The Chrysanthemums- John Steinbeck

John Steinbeck

• Born in Salinas, California.
• Attended Stanford University, but never graduated.
• Went to New York to become an established Free-Lance Writer, but failed and returned to California.
• Died in New York in 1968.

Elisa Allen

• 35 year old woman
• devoted to her husband- perfect wife
• "eyes as clear as water" and a lean facial structure.
• Prides herself in her Chrysanthemums
• Dull intimate life with her husband

Henry Allen

• farmer in the Salinas Valley
• appears to care a lot about his wife in the way that they converse.
• prides himself in his work and ability to do business with people and share his crops.
• Rather boring, "stuck"
• stereotypical perfect husband, functional.

Tinker

• very large man with a graying beard.
• does not appear very old.
• wears a black shirt that is spotted in grease, hands were calloused, cracked, and stained black.
• nomadic, sharpens scissors, fixes pots, sleeps in the caravan
• not very aesthetically pleasing
• symbolizes freedom, exhilaration, and the unknown

Scissors

• Tinker sharpens scissors for a living
• symbolic of the exciting life that the tinker leads
• Elisa's secret desire to get out and lead an adventurous life and risky life

Chrysanthemums

• symbol of Elisa's spirit and her dull life
• reminds her of herself: hardworking, pretty, functional, and strong.
• livelihood into her gardening.
• to notice her flowers is to notice her

Salinas Valley

• described as covered by a lid of fog
• acts as a prison for Elisa.
• Confiding her in the mundane habits of following her husband's business patterns.

• Elisa's life in the farm is not invigorating at all
• jealous of the tinker and longs for the tinker
• realizes that even though she is intelligent and beautiful, she is not as fulfilled as the two men

Theme

It is one's responsibility to change the circumstances under which one lives if one feels unfulfilled.

Characters & Symbols

Plot

• Henry Allen who is conversing with some potential buyers of his steers.
• Thrilled with his closed deal, he suggests dinner on the town to his wife to celebrate.
• Elisa Allen, passion not present.

• Salinas Valley, a small farming valley described as closed off and confined.
• small, well-maintained farmhouse.

• Henry rides off up the slopes to locate his steers that he is going to sell,
• unexpected visitor, a tinker
• Elisa's behavior changes and she begins to become more open and flirtatious.
• Tinker notices Chrysanthemums, wants to bring some to customer

• feels passion for a complete stranger, tinker leaves
• Puts on her best dress for dinner, makes herself pretty
• Feels really strong, reassured by husband

• Chrysanthemums discarded on the side of the road.
• Tinker rejected flowers, kept the pot.
• the flowers and therefore her body
• she is nothing beyond the confines of her fog covered, quaint, safe farmhouse.

Works Cited

Steinbeck, John. The Chrysanthemums. Logan, IA:

Perfection Form, 1979. Print.

Pictures

http://www.kimberlyboulon.com/showpics-2009/Image14.html http://as.sjsu.edu/steinbeck/teaching_steinbeck/index.jsp?val=teaching_the_long_valley_plot_synopsis http://faculty.uca.edu/schaefer/IntroLitJournal.htm http://www.city-data.com/picfilesv/picv23486.php http://www.123rf.com/photo_12104054_texas-longhorn-steers-in-a-spring-field-in-the-umpqua-valley-near-roseburg-oregon.html http://www.freshexpress.com/YourSaladStory/our-growing-regions/salinasvalley.aspx

Setting

Salinas Valley, California

• small foothill ranch located across the river in Salinas Valley, California
• small farm in the cold of winter.
• December has fallen, crops harvested, the country looks bare and closed off by the "high grey-flannel fog."

The Chrysanthemums