In a Mans World

In John Steinbecks, Chrysanthemums, he generalizes the spirit of a wo spell and delivers to the sense of hearing her thoughts and underlying emotions of being a cleaning woman in a mans earth. The chrysanthemums reflects enzyme-linked-immunosorbent serologic assays character and her dreams of being free to grow, yield aim decisions, free to travel, make her own money and most of all the swear to be attractive. enzyme-linked-immunosorbent serologic assay obtains closed in and secluded from the rest of the world, rightful(pre nary(prenominal)inal) as Steinbeck describes the atmosphere at the introduction of the story, The high grey-flannel fog of overwinter closed off the Salinas Valley from the sky and from all the rest of the world (192).Feeling weak and powerless, Elisa unconsciously demonstrates the characteristics of masculinity in frame to assimilate into a world not of a woman. For in attitude, she dresses in habit that are too big for her feminine features and wears her economises capacious hat which covers her soft womanly features. Therefore, all of her tools and gardening were, to her, considered powerful and knock- pop(prenominal). In downslopes 27-29, Elisa is understandably mimicking the power displayed the men talking in the redact (her husband and two men) She looked down toward the men by the tractor shed at once and then.Her face was eager and mature and handsome even her work with the scissor grip grip was over-eager, over-powerful (193). Elisas deepest passion is to be strong and powerful. In line 29, the chrysanthemums are described as too small and easy as it seemed to Elisa, though, resembling her own self-image. She exhibits control in the presence of her husband, not to appear diminutive. As she responds to her husbands comments (Youve got a strong new crop coming. ) regarding her chrysanthemums, she straightens her stance and condescendingly tells him that her chrysanthemums get fall out be strong soon Yes.Theyll be s trong this coming year (193). Being a woman is most s of all eone in animation. For Elisa, being treated as the complete opposite of how she wishes to be treated is what frustrates her. However, she is a woman, and the fact that she responds with innate appropriateness is what frustrates her the most. Henry (her husband) tells her that he wants to take her to dinner and a show in the Salinas, which clearly surprises her, he jokes about taking her to see fights and she responds to him as any woman would Oh no.I wouldnt comparable fights (193). Elisa doesnt trueize her husband is being sarcastic in that particular suggestion Just fooling, Elisa (193). Henry feels because she is a woman she wont be kindle or perhaps he is suggesting that she appears to be too masculine, checking to see if she is inactive womanly. Elisa is also frustrated with her abilities underestimated, as Henry noted her superior garden, he commented I wish youd work out in the orc challenging and raise some apples that big (193).She perceives this comment as if he is truism to her that she female genitalianot multi-task Her eyes sharpened. Maybe I could do it, too (193). When the quaint is at her home he tells her that the road is no good life for a woman, Elisa is offended by this because she feels as if she is just as capable as he is of living on the road and sharpening scissors and repairing kitty-cats as he does You might be surprised to have a rival some time. I can sharpen scissors, too. And I can beat the dents out of the little pots. I could show you what a woman might do (197).Elisas hopes of going out into the real world are implied to the stranger when he tells her of a customer who loves chrysanthemums and she agrees to open him some for his customer. The chrysanthemums become symbolic of her hopes, Ill put them in a flower pot, and you can take them right with you (196). The pot that the chrysanthemums are put in is described as a bright new pot symbolizing a new l ife. As the stranger was leaving with her chrysanthemums, she reiterated to him to make the sand damp so the plants wouldnt die, in other words, take care of her.As he left, she said good-bye to her life and fictional a brighter direction thats a bright direction, theres a glowing there (197). Realizing how many undesirable relationships shes had or by chance the impassionate marriage she is in, Elisa reflects on her need to be desired as she explains to the stranger the meaning of planting hands Everything goes right down into your fingertips. You watch your fingers work. They do it themselves. You can feel how it is. They pick and pick the buds.They never make a mistake (196), then she emphasizes Your fingers and the plant. You can feel it. When youre like that you cant do anything wrong. (196). The stranger knew what Elisa was saying to him, so he tried to tell her of how he felt, save the self-respect in her took over and she did not let him finish, besides to assume wha t he was going to say to satisfy herself. Admiring herself in the mirror, Elisa wonders how attractive she is in the eyes of a man. Her interlude, so to speak, with the stranger made her feel attractive, autoerotic even.She became exited about her new spirit and dressed in her nicest garments, fixed her cop and put on lipstick. With a feeling of revival, Elisa waits for her husband on the porch with a new inspiration to become more than a woman. have on her emotions on her face, Henry approaches and notices the difference in his wife, Henry stopped short circuit and looked at her. Then he responded with words of affirmation Why-Why, Elisa. You look so nice (198). I mean you look different, strong and happy. (198). Elisa clearly stated that she only felt strong and did not say she was happy.Her attitude is what she relied on and her new journey on the road is what revived her soul. Elisa found that the stranger who desired her and took some part of her with him had threw her (her chrysanthemums) out on the road. She then knew that changing her life wouldnt be so easy, barely she wouldnt give up. She will have wine with her husband to call back the tension of her marriage and maybe pursue intimacy, which she is clearly missing, and she will maybe attend a fight as if it that will make her feel like a new woman Do any women ever go the fights? (199).When Henry tells her that women go, she changes her mind, because she would not be the first or only woman at the fights. The wine that theyll have at dinner will definitely help her to forget about her day and her life for the time being. Elisa feels as if shes missed out on a real life. Being a woman in her days has been hard for her, sheltered, sexually repressed and minimal limitations as a woman has been mentally tormenting.Trying to stay strong has took a toll on her and the chrysanthemums that she raises every(prenominal) year, stronger and stronger, longer and longer, gives her hope for a better yea r just like them. The buds or years of her life have been picked off and cut down, but she has managed to grow them back strong. Elisa feels as if time is running out for her and her frustrations and profound sorrow over takes her and she can no longer lay down back her tears She turned up her coat collar so he could not see that she was crying weakly-like and old woman (199).