The Crysanthemums Essay

Anne Sexton was a junior-college dropout who, inspired by emotional distress, became a poet. She won the Pulitzer Prize as well as three honorary doctorates. Her poems usually dealt with intensely personal, often feminist, subject matter due to her tortured relationships with gender roles and the place of women in society. The movies, women’s magazines and even some women’s schools supported the notion that decent women took naturally to homemaking and mothering (Schulman). Like others of her generation, Sexton was frustrated by this fixed feminine role society was encouraging. Her poem “Cinderella” is an example of her views, and it also introduces a new topic of how out of touch with reality fairy tales often are. In “Cinderella”, Anne Sexton uses tone and symbolism to portray her attitude towards traditional gender roles and the unrealistic life of fairy tales.

In life in general, every single human being needs a mother, even if they do not share the same skin color, circumstance, or even any biological connection. All an individual needs is an maternal touch from another. Even though Rosaleen acts as a mother when caring and raising Lily, Rosaleen’s rambunctious and somewhat crass personality prevents the motherly bond between Rosaleen and Lily. However, August Boatwright, a beekeeper from South Carolina grants Lily with the “mother’s love” that she had never received before that day. August gave Lily firm guidance when wandering through the darkness of her past, complete understanding and encouragement when faced with challenges, and criticized when needed. Early in the novel, Lily states “You can tell which girls lack mothers by the look of their hair...” (3). Yet, August presents Lily with wisdom rather than brushing Lily’s hair, teaching her about boys and dating, and so forth. “You have to find a mother inside yourself. We all do. Even if we already have a mother, we still have to find this part of ourselves inside” (306). For August, the typical motherly love that she exhibits is the one supplied by the Virgin Mary, the mother of God. August shows Lily the undying love that can exist everywhere but can only be made and seen by the Virgin Mary. “This is the autumn of

Since Elisa is a woman with more than superficial qualities, in addition to being a good worker, she seeks a way to fit into this world she feels is limited to her. She feels that it is limited because it is being dominated and interpreted by men. Thus, she tries to seek out some understanding from a stranger who is looking to find "fix-it" work. Many readers see Elisa as being cold and frigid towards the stranger at first appearance. Yet, this is quite possibly her intelligent reaction from being experienced with the realities of life. This scene portrays a "combat of wits in which she shows herself a person of right feeling, one who doesn't let her charitable instincts run away with her" (Beach, 312). Here we have a strange man, and men have proven to Elisa they have a limited understanding of a woman's gentler qualities. Her reaction shows intelligence, good instincts, and is revealing of the period in which the story

For example, she is capable to keep up with and come up with witty comments to respond to Benedick. When Beatrice is having an argument with Benedick she says, “Scratching could not make it worse, an 'twere such a face as yours were”(1.1.107-109), showing that she is not afraid to speak her mind and insult men. Being feisty, she continuously takes jabs at Benedick and expresses her honest opinion without having any hesitation. She is a clear illustration of how women are capable of keeping up with men. Her strong and powerful side is portrayed when she says, “But manhood is melted into curtsies, valor into compliment, and men are only turned into tongue, and trim ones, too” (4.1.315-318). She is infuriated about how Hero has been wrongfully shamed and wishes she was a man to get back at Claudio. She believes men should not be easily deceived, so this situation may never happen again. She proceeds to convince Benedick to kill Claudio, displaying her fire and bravery to object and fight the limitations and restrictions on women. She clearly wants to play a bigger role and have a bigger voice, but knows that she cannot, due to the gender expectations for women to be kept quiet. Furthermore, However, Beatrice is hinting at submitting to the gender stereotype and expectation of women towards the end of the play when Benedick says,

Toward the end of the story she realizes she was taken. Elisa had been taken advantage of because the man had no need for the chrysanthemums. On page 293 she finds the chrysanthemums and earth in the "dark speck" on the road. He kept the pot, her fifty cents, and a small piece of her pride but disregarded the flowers. His story of the woman who wanted chrysanthemums was just a facade and a devious scheme to get work.

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.

The restricted roles of women, are explored by Chevalier in Girl with a pearl earring, through literary techniques which convey women’s complete lack of power, forever stuck on the outside of a man’s world, trapped and anxious with the little power they manage to obtain.

For example, only a few weeks after staying in the pink house, August asks Lily what she loves, Lily responds, “‘And since coming here, I’ve learned to love bee’s and honey.’ I wanted to add, And I love you, I love you, but I felt too awkward,” (Kidd, 140). Lily tells August about the many things that she loves, she even wants to communicate her deep admiration for August but is unable to. August is like a mother figure to Lily also because she cares a lot about her and provides Lily with a kind of support and love that no one has ever expressed to her. For example, when Lily finally tells August about how she killed her mother and expresses how she feels unlovable, August consoles her and ensures her that she is admirable. “‘That’s a terrible, terrible thing for you to live with. But you’re not unlovable. Even if you did accidentally kill her, you are still the most dear, most lovable girl I know,” (Kidd, 242). Throughout her entire life, T. Ray never cared enough to emotionally support Lily, and Rosaleen’s personality was too snarky for her to understand Lily’s position. Lily finally has someone to talk to and releases all her pent-up guilt, regret, and pain to August. August and the sisters of Mary also provide Lily with a sense of motherly instinct and protection. For example, when T. Ray tries to come and take Lily back to the peach farm, they all stand up for her and protect her from her

The creature’s greatest desire is to be welcomed by man, and he is prepared to work hard to achieve this goal. He says, ‘“What chiefly struck me was the gentle manners of these people; and I longed to join them, but dared not... I would remain quietly in my hovel, watching and endeavoring to discover the motives which influenced their actions,”’ (Shelley 77). Upon gathering more information about people, the creature leaves his hovel. When he is alone with the blind man, De Lacey, in the cottage, he says “‘...I trust that by your aid, I shall not be driven from the society and sympathy of your fellow creatures.’”(Shelley 98). The creature genuinely believes that despite his physical deformities, he will be accepted by mankind. He thinks that through his ability to contribute to society and his kindness, people will treat him with respect even though he is not physically like them. The creature’s confidence that he would be accepted shows that was overly optimistic about the morality of mankind. At the start of their tumultuous journeys, both the girl and the creature are confident, optimistic beings that seem on track for success.

Restraints are set by parents on their children to aid with the developmental process and help with the maturity level. Restrictions and the ability to control exist in our society and our lives. We encounter restraints daily: job, doors, people, and the most frequently used and arduous become intangible. In the following stories tangible and intangible scenarios are presented. Autonomy, desires, and talents spurned by the husbands in John Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums and Charlotte Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper.” The authors share views regarding a similar theme of male domination and imprisonment. “The Yellow Wallpaper” involves the treatment of a depressed woman who is driven insane in a male imposed detention in her own room. On the

John Steinbeck’s novella, Of Mice and Men, takes place during the Great Depression in the 1930’s, in the Salinas Valley, California. It establishes the prospect of the American Dream, discrimination,loneliness, and disenfranchisement through its characters. George and Lennie provided the value of the American Dream, to which the leading female role, Curley’s wife, represents how women are exempt from the American Dream, and appeared as less than equal to men. She developed a form of loneliness throughout the course of the novel. The novella seeks to demonstrate the way of which life was like for the characters of all different statuses and backgrounds. Through Curley’s wife’s character, we are able to see how life was like for a women during

Elisa Allen is a lonely woman who enjoys growing and nourishing her chrysanthemums. Since her husband is always working the cattle in their farm, she never has enough attention or any kind of affection. The result of this dispassionate marriage leads Steinbeck to describe his main character as follows, "Her face lean and strong…Her figure looked blocked and heavy in her gardening costume, a man's black hat pulled low…clod-hopper shoes…completely covered by a big corduroy apron…" (Page 206-207) This neglect from her busband causes her to turn to her

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

Both Ernest Hemingway’s Hills Like White Elephants and John Steinbeck’s The Chrysanthemums portray oppressed female characters in the early 1900s. In Hemingway’s short, Jig is oppressed by her lover known only as “The American,” whereas, the main character in The Chrysanthemums, Elisa Allen, feels the weight of oppression from society (male dominated) as a whole. Although the driving force of the two women’s subjugation varies slightly, their emotional responses to such are what differentiate the two.

Henry Allen plays the role of a typical male, "[he is] well-meaning and basically decent." However, "his concentration on his own role as provider, organizer, and decision maker has blinded him to the fact that [his wife] needs something more in her life than a neat house and a good garden" (Lewis 394, 394). "[The tinker] is described as big, bearded, and graying, a man who has been around, who knows something about life and people…" (Lewis 392). When the tinker begins a discussion with Elisa and discovers her vulnerability, he then uses this as a part of his scheme to manipulate her emotionally. "[The tinker] is accomplished at gauging a person's emotional needs, and he has developed a facility for the kind of