The Chrysanthemums
One of the most accomplished short story The Chrysanthemums by Steinbecks johns. This short story shows that there is no place for intelligent woman. Elisa is very smart, attractive, ambitious, and creative but all these qualities go wasted. Elise husband is not smart as her but he is the one who run the farm to support himself and his wife. In early 1900s most of the married couple description was the husband goes outside to work and make money to support the family and wife would stay home and take care of the house and children. Since Hanry and Elisa do not have kids that why Elisa just take care of the house.
Elisa is the one who give all the information about the management of the ranch comes indirectly from Henry. Henry doesnt speak English but only Vague. English is very important to communicate with people for the business. Steinbeck. John stated: The setting of the story the high grey flannel fog of winter close off the Salinas Valley from the sky and the rest the world (Pg. 375). In this quote means that Elisa is housewife and she is thirty five years old. She loves to grow Chrysanthemums. Her husband think Elisa has good hand for planting because, whatever she planted everything was successful thats why her husband is so proud of her.
Elisa is a lonely woman who takes care of the garden like you could say from her point of view is Cage she would do anything to protect herself from harmful. In paragraph 11th Stated: You've got a gift with things," Henry observed. "Some of those yellow chrysanthemums you had this year were ten inches across. I wish you'd work out in the orchard and raise some apples that big" (P 376). Elisa has no children has and her maternal inside are shown through growing her chrysanthemums as well as other flower. Even with the flowers and plants it still does not fill the void she has from her husband not understanding her growing much affection toward her. Elisa has her own soul and seems like a pretty simple person she allows what her husband says and his thought dominate her she uses the chrysanthemums to fulfill what she does not get from her marriage life.
One of the main sources of relief for Elisa throughout the story is her encounter with the man on the covered wagon. After initially offering his services to Elisa, the man inquires about her interest in gardening. The irritation and resistance melted from Elisas face (Steinbeck). The main shows a sincere interest in the thing that Elisa loves most as his smile at her and ask question about her blooms. Elisas eyes grow alter and eager, why yes you can, Elisa cried, oh, beautiful. Her eyes shone. I will put them in a flowerpot, and you can take them right with you. Come into the yard (Steinbeck 261). Elisas worries and initial hesitation simply melt away at the chance to share what her husband is unwilling to share.
The themes of this short story Chrysanthemums by Steinbeck include marriage life, loneliness and self expression. Taking care of the chrysanthemums symbolize Elisas married life with Henry as well as womanliness and strength. After all, this short story shows that they both need to understand and share things in each other. Lack of Henry understanding to Elisa crying weakly-life an old woman stated: Steinbeck (p. 268). Since, Elisa doesnt have any choice to left her husband and have someone else, but has to be passion for rest of her life.
Reference
Steinbeck, John. " John Steinbeck, The Chrysanthemums ." ???. 1938. Web. 23 Nov. 2011.
<http://nbu.bg/webs/amb/american/4/steinbeck/chrysanthemums.htm>.
Steinbeck, John. "SparkNotes: The Chrysanthemums: Plot Overview." SparkNotes: Today's Most Popular
Study Guides. SparkNotes LLC, 2011. Web. 23 Nov. 2011. <http://www.sparknotes.com/short-stories/the-chrysanthemums/summary.html>.
Steinbeck, John. "The Chrysanthemums Study Guide | John Steinbeck | BookRags.com." BookRags.com
| Study Guides, Lesson Plans, Book Summaries and More. 2005-2006. Web. 23 Nov. 2011. <http://www.bookrags.com/studyguide-chrysanthemums/>.
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