The Chrysanthemums (Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: John Steinbeck
- First Published: 1938
- Type of Plot: Domestic realism
- Time of Work: 1937
- Setting: The Salinas Valley in California
- Principal Characters: Elisa Allen, Henry Allen, Man in a wagon
- Genres: Short fiction, Domestic realism
- Subjects: Betrayal, Emotions, Feminism, Farms, farmers, or farming, Loneliness
- Locales: Salinas Valley, CA
The Story
Elisa Allen, a woman approaching middle age, is at a point in her life when she has begun to realize that her energy and creative drive far exceed the opportunities for their expression. Her marriage is reasonably happy—when she notices that her husband is proud of selling thirty head of steers he has raised, she gives him the compliment he hopes for, while he, in turn, appreciates her ability to grow flowers of exceptional quality. There is an easy banter between them, and while they have settled into a fairly familiar routine, they are still responsive to each...
[The entire page is 1784 words long]
See Also:
See Also:
- - The Chrysanthemums summary and study guide in the eNotes.
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