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In "The Chrysanthemums," John Steinbeck portays Elisa Allen, the wife, as a person trying to break out of her traditional, mediocre lifestyle through incidents with her controlling, poker-faced husband, a craggy potter, and herself. In a world where men are dominate figures Elisa lives with emasculate qualities hidden by her husbend and a wardrobe fit for a serf. Steinbeck uses symbolizism, imagery, and character to help build Elisa as a worn woman dwelling inside her grim-like garden hidden "from the sky and from the rest of the world" (1260).
The "white farmhouse... with hard-polished windows, and a clean mud-mat" (1260), creates an image of Elisa as the traditional woman that only cooks and cleans. After her husband compliments on her fine work he amkes a sarcastic remark to "work out in the orchard" (1261). Elisa then without thought she jumps to it. Her explanation of "planters hands" (1261) quickly ends with Henry talking down to with his over-confiendent response "well it sure works with flowers" (1261). Elisa only tries to please Henry but yet still receives a sexist remarks and rude gestures in return.
With a feel of worthlessness hanging above her head, Elisa continues to work only to meet an old traveling potter. She holds an interest for the old potter , but still "her [hardened eyes] with resistance"(1263) stares off in to her bed of chrysanthemums giving him no acknowledgement. She grows impatient, then he leans over the fence and touches her heart with an interest in chrysanthemums. The old potter sways Elisa with his reference to the flowers as "a puff of colored smoke" (1263). Elisa then gladly welcomes the Potter inside her fence, a symbol of her heart and place her husband has never gone.
The Potter's raves Elisa with a guilt trip of him having no dinner. She rummages through the back of the house finding "two old and battered aluminum saucepans" (1264) for him to fix. Elisa eats every word of the Potter's adventurous lifestyle but is soon put in her place with "it ain't the right kind of life for a woman" (1265). The harsh response makes Elisa perceive his life as a "a glowing...bright direction" (1265).
Elisa comes to a change. She rids of all the male superiority by bathing and scratching herself red with a block of pumice. Elisa stands nude staring into the mirror. She reveals the new woman and dress in her best dress as "a symbol of her prettiness" (1266). She found herself in a world run by the virtues of men from her experiences with the Potterand Henry.
Elisa's new found self remains misunderstood by Henry. He "bangs out of the door, shoving his tie inside his vest" (1266) and comments on how nice she looks. Elisa, flattered by his comment, asks in what way. The answer in return is far from what she desires. He implies that Elisa looks "strong enough to break a calf over [her] knee" (1266). As Henry pulls the car out and waits for her, Elisa backlashes talikng "a long time to put on her hat" (1266). She proves her independence from him by waiting til he turned off the car to go out to the car.
As they ride Elisa spots a "dark speck" (1266) on the side of the road. The dark specks are only to her surprise the chrysanthemums she gave the Potter. The once- intriguing Potter disposes her as he disposed the sprouts. He only uses the sprouts for the pot and throws the sprouts away, threw her away. He crushes every hope that a Elisa possessed of seeing the world and finding life. Elisa now seeps back into the deepths of the male-oriented world as they pass the sprouts until the specks are no more.
The "white farmhouse... with hard-polished windows, and a clean mud-mat" (1260), creates an image of Elisa as the traditional woman that only cooks and cleans. After her husband compliments on her fine work he amkes a sarcastic remark to "work out in the orchard" (1261). Elisa then without thought she jumps to it. Her explanation of "planters hands" (1261) quickly ends with Henry talking down to with his over-confiendent response "well it sure works with flowers" (1261). Elisa only tries to please Henry but yet still receives a sexist remarks and rude gestures in return.
With a feel of worthlessness hanging above her head, Elisa continues to work only to meet an old traveling potter. She holds an interest for the old potter , but still "her [hardened eyes] with resistance"(1263) stares off in to her bed of chrysanthemums giving him no acknowledgement. She grows impatient, then he leans over the fence and touches her heart with an interest in chrysanthemums. The old potter sways Elisa with his reference to the flowers as "a puff of colored smoke" (1263). Elisa then gladly welcomes the Potter inside her fence, a symbol of her heart and place her husband has never gone.
The Potter's raves Elisa with a guilt trip of him having no dinner. She rummages through the back of the house finding "two old and battered aluminum saucepans" (1264) for him to fix. Elisa eats every word of the Potter's adventurous lifestyle but is soon put in her place with "it ain't the right kind of life for a woman" (1265). The harsh response makes Elisa perceive his life as a "a glowing...bright direction" (1265).
Elisa comes to a change. She rids of all the male superiority by bathing and scratching herself red with a block of pumice. Elisa stands nude staring into the mirror. She reveals the new woman and dress in her best dress as "a symbol of her prettiness" (1266). She found herself in a world run by the virtues of men from her experiences with the Potterand Henry.
Elisa's new found self remains misunderstood by Henry. He "bangs out of the door, shoving his tie inside his vest" (1266) and comments on how nice she looks. Elisa, flattered by his comment, asks in what way. The answer in return is far from what she desires. He implies that Elisa looks "strong enough to break a calf over [her] knee" (1266). As Henry pulls the car out and waits for her, Elisa backlashes talikng "a long time to put on her hat" (1266). She proves her independence from him by waiting til he turned off the car to go out to the car.
As they ride Elisa spots a "dark speck" (1266) on the side of the road. The dark specks are only to her surprise the chrysanthemums she gave the Potter. The once- intriguing Potter disposes her as he disposed the sprouts. He only uses the sprouts for the pot and throws the sprouts away, threw her away. He crushes every hope that a Elisa possessed of seeing the world and finding life. Elisa now seeps back into the deepths of the male-oriented world as they pass the sprouts until the specks are no more.