Essay on Character Analysis of Elisa Allen in The...

Character Analysis of Elisa Allen in The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck The Chrysanthemums, written by John Steinbeck, captures one day in the life of a woman who yearns for a more fulfilling life. Elisa is first portrayed as a woman whose tasks are exceeded by her abilities. As the day continues, a stranger briefly enters her life and, through manipulative words, fills her heart with hopes of change and excitement. We learn that these newly-found hopes are crushed when Elisa eventually realizes that she has been used. A stranger manages to break Elisas heart, not because of who Elisa appears to be, but because of who Elisa really is. To understand The Chrysanthemums, we must first know the real Elisa. As she is†¦show more content†¦Apart from her gardening attire, Elisas tendency to complete such a large amount of manual labor also blocks her femininity from our eyes. On top of all of that manual labor, Elisa also manages to keep her home spotless: It was a hard-swept looking little house with hard-polished windows, and a clean mud mat on the front steps. It is obvious to us that Elisa has energy to burn. She seems to love work, the more work the better. In one instance, as Elisa was tending to her Chrysanthemums, Henry says, I wish youd work out in the orchard and raise some apples that big to which Elisa enthusiastically responds, Maybe I could do it, too. We do not actually know the real Elisa until we reach the end of the story. In reality, we initially see her through her husbands eyes, since it seems that he does not know the real Elisa either. Poor Henry probably thinks that he makes his wife happy and that she has all that she needs in life. If Henry were only to pay closer attention to his wifes words, he might become aware of her true feelings. We may notice, as we read her story, that when Elisa speaks to Henry, she excessively repeats one word, good. She is not as expressive towards Henry as she is towards the stranger. It seems as though she is faking enthusiasm when she uses this word, good for you...it will be good, tonight, a good dinner. AnotherShow MoreRelated Character Analysis of Elisa Allen in The Chrysanthemums by Steinbeck1262 Words   |  6 PagesSteinbecks short story, The Chrysanthemums, feel Elisas flowers represent her repressed sexuality, and her anger and resentment towards men. Some even push the symbolism of the flowers, and Elisas masculine actions, to suggest she is unable to establish a true relationship between herself and another. Her masculine traits and her chrysanthemums are enough to fulfill her entirely. This essay will discuss an opposing viewpoint. Instead, it will argue that Elisas chrysanthemums, and her masculine qualitiesRead MoreEssay on Analysis of The Chrysanthemums1139 Words   |  5 PagesAnalysis of The Chrysanthemums The short story The Chrysanthemums gives insight into the life of its author. John Steinbeck was born on February 27, 1902, in Salinas, California. The locale of the story is of key resemblance to the Salinas in which Steinbeck was born and bread. Salinas was a typical American small town, [differing] only in location and a few distinctive features (McCarthy 3). The protagonist of this story, Elisa Allen, also resembles Steinbecks first wife. SteinbeckRead MoreCharacter Analysis the Chrysanthemums1220 Words   |  5 PagesChristopher Engl. 1302 April 15, 2013 Paper 1 Character Analysis â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† by John Steinbeck John Steinbeck was born in 1902 and lived during what is said to be the most troubled time in American history. 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He not only makes people think when they read his work; he makes them think through a number of scenarios with his tales. I believe that looking at this story, you sense this woman, Elisa Allen, is a woman who is very unhappy with her life. The only satisfaction Elisa gets out of life is being in her garden with her family of chrysanthemums. Elisa is very unsettled with her life as a whole. She does not like being stuckRead More The Chrysanthemums Essay1649 Words   |  7 PagesJohn Steinbeck’s, The Chrysanthemums, was published in 1938 in a book of short stories, entitled The Long Valley. The Chrysanthemums has been a rather powerful draw for scholars because of its wide gap for interpretations and analysis of its main protagonist character, Elisa Allen and also the unique descriptions used to portray the deeper meaning behind the setting of the story. Themes of sexuality, oppression of women, as well as other numerous types of con flict portrayed in this rather somberRead MoreJohn Steinbeck2062 Words   |  9 Pageswrites short stories like â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† and â€Å"Flight†. In Steinbeck’s â€Å"The Chrysthemums† Elisa Allen is married to a negligent ranch owner. While her husband works on the ranch, Elisa tends to her chrysanthemum garden daily. One day while tending to her garden, a charming tinker man pulls up to her in his wagon and tries to make a business transaction with her. Seeing that she is not interested, the tinker strikes up a conversation with Elisa about her chrysanthemums. In the end, the tinker takesRead MoreAnalysis Of The Story The Story Of An Hour Essay1554 Words   |  7 PagesENC1102 T/R 5:40PM TO 9:00PM WOLFSON CAMP ANALYSIS OF FEMALE CHARACTERS IN â€Å"THE STORY OF AN HOUR† â€Å"HILLS LIKE WHITE ELEPHANTS† AND â€Å"THE CHRYSANTHEMUMS† JUAN FELIX CASTILLO BATISTA PROFESOR JOSEPH FALLAD This essay is an attempt to describe the females’ characters between three of the most powerful short stories I ever read. My goal is to describe and compare three different women, in theirRead MoreEnglish All Semester 26504 Words   |  27 PagesWeek 7 7.03A, 7.03B 7.05B, 7.08 Week 8 8.01, 8.02A and B, 8.03, 8.05 (segment exam) 5.03- A rose for Emily Part I: Character Identification in A Rose for Emily In complete sentence format, identify each of the following characters. Remember reporters, be sure to include as much information as possible to give your readers a vivid picture of each of the following characters: 1. Emily Grierson: Emily Grierson was a young lady, whose life was always run by her father. Her father who was