In John Steinbeck’s story “The Chrysanthemums” he consistently displays the value of humility and shows the negative effects of having pride in oneself. The chrysanthemums clearly show John Steinbeck’s view of the importance of maintaining a humble view of oneself. Steinbeck also displays how easily humility can be disregarded when pride is present within a person. He cleverly renders this message with the use of symbolism, conversation, and the overall tone of the story. The chrysanthemums presented in the story are very symbolic. Steinbeck’s use of the chrysanthemums acts as a possible gateway to a path of humility, or one which could lead to pride. Elisa’s desire to maintain top quality chrysanthemums show signs of her being both humble and prideful. Her willingness to work as a mere flower gardener shows someone who has accepted themselves in a modest fashion. Yet she desires more. Henry, her husband, comments towards the progress of her flower garden, saying, “You’ve got a strong new crop coming” (Steinbeck). This …show more content…
The chrysanthemums are mentioned in all three conversations in the story. During the first two conversations, there is casual admiration of Elisa’s chrysanthemums right before she becomes passionately involved. In each of those conversations she has the option to remain humble, yet she falls short of expressing the importance of her “planter’s hands.” Her passion for gardening is clearly stated in both conversations, yet she seeks work in other fields. Elisa also mentions her special hands when a possibility for some advancement seemed within reach. Which determines that (in her eyes) she desires something more substantial, rather than being a mere gardener. This is a sure sign that she would be willing to abandon the humble lifestyle of a gardener, for which she supposedly has a gift for, to acquire a life of more
Further supporting Henry’s expectations, the way Elisa dresses while she gardens, downplays her femininity. As Elisa is busy working in the fields, her hair gets in her way and she moves it to the side. In the process she “left a smudge of earth on her cheek” (1). Having dirt on her face did not concern her, and so she did not take time to remove it. In Elisa’s mind, tending her garden allows her to find inner happiness amongst her chrysanthemums.
This allegory creates a deeper meaning behind the bees and the story of her mother's life when Lily was a young
The Chrysanthemums Literary Analysis One of the themes of “The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck is gender inequality. In this short story, the main character Elisa Allen was a strong, smart woman who was stuck being a common housewife. Elisa wishes she could go out and be like the tinker, sleeping under the stars and adventuring every day of her life. Elisa’s husband owns a ranch of some sorts, and when he tells Elisa of the business deal he’d just made he gave her an unspecific explanation, or a dumbed down one so he doesn’t “confuse her”.
In Yellow Wallpaper,The Chrysanthemums and Boys and Girls women/girls role in society is often limited. In yellow wallpaper John’s wife is suffering from postpartum depression. John does not let her do anything even write in her diary or read. In chrysanthemums Elisa is the best at what she does which is planting chrysanthemums. A guy came to Elisa in a wagon and told her i travel and fix pots for a living.
" Writer in the American Grain.": Steinbeck's Last Words:ingentaconnect;TheNewYorkTimes.21Dec.1
Set out on a journey to socialize with the American people, Steinbeck shows how people have the power to influence others, and for him, it is not always positive. One of Steinbeck’s first negative experiences is at a small restaurant in New England. After a distasteful attempt to converse with the lifeless waitress, Steinbeck makes a strong statement about all people. He says, “…one person can saturate a room with vitality, with excitement. Then there are others, and
The author uses the marigolds as a symbol but, their meaning varies between each character. To a young Lizabeth , the marigolds symbolise beauty in a place that it doesn't belong. These beautiful flowers anger a young Lizabeth because she thinks they didn’t belong in the old dusty town she grew up in. To an adult Lizabeth these flowers hold a different meaning, they now represent hope to her. These flowers hold a different meaning to Miss Lottie, to her they represented what was left of love, hope, and beauty in her life.
Flowers are living organisms, as diverse as humans, ranging from beautiful and delicate to strong and sturdy. F. Scott Fitzgerald uses the symbolism of flowers develop the characters and show the effect money had on their lives and social status in The Great Gatsby. Daisy and Myrtle are two characters with these symbolic floral names, one with a life of money, and one without. Daisy flower petals represent an external appearance of purity and innocence, in contrast to the yellow center that shows how corrupt Daisy was by her materialism and desire for wealth. Myrtle, the other flower, is stark in comparison to the delicate beauty and ephemerality of the daisy.
To get started, the azaleas in the novel represent Maudie Atkinson because of her loving, strong minded, and compassionate character. Azaleas stand out because they are able to grow even in harsh and unbearable conditions. They still turn out to be in a perfect beautiful condition, unlike many flowers who need a good environment to grow. Maudie is a perfect representation of an azalea because she lives in the prejudiced, judgmental town
In the story "Excerpt from the winter hibiscus" There is a girl named Saeng. Saeng just failed her drivers test and on her way home she enters a flower shop. When she enters the shop she is reminded of when she used to live in Laos which she moved from 4 years ago to move to the United States. Saeng starts to look at all the different flowers and she finds A plant that used to grow around where she lived. This made her think about her home and it also brought up some sad emotions.
John Steinbeck has a style of writing unparalleled in history and in the modern world. In the same way, his philosophies are also unparalleled, with his focus in socialism not extending to communism or abnegation of spiritualism. His ideal world is utopian, holding the dust bowl migrant at the same level as the yeoman farmer was held in Jeffersonian times. In The Grapes of Wrath Steinbeck Steinbeck, who posses impregnable technique, conveys his message of a group working tirelessly for the betterment of the community.
Steinbeck does not covey characters emotions in the novella; the line of description here gives us insight to George’s battle of
As cultures develop, they demand different conformities that are shared by a group of individuals, that help guide their interactions with others. Conformity refers to rules adhering to traditional or socially expected methods of doing business or familiar processes within a workplace. The term conformity is also often used to indicate a desire to “fit in” or to take part within a social role. “The Chrysanthemums” and “The Lottery” show how important social influence involving a change in belief or behavior is to the main characters as they desire to take part within their social roles. “The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck, published in 1938, takes place in Salinas Valley, California in the winter, shrouded in fog.
There are many times in life where a person’s actions, while dishonest, will not have a large effect on the lives of other people and can therefore be considered insignificant. However, this is not the case regarding Mayella Ewell, a young girl who lied during the testimony of her own rape case, leading to the wrongful conviction of the defendant, Tom Robinson. The following arguments will explain why Mayella should be held fully and solely responsible for her actions regarding the Tom Robinson case.
Throughout the book the narrator draws many comparisons between women and flowers. Often, flowers are considered as a symbol of fertility and beauty. In the book, flowers are highlighted as objects that can bloom and grow at a time when few women can. From a technical standpoint, flowers are also the part of a plant that holds the reproductive organs. They're constant reminders of the fertility that most women lack.