Self-Identity Through Symbolism in John Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums"

The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck illustrates through subtle symbolism a muliebritys struggle for sexual identity. Elisa Allen, the protagonist of the story, cultivates a homogeneousness of herself through her chrysanthemum garden, but fragments of her are also depicted by key objects encountered during the story. Elisa tries hard to project a tough, virile image of herself rather than the womanish alternative, but the effort results in nothing but a façade. The Chrysanthemums takes place in Salinas Valley, California, a site of isolation t eyelid builds an atmosphere of hopelessness. The winter fog sits similar a lid on the mountains and made of the great valley a closed pot, (Steinbeck 359) which effectively foreshadows what a dead preempt Elisas life will reveal itself to be. Elisa Allen is a charwoman adequate of doing many things but has no outlet to vitrine her skills receivable to the social implications imposed on her by the males of society. She is phy sically set forth as universe thirty-five...her face was dispose and strong and her eye were as clear as water...her construe looked blocked and weighed down(p) in her gardening costume, a mans black hat pulled blue over her eyes (Steinbeck 360). Elisa can be seen as unhappy with her female role, and her unhappiness as a woman has led her to try to take on two more than masculine activities and to put more fervor into the feminine tasks she already does--when she is pruning the chrysanthemum stalks, her face was eager and mature and giving; up to now her work with the scissors was over-eager, over-powerful (Steinbeck 360), and her home is draw as being a hard-swept looking little house, with hard-polished windows (Steinbeck 360). men are chiefly described as being handsome, and the adjectives use to describe Elisas activities strike the personality of someone who is either incredibly... If you motive to get a full essay, order it on our website: OrderCustomPaper.com

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