin, and Daisy would have to tell her, ‘Not now, honey’” (Tyler 187). At the conclusion of the story, Tyler reveals that “Donny’s sister seems to be staying away from home as much as possible” (Tyler 192). Daisy and Matt treat Donny with the same neglect. After a tutoring session, Donny plays basketball while Matt and Daisy watch (Tyler 190), making no effort to play with their son or invest in his interests. Daisy and Matt are so wrapped up in Donny’s problems that they do not take the time to listen to their son and understand him. Starving for a caring and encouraging relationship, Donny finds a friend in his tutor Cal. When Donny is expelled, he goes straight to Cal instead of his family because he feels Cal understands him and cares about him (Tyler 191). When she first learns Donny’s grades are suffering, Daisy invests hours into her son’s education to help him
They acted like wardens. On weekends they enforced a curfew. And any time he went to a party, they always telephoned to see who would be supervising”. These lines show how Daisy is a protective parent who cares about her young son. Daisy is portrayed as a mother figure who has limited trust and is worried about her son’s future. Daisy is also indirectly shown to be open to change. Later onto the story, it shows how Daisy no longer calls parents before a party and trusts Danny to stay out later on the weekends. Open minded and precautionary can be used to describe Donny’s mother.
1. In "The Chrysanthemums," the interaction between Elisa and the traveling repairman helps develop the story's theme about taking risks. Describe their interaction and explain how it helps to develop the story's theme. Be sure to use specific details from the text to support your ideas. (10 points)
“The psychologist said Donny has no serious emotional problems. He was merely going through a difficult period in his life. He required some academic help and a a better sense of self-worth.” (Anne Tyler. “Teenage Wasteland”) When children become teenagers, they begin the confusing yet enlightening journey into adulthood. At this point, they make important decisions which may change the course their lives. Teenagers are still influenced by others, but they are now responsible for their own choices and actions. Entering into young adulthood can be very confusing. At this stage, young people are deciding who they are and who they want to be. They also feel as if they should take responsibility for themselves but do not feel like a complete adult. Donny was basically deciding that school was not for him. He was cutting class and getting in trouble. Daisy took it upon herself to make the decision for him to go see a psychologist.
"The Chrysanthemums" introduces us to Elisa Allen, a woman who knows she has a gift for growing things, but it seems to be limited to her garden. Diligently working in her garden, Elisa watches as men come and go, living their lives unconfined, wondering what it must feel like to have that freedom. That emotion is revealed as Elisa gases at her husband and acquaintances talking, "she looked down toward the men by the tractor shed now and then." As she tills the soil for her chrysanthemums Elisa tills the thoughts in her head. The garden she so desperately maintained represents her world. A world that will only flourish if nourished. Emotional nourishment and stimulation is what Elisa lacked and longed for. The garden is limited in space to grow and so is her marriage. The garden is safe, non-threatening and so is her world. The garden contains many different elements that make it what it is, although unseen, and if the proper nourishment is not given it will die, as with Elisa.
In the portion of the story where Elisa is talking to the "Fixer-Guy" who happens to pull down the road to her farm, Steinbeck shows Elisa's eagerness for attention and how she comes to the realization that there is a more exciting life outside the farm. In the “Fixer-Guy”, Elisa finds somebody who sees her as more than a housewife, someone who can appreciate her from an unbiased viewpoint. He offers his services and she turns him down saying “I tell you I have nothing like that for you to do.” At first she resists conversation with him. Then when he asks about her plants Steinbeck writes “The irritation and resistance melted from Elisa’s face.” “I raise them every year, bigger than anybody around here”, she boasts. She is now very eager to talk about her chrysanthemums. Elisa's face becomes "tight with eagerness" as she talks about them, as if they were her children. The vibes from her infatuation with these flowers are picked up by the old man, and there is an unspoken connection between these two perfect strangers as they have both chosen their own preoccupation in life, his being a passion of pots and hers a love of chrysanthemums. It is this connection that ignites the realization that she longs to break free from the everyday routine she calls life. This feeling is so strong that "her hand went out toward his legs in the greasy black trousers" as if to grasp a piece
If he gave her any personal praise, as a woman of distinct qualities (one who was vital to the farm's survival), he might be empowering her. Thus, he keeps his praise for her superficial skills, growing flowers. In this way, Henry frustrates Elisa by not seeing into her true character. The flowers represent Elisa trying to find some way of escaping from her frustrated and repressed husband, not from her own sexual frustration.
It is Daisy's view on parenting that causes her to turn to Cal as a tutor for Donny in the hopes that he has all the answers. At Cal's house, Donny and the other teenagers are drawn to the the basketball court. Basketballs are a reoccurring symbol throughout the story. The narrator states, “Spring came, and the students who hung around at Cal's drifted out to the basketball net above the garage” (Tyler 192). Spring often represents new life and youth. The narrator continues, “They'd find him there with the othersspiky and excited, jittering on his toes beneath the backboard” (Tyler 192). Donny is “jittering” and “excited” while playing basketball during the spring. Hence, the basketball symbolizes happiness during Donny's youth. A basketball is mentioned again at the end of the story: “It's something fleet and round, a balla basketball. It flies up, it sinks through the hoop, descends, lands in a yard
John Steinbeck’s, The Chrysanthemums, was published in 1938 in a book of short stories, entitled The Long Valley. The Chrysanthemums has been a rather powerful draw for scholars because of its wide gap for interpretations and analysis of its main protagonist character, Elisa Allen and also the unique descriptions used to portray the deeper meaning behind the setting of the story. Themes of sexuality, oppression of women, as well as other numerous types of conflict portrayed in this rather somber short story have made it a popular study among scholars and students alike. Steinbeck also uses literary elements including a dramatic tone, rich symbolism, and personification which increase the stories feeling and value exponentially. Steinbeck
The short story "The Chrysanthemums" gives insight into the life of its author. John Steinbeck was born on February 27, 1902, in Salinas, California. The locale of the story is of key resemblance to the Salinas in which Steinbeck was born and bread. "Salinas was a typical American small town, [differing] only in location and a few distinctive features" (McCarthy 3). The protagonist of this story, Elisa Allen, also resembles Steinbeck's first wife. "Steinbeck probably based the character of Elisa Allen on his own first wife, Carol Henning Steinbeck. Like Elisa, Carol was a woman of considerable talent and energy who wore 'masculine clothes' and was 'strong, large-boned' and 'handsome rather than
Elisa Allen, of “The Chrysanthemums,” had an emptiness within herself that she could never expose to the world; instead she kept it in until she no longer could. She ends up revealing her shadow to a stranger who gave her the desire she wanted. Elisa had a dream that she does not realize at first, but begins to realize it when the opportunity was in front of her. Her husband, who does not share the same interest as her with her garden, would only verbally support her interest when it came that he can see and receive profit from it. Her dream is to have a husband that shows interest in her biggest hobby that is gardening. Although she seems happy with her current husband Henry, she never realized how much she loves it when they talk about her gardening, even
The chrysanthemums is a symbol for Elisa love and emotions and her happiness. The chrysanthemums give her so much love and happiness that her husband couldn’t give her. The chrysanthemums is a symbol for her broken heart and her pains of being neglected by her husband. Her husband never for once praises her or her chrysanthemums. Elisa always working hard on her garden because the love she has for her chrysanthemums is been happy. One of the theme in the story was i think it was the way her husband treating her like she is not his wife, she work and try to please her husband but he always turn and treat her like trash."The right kind of life for a woman" (344). According to what I understand about this statement is that her husband is too blind to see the beauty in his wife. “You watch your fingers work. They do it themselves... They know. They never make a mistake" (343-4). This means that the way she working on her garden trying to make sure everything is on their places. In this story there were a lots of symbols that Elisa using to take care of her beauty garden. One of the symbols is her pot where she always put her Chrysanthemums seeds whenever she wanted to plant on her garden. She is a very strong woman who always tries to make herself happy by working on her beautiful flower.
Most families are complicated but supportive. For example, a family could argue a lot, but still love one another. In Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use” mama still supports her daughters even though, they’re not around much. Their issues are not unique because my family has its issues, too. The family in “Everyday Use” and my family both have similarities and differences regarding siblings, bonds, and mothers.
Secondly, anyone can see that the themes in both story’s show how much of a difference the roles for woman have changed. The theme for “The Story of an Hour” shows that Mrs. Mallard just wanted to be independent but could not because of her husband. She whispers, "Free! Body and soul free!" because she thinks her husband is dead and she will get a new life (Steinbeck). The roles for women have change greatly because women are just as free as men are. A man also cannot control his wife and tell her what she can and cannot do because of the rights women have now. Also, the theme in “The Chrysanthemums” shows that the roles for women in society have changed over time. In the short story, one can see that sexual gratification is a major part of
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 steady pace. Inquiring of dinner plans, he is quickly shuttered out, so that Elisa can continue her work in the fenced in flower bed. This seems to be the only place on the ranch that belongs to her, and thus devoting the entirety of her
In “The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck it surrounds a woman named Elisa. Elisa’s marriage dynamic proves to be complicated as the banter between her and her husband Henry demonstrates the inability to communicate. Isolation leaves Elisa not satisfied in her life and marriage. Therefore, the loneliness Elisa looks for comfort when a tinker shows up looking for work and cons her. The tinker appealed to Elisa making her feel less alone than she usually does and even shows interest in her beloved flowers. By the tinker using Elisa’s interests, her loneliness subsides as she then craves the attention he gives. In “The Chrysanthemum” Steinbeck shows a theme of isolation throughout the story as Elisa is isolated from society, isolated from her own feelings, and even in her marriage.