Steinbeck's "Chrysanthemums"

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses John Steinbeck's writings and refers to the fact that he has always infused his work with the issue of gender and tends to blend the men and women into a general view of humanity that is purposefully meant to see the "us" in the relationship between the two sides of the same coin. The paper states that this is the case with the two primary characters in his short story, "Chrysanthemums" and concludes that, in this story, Steinbeck is not only telling us that men and women are different, but he's illustrating that fact in an exceptionally small and effective context.

From the Paper:

"Henry represents a "typical" man, one whom Elisa must "set herself for". In their relationship, Henry is woefully ignorant and uncomprehending of his wife's archetypal feminine interaction with the world. Where he sees form and function, she sees beauty and spirituality. Nowhere in the story does this receive more attention than in the entire discourse over the flowers. Henry refers to them in terms of size and shape, emphasizing that his understanding of the natural world is directly connected to his job in which manipulation of nature and the total control over the natural order is the goal. For Elisa, building a relationship with nature, appreciating not only the beauty but all of the various aspects (both pleasant and unpleasant) of the flowers as a whole. We can understand that, for her, the connection of humanity to nature is one of mutual respect, of accepting things as they are, of communicating with nature as a caretaker. If we then, as the author wants us to do, take this relationship with nature and juxtapose it upon the relationship between man and woman within the context of the story, we can see how simply and fundamentally different men and women are. While they live in the same house, live off the same money, and function within the same society, these two people fail utterly to connect with each other because they do not share a common emotional language."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bily, Cynthia. Short Stories for Students. The Gale Group. 1999.
• Palmerino, Gregory J. "Steinbeck's 'The Chrysanthemums'". The Explicator Spring, 2004. v64. I3. P164.
• Steinbeck, John. "Chrysanthemums". Online. http://amb.cult.bg/american/4/steinbeck/chrysanthemums.htm. Info. Acc. 14 April, 2008.

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• Book Review # 32273 : "Feminist Criticism of Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums"
• Essay # 73742 : "Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums"

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