A review of John Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums".
Written in 2005; 1,822 words; 1 sources; MLA; $ 58.95
Paper Summary:
The paper shows via the symbolism of gloves and hands how Steinbeck portrays the ways in which the patriarchal society of 20th century America suppresses women's potential and thwarts their ability to live the kind of life they desire. The writer argues that chrysanthemums and their fate are associated with Elisa and her fate; when Elisa handles the flowers with gloved hands she uncouples the connection and becomes determined to accept her lot as a woman, but when she handles them with her bare fingers she becomes vulnerable in the clutches of her desire for a better future in which she would have more agency as a human being. In conclusion, it discusses how Steinbeck's book asserts that women's desire to overcome the restraints of a patriarchal society, in the reign of the same, cannot evolve into anything other than a quick puff of colored smoke.
From the Paper:
"In Steinbeck's story The Chrysanthemums, Elisa Allen is portrayed as an archetypal woman who tries to fit into a life style that is not suited for her, but is constructed via gender specific roles that she is unable to identify with. The story reveals her struggle to accept the life that she leads with her husband on a farm that, in its enclosure "from the rest of the world" (1874) mirrors Elisa's isolation from any possibility of new achievements by the elements such as fog; elements expected at this "time of quiet and of waiting" (1874) but nevertheless undesirable. Elisa's world becomes briefly unbalanced when she comes in contact with the traveling repair man, who allows her to make informed comparisons between the life that she would prefer to lead, and the paralyzing life that she currently leads. The symbolism of Elisa's use of gloves and fingers illuminates the change in the main character's psychological state and the cyclical nature of her entrapment and desire for escape. I will argue that chrysanthemums and their fate are associated with Elisa and hers; when Elisa handles the flowers with gloved hands she uncouples the connection and becomes determined to accept her lot as a woman, but when she handles them with her bare fingers she becomes vulnerable in the clutches of her desire for a better future in which she would have more agency as a human being."
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