About the story
“The Chrysanthemums' is a short story by John Steinbeck which follows a woman named Elisa. Elisa is a woman who cares deeply about her garden in which she grows strong chrysanthemums every year. Throughout the story, it is seen she has a connection with the chrysanthemums they are on in the same. Following Elisa through the story it's also shown she struggles within herself she wants to be strong, and she believes women are able to do the same as men. The Chrysanthemums" can be read and understood by seeing these points; masculinity in women, representation of flowers, and the way women were seen to be gentle.
literay analysis
Throughout the story, we see that Elisa is strong and feminine at the same time. She cares about her image and she is strong without knowing it. Some examples of this are shown in the story such as, “She tore off the battered hat and shook out her dark pretty hair.” Underneath her torn up man's hat she has beautiful dark hair. The combination of the torn-up battered hat and her beautiful hair shows again she's masculine femininity to her character. As well a part in the story where she is staring at herself in the mirror, states, “When she had dried herself she stood in front of a mirror in her bedroom and looked at her body. She tightened her stomach and threw out her chest. She turned and looked over her shoulder at her back.” She's checking out her body. It seems like she is trying to flex her muscles like a man. She's trying to find her masculinity but it also is her caring about her feminine figure. Despite this Elisa still finds interest in womanly things like putting on makeup and wearing her best garments. We can still see that Elisa is still very much womanly. She throws on her prettiest dress and the nicest pair of stockings she has. She also takes her time to do her hair ever so carefully and throws some makeup on her face. She cares ever so delicately about herself as well and she still has the desire to be strong.