“The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck
“The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck
This story gives an insight of into the life of the life of John Steinbeck who was born in Salinas,
California. The location of the story actually resembles the Salinas in which Steinbeck was both
born and bread with the characteristics of a typical American town. In the story, the protagonist
Elisa Allen has the resemblance of Steinbeck’s first wife Carol Steinbeck in terms of having
considerable energy, wore masculine clothes, and was handsome and not pretty, and very
large-boned.
The society, and particularly the family, during the times of Steinbeck were very male
dominated and this is clearly demonstrated by the major theme of the story. In this paper, the
discussion focuses on the evaluating the parallels between the story of Adam and eve in the
bible and the Chrysanthemums. Some of the elements to be discussed involve the idea of
isolation, the position of women and the perception of women concerning their position in the
world.
The location of Salinas is filled with fog of winter which separates Salina’s valley from the world
and the sky. On every side, fog sat like a lid on the mountains. This fog made the valley appear
like a closed pot. The element of isolation in the story is reflected in Elisa’s feelings. Before
getting married to Henry, Elisa’s garden if surrounded with fences. It is these fences that
separated her garden from Henry’s animals and the rest of the world.
However, Tinker comes to her and confidently destroyed the fence which symbolizes removal
of a barrier that has long been adored (English204, 2011). The element of isolation is also
present in the marital life of Elisa who prefers gardening to her marital life. Although her exterior
represents her more of a male than female, her inner character has been symbolized with
flowers as soft and delicate. In the Bible, God first created Adam and seeing the isolation in his
heart, he created him a helper in the woman. When alone, Adam had been constrained from
taking the forbidden fruits which Eve actually gave to him.
The society during the time of Steinbeck had positioned women as second fiddle. In creation,
God created Eve after Adam and only named her as helper to the man. In this male dominated
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“The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck
society, Elisa is described by her hard working nature that is soft and filled with kindness in her
soul. This brings out Elisa as a powerful woman (English204, 2011). Despite her efforts at
home, no one recognizes her and she remains confined to household and gardening chores.
However, when it comes to marital duties, women are recognized and the lack of children in
the marriage between Henry and Elisa resembles a sterile marriage that is in contrast to the rick
land she lives in (Cliffnotes, 2012). From the Bible it is only when God realize that Adam was
lonely that he created him a wife to offer him companionship and for the two of them to multiply
and fill the earth (English20, 2011). Although Eliza is married, she is filled with emptiness in her
inner self and complements it with her gardening. This is similar to the Eve who in her inner
emptiness to know why there were forbidden fruits in Aden decided to eat the forbidden fruit.
The presence of the fog over the valley separated it from the rest of the world. Elisa also felt
that the presence of the barriers in her life separated her from her real identity (Hughes, 1989).
When Tinker comes to Elisa, she asks him is he sleeps in his track and told him given the
chance she could also do the same. Elisa is not happy with the way women are treated by the
society but these feelings only remain in her like the rest of the women. They suffer in silence
despite appearing different from the outside. Although it may appear as if the barriers around
women are protecting them from hardships and filth, it can be conceived that the perception of
women on such thoughts are those of enslavement.
Elisa feels that her romance life is suppressed “she is a strong Childless woman aged thirty
five and have sublimated her internal feelings to the production of flowers. (Wow essays, 2012)”
On the other hand, her husband Henry is blinded to think that all his wife wants is a good house
and garden only to forget her sexual life. Contrast is found in Tinker who is a man of the road
and whose life is not bound by any measures being they of time or place. He gauges Elisa’s
emotional needs and uses her vulnerability to manipulate her (Sparknotes, 2012). The garden
on Aden in the Bible similarly represents suppressed attendance as Adam had been forbidden
from some fruits while allowed to others. However, Eve doesn’t understand why they should not
be like God and goes ahead to give Adam the forbidden fruit.
The paper has discussed the parallels between the Chrysanthemums and the story of Adam
and eve in the Bible. In order to find this parallelism, the discussion is focused on three aspects
of isolation, the position of women and the perception of women on their position in this society.
The society is male dominated with most males focusing on the material needs of their women
and forgetting the sexual needs. This has created emptiness in these women leaving them
vulnerable to isolation and expression of this hollowness in their efforts in the gardens taking
care of flowers. Adam is given a wife as a helper an they are told to multiply and fill the earth.
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“The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck
Adam like Henry remains confined in the rule of not eating the forbidden fruit. However, her wife
Eve breaks from the rule and eats the forbidden fruit.
References
Cliffnotes, 2012). Summary and analysis: The Chrysanthemums. John Willey and Sons.
Retrieved from http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/literature/red-pony-chrysanthemums-flig
ht/summary-analysis/chrysanthemums.html
English204, (2011). The Chrysanthemums. Summary and analysis. Retrieved from http://englis
h204-dcc.blogspot.com/2011/04/snake-summary-analysis.html
Hughes, R.S. (1989). John Steinbeck: A Study of the Short Fiction. Twayne’s Studies in Short
Fiction Series, No.5. Boston: Twayne,
Sparknotes, (2012). The Chrysanthemums. Retrieved from http://www.sparknotes.com/short-st
ories/the-chrysanthemums/canalysis.html
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