Assignment #2--Symbolism in Steinbeck.

I feel that John Steinbeck used symbolism in his story “The Chrysanthemums” to show the reader that Elisa Allen, the protagonist, did not want to conform to the societal standards for women during that time. Steinbeck constantly describes Elisa as strong, powerful, and even gives her rugged features that are more associated with men. In one paragraph Steinbeck says, “She looked down toward the men by the tractor shed now and then. Her face was eager and mature and handsome; even her work with the scissors was over-eager, over-powerful. The chrysanthemum stems seemed too small and easy for her energy (193).” Here, I feel that Elisa is trying to show the men that women can also work hard and dirty, especially since she began working harder after constantly looking at the men. The symbolism in the quote is the chrysanthemums being too small and easy for her. Perhaps the flowers represent “women” and what they were expected to be, which is soft and delicate. However, here Elisa is cutting down these gender schemas, not only figuratively but also literally. Although, I think that the way Elisa acts may also be a shield that protects her from being uniformly added to the same category as the women of her day. When the man from the wagon stops by, there is a point where Elisa lets down her guard for him. This is after the man shows an interest in her flowers and asks if he can have some to bring to a lady down the road, “She’d sure like to have some, ma’am. You say they’re nice ones?’ ‘Beautiful,’ she said. ‘Oh beautiful’ (196).’ Her eyes shone. She tore off the battered hat and shook out her dark pretty hair.” Here the man is entertaining Elisa by conversing with her about her flowers, and she feels happy/proud that her hard work was being noticed. Elisa decides to let down her guard, her ruggedness, her masculine features that were represented by the battered hat, which was earlier described in the story as a “man’s hat”. Maybe since the man was admiring her hard work, she felt she could show him that it was a woman full of femininity that did it. However, as she is later driving into town with her husband, she sees the flowers dumped on the side of the road. Her work did mean nothing; she was still looked at as a woman no matter how masculine she tried to be. I think she realized this in the end as she “[turns] up her coat collar so [her husband] could not see that she was crying weakly --- like an old woman (199).” Elisa puts women, crying, and weak into the same category, and in the end, conforming to the societal standards of her day.

Blog 1

Hello, my name is Caleb Phillips and I am 19 years old. I am half Asian and half white. This is my second semester at Laguardia, where I am majoring in Liberal Arts: Math and Science. I am interested in genetics and I hope to obtain a career in that field. In my free time I like to play sports and be active.