The Chrysanthemums vs The Story of an Hour
John Steinbeck's short story, The Chrysanthemums, and Kate Chopin’s , The Story of an Hour, both exhibit a main theme of female isolationism due to being treated as a possession in marriage, as well as the forbidden desires in life that were seized from both female protagonists. Beginning with the opening sentence, Steinbeck conveys a somber tone through the description of the setting hanging above the farm in The Chrysanthemums. “The high grey-flannel fog of winter closed off the Salinas Valley from the sky and from all the rest of the world” (Steinbeck, John uhhhh boneless pizza). As the female protagonist in a historically accurate story in the late 1930s, Elisa is condemned to living in a sort of confinement from the outside world, seeing as her husband would do all of the business on the farm. She has something in common with the Salinas Valley, as she too is closed off from the sky and from all the rest of the world under the cloak of her married name. Accompanying the isolation from the outside world is a dismal depression, which can be transcribed as a “high grey-flannel fog” or an overcast sky to mimic the solemn feeling. Elisa’s attempt to stave off this depression of not being able to live her best life can be noticed as she gives her utmost attention to her flowers. Equally brilliant to set the tone right off the bat, Chopin uses a literary technique known as Chekhov's gun and includes a detail that the readers
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)
Kate Chopin's “The Story of an Hour” and Gail Godwin’s “A Sorrowful Woman” are similar pieces of literary work. Both stories offer a revealing glimpse of extremely unhappy marriages due to being forced into stereotypical roles. Both stories portray women, who are trapped in their marriages and trapped in their socially expected matriarchal characters. They are identified by their role as a wife and mother.
In the following short stories Eveline written by James Joyce, The Story of An Hour written by Kate Chopin, and A Rose For Emily written by William Faulkner we find that isolation is a popular theme throughout the stories. There are several factors in each one of the stories that makes us feel the isolation that each one of the women in the stated stories felt. Weather it is Eveline feeling stuck at home due to a request for her to tend to her family and resume the place of her deceased mother. Or Mrs. Mallard with her feeling that “it was only yesterday that she felt that life might be too long” (228). Along with Miss. Emily who seemed isolate her self form the word by closing her door for good. In the three
Everything is everything in the world of short stories. Steinbeck's The Chrysanthemums is full of thick rhetoric that raises questions and stirs the mind and imagination. Everything from the title, to the last line needs to be thought about more than once. The story isn't just about a farmer's wife who likes pretty flowers. Not in the least! The Chrysanthemums is a story about how Elisa Allen is forced to a life that she feels is trapping her. The story is set in the early twentieth century and these times don't allow for just any woman to leave her ordinary, socially and politically correct life. Feminism is a large part of the story, and main character Elisa Allen's language, actions, and even the way she is described play a large
Symbolism is a prominent part of many short stories. Within the stories “The Smile”, “The Chrysanthemums”, and “The Ones Who Walked Away From Omelas”, symbolism is heavily relied on to fully understand and comprehend each story. Although there are many literary devices used within the short stories, symbolism is predominantly used to develop and bring forth the message of each story.
The novel The Sign Of The Chrysanthemum takes place in Japan during the 12th century. This novel is about a boy named Muna, meaning “no name”, that has moved from a rural part of Japan to the city, Kyoto. He was told that his father had a Chrysanthemum tattooed on his arm. Muna sets out to find his father after only knowing this little information about him. Muna was also told that his father was a Heike warrior, which brings up this conflict between two feuding clans. During this time period in Japan there was a conflict between the Heike and the Genji clans. The reason behind their fighting is because of the conflict over political power of Japan. Muna embarks on his journey
They are seen as inferior to their own race of which they belong to. Both stories share the same theme of women living in conditions of inequalities, and their dynamics differed. In “The Story of an Hour” there was a woman who realizes after her husbands “death” (205) that she actually has a life with freedom in which she can live in. It means so much in her newfound independence, that when finds out her husband is alive it brings her to death instead of being back living under her husband. “The Chrysanthemums” deals with a woman who adheres for equal treatment from others, and inhibits a way of showing how strong women are compared to men, especially in their time period of society. Both stories differ by opposing views of gender, and time that is faced by women on a everyday basis. Both of these stories deal with women that are living in the past with rights that were less
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.
Despite differing story lines, Charlotte Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper, John Steinbeck’s The Chrysanthemums and Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, depict the same suffering; the isolation that women have been forced to endure throughout history. In the time period that all three characters were placed, it was culturally acceptable for wives to be dominated by their husbands; their responsibility revolving around the needs of their children and those of their spouse. Most women simply did not have a means or an idea of how to rebel against their husbands. The women in all three stories are protagonists who have poor relationships of emotional attachment with their spouses. While the main character of Gilman’s story endures multiple psychotic
The short stories, “The Story of An Hour”, by Kate Chopin and “The Jury of Her Peers”, by Susan Glaspell compare two married women who live under the shadow of their husbands. Both of these stories were written in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries during the time when women were treated unequally. Women had limited rights. For example, they could not vote, voice their opinion or work outside the home. Glaspell and Chopin were considered feminist writers who focus their writing on the struggle of women during the time when the Women’s Suffrage Movement was beginning; these short stories reflect women’s struggles under the control of men. Married women were responsible for taking care of the household, children and wifely duties while the husbands were responsible for consistently managing the title of “the breadwinner.” Married women were expected to be discreet and obedient to their husbands, which meant that the wives could not express their opinions because of society’s expectations of women. In the short stories, “The Story of An Hour”, by Kate Chopin and “The Jury of Her Peers”, by Susan Glaspell, Mrs. Mallard and Mrs. Wright share a prominent similarity concerning the loss of their individual identity during marriage and realize that the death of their husbands allow them to regain their self-identity.-
The story “The Chrysanthemums “took place in the Salinas Valley in central California, the time was in December. These two elements set the scene of the story. Letting you imagine a valley with farms around it. This is very important in the story because it helps the reader see how one may live back in this time period on a farm. It also help set the picture for the rest of the story to how she and her husband’s relationship is and how a Tinker came in and helped cheer Elisa up and lead her to believe change could be ahead for her. Which suddenly was taken away.
In conjunction with the symbolic representation of Elisa’s life, the dramatic description of the environment can also be seen as a unique representation of the relationship conflict between husband and wife. Steinbeck’s foggy description demonstrates conflict through the following statement, "a time of quiet and waiting." This description is interesting because the fields are personified as waiting for rain, however, “rain and fog do not go together” therein lies the conflict just as Elisa waits for a positive change in how her husband treats her (Palmerino, Gregory J). Gregory P. further points out that, “The natural elements of the foothills ranch seem as unwilling to confront each other as the characters that inhabit its environs. Hence, fog and rain can be seen as the female and male equivalents to Elisa and Henry.” This only further solidifies the deep rooted troubles within Elisa and her relationship with her husband. The setting of the story is personified to act as a symbolic representation of the couple’s relationship (Steinbeck, John 337-338).
Steinbeck uses chrysanthemum’s to symbolize Elisa’s strength and power in order to show how societal standards cause women to miss out on opportunities and become frustrated with the confinement of their expression. “[Elisa] was cutting down the old year's chrysanthemum stalks with a pair of short and powerful scissors. She looked down toward the men by the tractor shed now and then. Her face was eager and mature and handsome; even her work with the scissors was over-eager, over-powerful.” Chrysanthemum stalks require a great deal of force to be cut down, which is highlighted through Elisa’s use of “powerful scissors.” Ordinarily, flowers are portrayed as beautiful and delicate; however, chrysanthemums are sturdy and tough. Steinbeck chose specifically to use chrysanthemums because they symbolize the strength Elisa has; she is confident, empowered, and masculine, but all of her strength is confined within the standards of society just as the chrysanthemums are confined within the walls of her garden. Elisa, as a woman, is unable to express herself as strong, masculine, and proud because that was not the standard that women were held to during that time; her expression is confined to her work in the garden with her chrysanthemums, and it is frustrating for her to miss out on the opportunities that would showcase her strength and let it be appreciated by her husband and the mender because of the standard of delicacy and beauty that women are held to.
"The Chrysanthemums" is a story by John Steinbeck, written in first person about a woman living on a ranch. The story takes place in the Southwest during the winter, December month of the year. The main characters within the story is the woman gardener, Elisa Allen, Elisa’s husband, Henry, and the man in the wagon. The story came about while Elisa tends to work in her garden, giving care to her Chrysanthemums. Meanwhile, Henry is talking with men about the business they have together. Returning from his successful business deal, he wants to go into town, have dinner, and catch a movie to celebrate the succession. Elisa and Henry came to a decision to complete their chores for the day, and later on that evening head into Salinas to celebrate.
In the eighteen hundred, the idea of equality between sexes was something that was just gaining momentum and becoming a land mark in American history. From this time of women suffrage there came many literary works showing the struggles of women and their male counterparts. These works give insight as to what was expected of women and what they were or were not allowed to do. Elisa, the protagonist of the short story “The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck, and Louise, the protagonist of the short story “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, show the hardships of being a woman, the difficulties of marriage and the repercussions of a restrictive relationship in the late eighteen hundred.