Elisa Allen and Henri Allen. She said that Elisa is a frustated woman whose desire as a woman does not fulfilled well by her husband. According to
McMahan, “The Chrysanthemums” is a form of woman‟s frustation from her unfulfilled needs. Because of her husband treatments towards her, she feels like
she did not get what she really needed as a woman and as a wife. As Elizabeth E. McMahan asserts in her essay “„The Chrysanthemums‟:
Study of a Woman‟s Sexuality,” Elisa is prompted to contain this energy because of a “distinct lack of rapport” between the couple, a rapport that
should go beyond the “mutual respect” they have for each other in their business of maintaining a farm. Sexual tension is especially evident as
Henry struggles to compliment his wife on her appearance. He stammers as if he is
unsure of how to react to Elisa‟s efforts to enhance her femininity, for she takes time to methodically apply her make-up and
select the dress that is “the symbol of her prettiness”. Unfortunately, the only word Henry can muster is “nice,” a comment he defines in terms of
Elisa‟s apparent “strength” and “happiness”—not her beauty: “You look strong enough to break a calf over your knee, happy enough to eat it like
a watermelon” Steinbeck 11. Most women would not consider this statement flattering; and,
according McMahan, it isn‟t surprising that Elisa yearns for romance and has a profound hunger to be admired as a
woman. McMahan, 1968: 453-458
2. “The Chrysanthemums: A Woman Bound by Society” by Stanley
Renner 1985.
The other related studies that the writer find is the article written by Stanley Renner entitled
John Steinbecks “The Chrysanthemums: A Woman
Bound by Society” which is published by Harper‟s Magazine, October 1937.
In his article , Stanley Renner begins with the meaning of the short story‟s
title; “The Chrysanthemum”. He said that “The Chrysanthemum” is a struggle for equality is portrayed through Steinbecks character Elisa Allen.
The Chrysanthemums shows a strong, capable woman kept from personal, social, and sexual fulfillment by the prevailing conception of a
womans role in a world dominated by men. Elisas appearance, actions,
and speech depict the frustration women felt in Steinbecks masculine world of the 1930s. Renner, 1985: 306-307
Elisa figure is described as blocked and heavy because she is wearing heavy gloves, heavy shoes, a mans black hat, and a big apron that hides her
printed dress. Elisa is bored with her husband and with her life. Elisa is unhappy with the traditional female role. When her husband, Henry, comments about her
strong chrysanthemum crop, Elisa is pleased by the manliness the word implies, but her husband reminds her of her femininity by offering her an evening on the
town. After this conversation with her husband, she goes back to her masculine role of transplanting the flowers.
3. “The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck” by Jonathan Schoonmaker
2011.
The next related study is more related to the role of major and minor character; Elisa Allen and Henry Allen. This study was written by Jonathan
Schoonmaker entitled “The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck”
. In his study, Schoonmaker tries to analyze and described the relationship between Elisa and her
husband, Henry Allen. The writer begins with the conflicts of major character and minor character.
In the short story Elisa has a few conflicts. There is a conflict with herself and her husband. Her husband is a normal man in that time period, hard works,
and rough. As Elisa was working in her garden of her garden of Chrysanthemums, her husband comes to the fence of her flower garden. That shows that he won‟t
enter area because she is inside the fence. Instead of greeting him she just straightens her back, pulls her glove back on and continues back to work. I think
that she‟s trying to show that can work as diligently as a man but she is a woman. He then says to her, I wish you work out in the orchard and raise some apples. She
replies, Maybe I could do that too. I believe that she doesn‟t want to work out in his orchards. She says that line because she doesn‟t want to say no but she doesn‟t
want to work in them. She wants to work in her own area. Where her own creations are that no man has helped her with. schoolsucks.com, 2011
4. “Symbolism in John Steinbeck’s The Chrysanthemums” by Vanna Kazarian 2011.
