Chrasanthemus Paper

Taylor McDonald
Zinsits
English III- 1
2 Mar 2010
Chrysanthemums Paper
In October of 1937 the author by the name of John Steinbeck, a great and talented writer, wrote a short story called “The Chrysanthemums.” In this short story he uses a variety of themes and literary devices. He uses one theme and device that sticks out the most in his story. Women’s limitation was a big part of women back in Steinbeck’s time. Women could not do all the things they get to do now. Now they get to vote and they have the ability to work and speak a lot more now. They got all these rights when the Supreme Court voted to pass Amendment # 19. Women’s role back then was staying home and taking care of the house and not having to work. Women took care of the gardens and make all the food in the house. Steinbeck uses setting to show how women’s limitation was very huge back in that period of time.
Steinbeck uses Elisa’s house and farm to show how limited she is. Elisa’s house is on the opposite side of the river and the town is on the other side, so she is very limited to how she is not able to go to town whenever she wanted and needed. Steinbeck says that, “Across the river, on Henry Allen's foothill ranch there was little work to be done, for the hay was cut and stored and the orchards were plowed up to receive the rain deeply when it should come. The cattle on the higher slopes were becoming shaggy and rough-coated (Steinbeck).” Steinbeck used this quote to show they were on the opposite side of the river and that there farm is really run-down and he says that the cattle are “shaggy and rough-coated.”   Elisa was also limited on money and is showed by how shaggy the cows are and how her garden only has one or two plants. Elisa’s money problems aren’t just shown with her farm and house it is shown by what she wears. Steinbeck talks about what she wears by saying, “She was thirty-five. Her face was lean and strong and her eyes were as clear as water. Her figure looked blocked and...