The Chrysanthemums

Feminism in John Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums” at first glance seems to be a story about a woman whose hobby is working in the garden. Upon deeper inspection the story has strong notes of feminism in the main character Elisa Allen. Elisa’s actions and feelings reflect her struggle as a woman trying and failing to castrate herself in a male dominated society. Steinbeck smartly narrates this woman’s frequent shifts between femininity and masculinity …showed first 75 words of 615 total…

…showed last 75 words of 615 total…try and be strong. Elisa’s desperation to be a person that she can not be is touching. Steinbeck makes it very easy to relate to this woman’s struggle for strength and contentment in a life that does not meet her expectations. Elisa wants to be not only an equal to her male peers but to be dominant. She sadly realizes that she can never live up to the expectations she places on herself.