The symbols as the reflection of the major character`s life in John Steinbeck`s `The Chrysanthemums`.

THE SYMBOLS AS THE REFLECTION OF THE MAJOR

CHARACTER’S LIFE IN JOHN STEINBECK’S

“THE CHRYSANTHEMUMS”

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By

SILVIA GALUH OKTAVIANI Student Number: 084214037

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA 2013

i

THE SYMBOLS AS THE REFLECTION OF THE MAJOR

CHARACTER’S LIFE IN JOHN STEINBECK’S

“THE CHRYSANTHEMUMS”

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By

SILVIA GALUH OKTAVIANI Student Number: 084214037

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA 2013

iv

"YOU WERE GIVEN LIFE. IT IS YOUR DUTY TO FIND

SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL WITHIN LIFE, NO MATTER

HOW SLIGHT"

-Elizabeth Gilbert-

LIFE IS ABOUT MAKING SOME THINGS HAPPEN, AND

NOT WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN

-Anonymous -

"I MAY NOT BE SMART ENOUGH TO DO EVERYTHING,

BUT I AM DUMB ENOUGH TO TRY ANYTHING"

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THIS UNDERGRADUATE THESIS IS DEDICATED TO

My Almighty Lord, Jesus Christ

My Beloved Parents

My Little Sister

And My Dearest Amo

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First of all, I would really like to express my greatest gratitude to my lovely Jesus Christ, for all His blessings and strength for making this thesis, so I can through it all well. I cannot do this all without Him.

I would like to thank my beloved parents and my little sister for their supports that they give me. I would like to thank them; my father Henri Gunawan, my mother Yohana Harmiati, my little sister Angelina Ganis, and my big family. Thanks for a great supports and prays. It is a great thing that I have in my imperfect life. I love them so much.

I would like to thank my advisor Mr. Hirmawan Wijanarka and my co-advisor Mrs. Elisa Dwi Wardani for his and her time, guidance, understanding and patience in the process of making this undergraduate thesis, so I was able to finish this well. I would also like to express my great gratitude to all of the lecturers who have taught and given me useful knowledge during my study in Sanata Dharma University, Yogyakarta.

Thanks to my best crazy friends: Lita, Astu, Dewi, Lany, and Yulita for the best friendship ever. They are super best friends ever! Thanks for making my life more colorful with our everlasting friendship in love and crazy. Thanks for their support and prayers in finishing this undergraduate thesis. My super special thank goes to my beloved amo, Andreas Bayu Wicaksono, for his love, patience, time and support that always reminds me to finish my thesis and cheers me up

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whenever i feel give up with this thesis. Thanks for always support me in my ups and downs, amo.

I would like to thank all people who I cannot mention one by one for all of their supports in making this thesis. There are many people who has not mentioned yet. I thank them so much. I love them so much. Thanks for being beautiful things in my life.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE ... i

APPROVAL PAGE ... ii

ACCEPTANCE PAGE ... iii

MOTTO PAGE ... iv

DEDICATION PAGE ... v

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI ... vi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ... vii

STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY ... ix

TABLE OF CONTENTS ... x

ABSTRACT ... xi

ABSTRAK ... xii

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ... 1

A. Background of the Study ... 1

B. Problem Formulation ... 4

C. Objectives of the Study ... 5

D. Definition of Terms ... 5

CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW ... 7

A. Review of Related Studies ... 7

B. Review of Related Theories ... 11

1. Theory of Character and Characterization ... 11

2. Theory of Symbol ... 13

C. Theoretical Framework ... 17

CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY ... 19

A. Object of the Study ... 19

B. Approach of the Study ... 21

C. Method of the Study ... 22

CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS... 24

A. The Description of the Major Character... 24

B. The Symbols Used in the Short Story ... 29

C. The Symbols As the Reflection to the Major Character‟s Life ... 31

CHAPTER V CONCLUSION ... 45

BIBLIOGRAPHY ... 48

xi ABSTRACT

SILVIA GALUH OKTAVIANI (2012). The Symbols As the Reflection of the Major Character’s Life in John Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums”. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University.

“The Chrysanthemums” is a short story written by John Steinbeck which was first published in 1937. The short story tells about a woman named Elisa Allen who feels frustrated with her present life. Her frustration stems from not having a child and from her husband's failure to treats her romantically as a woman. She cares for the house and cares for her garden, but she has a desolate life. The only outlet for her frustration is her flower garden where she cultivates beautiful chrysanthemums. Elisa's flowers mean everything to her and she cares for them as if they are her children.

This thesis writing has some purposes. First, to describe the major character‟s characterization. Second, to explain the symbols used by the author to give reflections about the major character‟s life. Third, to find out the reflections

which are shown by the usage of the symbols in describing the major character‟s

life.

To accomplish this study, the writer applies library research method and formalistic approach. The writer takes the primary data from “The Chrysanthemums”. The secondary data are taken from some theories related to the topic of the study, such as theory of character and characterization, and also theory of simbol.

The writer finds that the major character in this short story is described as a frustated woman because of her unhappiness in her life, marital life. She is not happy because her husband does not fulfill her needs as a woman. She has no child even. She feels trapped with the situation at that time, male-dominated society. The writer finds out that the flower she cares for and the place where she lived are the things that symbolizes herself. From the that two things, the writer finds out that the flower is symbolize her beauty, her careness and her needs of having a child. And the place where she lived is symbolize her role as a woman which is trapped by the role of male-dominated at that time.

xii ABSTRAK

SILVIA GALUH OKTAVIANI (2012). The Symbols As the Reflection of the Major Character’s Life in John Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums”. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University.

“The Chrysanthemums” adalah cerita pendek yang ditulis oleh John

Steinbeck yang pertama kali diterbitkan pada tahun 1937. Cerita pendek ini mengisahkan tentang wanita bernama Elisa, yang merasa putus asa dalam hidupnya. Keputusasaannya disebabkan karena ia tidak memiliki anak dan kegagalan suaminya dalam memperlakukannya sebagaimana layaknya seorang wanita. Ia merawat kebun bunga dan rumahnya dengan baik, tetapi ia merasa kesepian. Satu-satunya jalan keluar dari keputusasaannya adalah kebun bunga yang ia miliki dimana ia bisa menanam bunga krisan kesayangannya.

Tujuan dari studi ini adalah, pertama untuk mendeskripsikan karakteristik si karakter utama. Kedua, untuk menjelaskan simbol apa saja yang digunakan oleh pengarang untuk memberikan cerminan tentang kehidupan karakter utama. Ketiga, untuk menemukan cerminan dan gambaran yang dapat dilihat dari penggunaan simbol dalam menggambarkan kehidupan karakter utama.

Untuk menyempurnakan studi ini, penulis melakukan studi pustaka dan menggunakan pendekatan formalistik. Penulis mengambil data pokok dari cerita

pendek “ The Chrysanthemums” dan beberapa teori yang bersangkutan dgn topik studi ini, seperti teori tokoh dan penokohan dari teori tentang simbol.

Penulis menemukan bahwa karakter utama dalam cerita pendek ini digambarkan sebagai seorang wanita yang putus asa karena dia tidak bahagia dalam kehidupan pernikahannya. Dia tidak memiliki anak dan suaminya tidak mampu memenuhi kebutuhannya sebagai seorang wanita. Dia merasa terjebak dalam situasi pada waktu itu, dimana peran laki-laki lebih mendominasi. Penulis menemukan bahwa bunga yang ia rawat dan tempat ia tinggal adalah hal-hal yang mencerminkan dirinya. Dari dua hal tersebut, penulis menemukan bahwa bunga yang ia rawat itu merupakan simbol dari keindahan, kepedulian, dan kebutuhannya akan hadirnya seorang anak. Dan tempat di mana ia tinggal menyimbolkan perannya sebagai wanita yang terjebak oleh peran laki-laki yang mendominasi saat itu.

1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

Symbol has a certain power. Many things in this world symbolize meanings. People can find any symbol in any circumstances, places, occasions, religion, work of art, etc. Flag symbolizes freedom and is a symbolic of the

nation‟s ability to feed the countrymen and the ability to protect them against all odds and crisis. As the example can be seen in “For a man to kiss a lady's hand is very old-fashioned politeness in some societies; in other situations it may be a discrete indication of affection. In Britain a new prime minister kisses the Queen's hand on appointment: this is a formal token of appreciation of her trust in him.”

(http://wiki.answers.com/Q). It is also said that a hug is a universal symbol. The cross is one of the earliest and most widely used Christian symbols. In the broadest sense it symbolizes the religion of Christianity. There are numerous variations of the cross as a Christian symbol, but the two main themes are crosses with or without a depiction of Christ hanging on it. The reason for this is that some focus on the fact that he died on a cross to pay for our sins as seen in “More specifically, it represents and memorializes Christ's death. A great variety of crosses has developed, some with specific symbolic meaning and others that have simply become culturally associated with certain groups.”

(http://www.religionfacts.com). It is also said that red color symbolizes intense passion, aggression and courage.

It can also symbolize sexual impulses, danger and shame. Red is usually not a favorite color for negotiations or meetings and is great for drawing attention to things.

When looking at literary work, it is impossible to see it all in a literal form. There is always some sort of symbolism that occurs within the body of the text. It can be defined differently by many people. It is because symbolism is created by the author. However, it can be contradicted or have a completely obscure meaning to the reader. Symbolism can be used to describe any mode of expression, which refers to something indirectly through the medium of something else. Symbolism used to suggest ideas or thought directly. The writers depicted reality through the symbols and they expressed atmosphere effects, suggestions of feeling etc., the creation and use of symbols is a way of expressing abstractions in a work of literature. Symbols have widely been used for different purposes, in logic, semantics, theology, fine arts and letters. Symbol is applied only to a word or set of words that signify an object or event which itself signifies something else. Symbolism means what the author wants people to feel or know as a reader by including a key phrase or something that represents something else. Symbols are important element to get an easy understanding in discussing literature. A symbol is something that stands for something else. It can represent feeling, ideas, experience, object, etc. symbols are so powerful in discussing literature.

Symbol has certain power in literary work. When people discussing the work of literature or fiction, symbol is a good start to find out what the work is

about. According to Alfred Koryzbski and S.I. Hayakawa in their book General Semantics, use symbol for to designate what other writers call a sign. A symbol is a sign which has further layers of meaning. In other words, a symbol means more than it literally says. According to Evangelous Christos, in interpreting literature, it is important to remember that a poem or a short story means more than the writer consciously intended. Many images (signs) in a work of literature will have personal, cultural, and universal association of both reader and writer.

(http://web.mst.edu/).

One of the well known literary works with a symbolic journey is Robert

Frost‟s “The Road Not Taken.” In the poem there is a man who has come to a

crossroad in his life. One path is traveled on frequently while the other path is not. He has to make a decision as to what path he should take. No matter what, he knows that he cannot turn back once he has made the choice, but it is implied. He chooses the path less traveled and, in turn, it happens to be the best choice he had ever made. Many people have analyzed this poem and they have different interpretation and ideas what this poem means. Some people say it is about suicide. Some people say it is about life changes. There is no something wrong about what people say about the meaning of this poem. Therefore, the interpretation of a literary work actually merges itself with the reader. To analyze

the literary work there needs to be a beginning. And the writer used „symbol‟ to

begin her research study.

In this study, the writer wants to share the topic, the use of symbolism in a

chrysanthemum means I love you. A white one stands for truth. And a yellow

chrysanthemum means love “is not returned”. This flower also symbolizes "hope

for the future”. The word chrysanthemum comes from the Greek words “chrysos” (which means gold) and “anthos” (which means flower).

The writer wants to find out why the author uses the chrysanthemums as the symbol rather than another flower and also to find out the power of using the chrysanthemums as the symbol in the story related to what happened in the major

character‟s life. According to the writer, this sort story is appropriate in doing this

research study because in the short story there are so many symbols and their

power as symbols. In John Steinbeck‟s short story, “The Chrysanthemums,” he uses the flower to symbolize his main character‟s thoughts and ideas. The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck is about a frustrated w oman Elisa who feels a strong sense of feminism and loneliness in her life. She seems to be oppressed by a male-driven society. The title itself depicts as a symbol of the nature of Elisa. The author compares Elisa's character with the Chrysanthemums who both have a strong and rough exterior but deep inside have a compelling sense of beauty. The Chrysanthemums represent her repressed feelings and desires.

B. Problem Formulation

After describing the background, the writer formulates the problems as follows:

1. How is the major character described in the story? 2. What are the symbols used in the short story?

3. How do the symbols reflect the major character‟s life in the short story?

C. Objectives of the Study

The writer formulates three objectives here. The writer is going to describe the major character‟s characteristic and personality to understand deeply about the character itself. Then, the writer will find out the symbols that are used in the story and how do the symbols reflect the major character‟s life in the story. D. Definition of Terms

In this research study, the writer shares two specific terms that will be the focus of the research; symbols and major character.

Symbol (sim-bol): a symbol is a word or object that stands for another word or object. The object or word can be seen with the eye or not visible. For example a dove stands for Peace. The dove can be seen and peace cannot. The word is from the Greek word symbolom. All language is symbolizing one thing or another. Symbol may sometimes remain within the work, as it were; but it is the nature of symbols to have extensional possibilities to open out to the world beyond the work and engage the world of value outside the work. (Guerin, 2004: 106)

Major character is the most important character in the story; the one the story is about; the protagonist - this character is often called the "main character". There is usually one single major character, though it is possible for there to be multiple major characters (for example, in the TV series Friends, the six friends [Monica, Rachel, Phoebe, Chandler, Joey, Ross] are all major characters). Minor character is a person of less importance than the major character, but who is necessary for the story to develop. Dorie from Finding Nemo is a minor character; she is important, but the story is not about her.

Major character is a presentation of the author of personality traits that a complex rather than a simple character emerges. As a rule, the major character in a fiction need such three dimensional treatment, while minor characters are often handled two-dimensionally. To be fully convincing, a character ought to involve some deep division and contradiction (Guerin, 2004: 82).

7 CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL REVIEW

In this chapter the writer is going to discuss about three parts of discussion. The first discussion is about related studies to the author and the short story, John Steinbeck and “The Chrysanthemum”. The second discussion is about what theories are used by the writer in analyzing the short story. Some theories will be used for solving the problem. The writer is going to discuss about the main character; Elisa Allen, and the chrysanthemum as a symbol of her life. The last discussion will be about theoretical framework to give quick understanding to the readers about what will the writer analyzed in the next chapter.

A. Review of Related Studies

1). “The Chrysanthemums: A Study of Woman’s Sexuality” by E Elizabeth McMahan-Universal Journal the Association of Young Journalists and Writers.

In finding the topic related to this research, the symbols in John Steinbeck‟s “The Chrysanthemum”, the writer has found the related studies by Elizabeth McMahan. Her study entitled “John Steinbeck‟s “The Chrysanthemum: A Study of Woman‟s Sexuality”.

In her study, she tries to analyze the description that Steinbeck used in describing the major character; Elisa Allen. She starts analyze the charactes of the story, major and minor characters;

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 Steinbeck's “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 Steinbeck's character Elisa Allen.

"The Chrysanthemums" shows "a strong, capable woman kept from personal, social, and sexual fulfillment by the prevailing conception of a woman's role in a world dominated by men". Elisa's appearance, actions, and speech depict the frustration women felt in Steinbeck's masculine world of the 1930's. (Renner, 1985: 306-307)

Elisa figure is described as "blocked and heavy" because she is wearing heavy gloves, heavy shoes, a "man's 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,

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).

The last related studies entitled “Symbolism in John Steinbeck‟s The

Chrysanthemums” written by Vanna Kazarian. In this study, she focuses on the symbol which is described in the story. She begins her study by analyzing the

meaning of the symbol, and then she relates it with the title of the story; “The Chrysanthemum”. The next explanation of her study is about the major character; Elisa Allen. She analyzed the relation between the title and the character. She analyzed what the symbol reflects to the major character. “The Chrysanthemums” gives the reader acumen into the main character Elisa Allen. The story opens in

the Salinas valley, which is described as “the high grey flannel fog of winter closed off Salinas‟s valley from the rest of the world.” The valley is also described as a “closed pot”. This description can be used to symbolize Elisa‟s lonely and

isolated feelings. She is 35, married without children and the “closed pot” can be

interpreted as unhappiness.

Elisa is not given much of a chance to be taken seriously. An example of this is during a conversation she has with her husband Henry about her

flowers, where Henry tells her “I wish you would work out in the orchards and raise some apples”. Elisa perks up for a moment and makes a

suggestion that she could accomplish working out in the orchards, only to have Henry shut her down by saying “well it sure works with the flowers”. I

believe Steinbeck uses Henry‟s rejection of her work in this conversation to

illustrate the way society has rejected women as nothing more than mothers

and housekeepers. Elisa‟s garden is surrounded by a wire fence, which would suggest to the reader, Elisa‟s isolation not only from her husband, but also from the rest of world. (antiessay.com, 2011)

(conclusion)

B. Review of Related Theories

In this study, the writer is going to used some theories that are connected to each other in order to solve and gives answer from the problem formulation that are formulated in previous chapter. The writer is going to used theory of character and characterization, and theory of symbol.

1. Theory of Character and Characterization

In a work of literature, character is a person or creature that interacts with others within a story. Character is an important element that is used by the author to help the readers understand his/ her work. And also, H.L. Yelland, S.C. Jones and K.S.W. Easton in their book A Handbook of Literary Terms, explained that a character is a person who is getting involves in literary work; novel, short story, play, etc.

There are two types of characters; major character and minor character.

Major character is the most important character in the story; the one the story is about; the protagonist. This character is often called the "main character". There is usually one single major character. While minor character is a person of less importance than the major character, but who is necessary for the story to develop.

It is said that character is a person who is responsible for the thoughts and actions within a story, poem, or other literature. Characters are extremely important because they are the medium through which a reader interacts with a piece of literature. Every character has his or her own personality, which a creative author uses to assist in forming the plot of a story or creating a mood. The different attitudes, mannerisms, and even appearances of characters can greatly influence the other major elements in a literary work, such as theme, setting and tone. With this understanding of the character, a reader can become more aware of other aspects of literature, such as symbolism, giving the reader a more complete understanding of the work. The character is one of the most important tools available to the author.

Another important element is called characterization. An author use characterization to create the characters. Characterization refers to a character‟s personality or the method by which the writer reveals this personality. Characterization is the creation of the image of imaginary persons in drama, narrative poetry, the novel, and the short story. Characterization generates plot and is revealed by actions, speech, thoughts, physical appearance, and the other characters' thoughts or words about him. Characterization provides a distinct

description and depiction of each character‟s appearance, personality, and impact within the story. There are some ways in which the author develops

characterization, including the physical description of the character, the words or

the dialogue, the character‟s actions.

Karen Bernardo wrote at storybites.com:

What does characterization do for a story? In a nutshell, it allows us to empathize with the protagonist and secondary characters, and thus feel that what is happening to these people in the story is vicariously happening to us; and it also gives us a sense of verisimilitude, or the semblance of living reality. An important part of characterization is dialogue for it is both spoken and inward dialogue that affords us to the opportunity to see into the characters' hearts and examines their motivation. In the best of stories, it is actually characterization that moves the story along, because a compelling character in a difficult situation creates his own plot. Characterization is one of the most difficult aspects of creative writing to master, because authors tend to naturally fall into the fatal trap of creating two-dimensional, cardboard characters. (storybites.com, 2011)

2. Theory of Symbol

A word, place, character, or object that means something beyond what it is on a literal level called as a symbol. An object, a setting, or even a character can represent another more general idea.

Deeper still, people form a great part of how they talk to themselves, that is, how they think, process and summarize their ideas and experiences. Symbol means what the author wants the people to feel or know as a reader by including a key phrase. A symbol is the use of a concrete object to represent an abstract idea. A symbol may appear in a work of literature in a number of different ways to suggest a number of different things. Most commonly, a symbol will present itself in the form of a word, a figure of speech, an event, the total action, or a character.

H.L. Yelland, S.C. Jones and K.S.W. Easton in their book A Handbook of Literary Terms, explained that symbol is a thing that represents something else. It can be in form of object, idea, etc. Symbolism in literature is the use of expressions which represent or recall certain ideas. A concrete symbol is found to be a convenient substitute for ideas, particularly abstraction.

In general terms, symbol is anything that stands for something else. For examples; flags, which symbolize a nation; the cross is a symbol for Christianity; Uncle Sam a symbol for the United States. In literature, a symbol is expected to have significance. Keats starts his ode with a real nightingale, but quickly it becomes a symbol, standing for a life of pure, unmixed joy; then before the end of the poem it becomes only a bird again. (academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu, 2012)

Symbol is a person, object, image, word, or event that evokes a range of additional meaning beyond and usually more abstract than its literal significance. Symbols are educational devices for evoking complex ideas without having to resort to painstaking explanations that would make a story more like an essay than an experience. Conventional symbols have meanings that are widely recognized by a society or culture. Some conventional symbols are the Christian cross, the

Star of David, a swastika, or a nation‟s flag. Writers use conventional symbols to reinforce meanings. Kate Chopin, for example, emphasizes the spring setting in "The Story of an Hour" as a way of suggesting the renewed sense of life that Mrs. Mallard feels when she thinks herself free from her husband. A literary or contextual symbol can be a setting, character, action, object, name, or anything else in a work that maintains its literal significance while suggesting other

meanings. Such symbols go beyond conventional symbols; they gain their symbolic meaning within the context of a specific story. For example, the white

whale in Melville‟s Moby-Dick takes on multiple symbolic meanings in the work, but these meanings do not automatically carry over into other stories about whales. The meanings suggested by Melville‟s whale are specific to that text; therefore, it becomes a contextual symbol.

Alfred North Whitehead, mathematician turned philosopher put forth this thought in his lecture, Symbolism: Its Meaning and Effect, and who can disagree. Symbolism has seeped into the arts in such a way that it has become an integral part of most literary works and even general communication. A mere sight of a skull and crossbones figure and you know that there is something that you are being warned against. Roses and images of hearts have become synonymous with love. Different colors have come to symbolize different emotions, for example purple for royalty, green for envy and red for jealousy. But before symbolism penetrated everyday language the way it has, it became a mainstay in the literary world. Symbolism has been a writing method of choice for many authors and writers due to the allowance of subtlety that this literary device enables you with.

According to etymology, symbol literally means something that has been put together. The source of the word is the Greek word sumballein, which refers to the idea of putting things together to contrast them and ultimately became a word that was used for compare. From the word symbol came the concept of symbolism where one object is used to refer to something else. So, when an author or a poet uses one object to refer to a completely different idea, then he or

she is employing symbolism. Symbolism is used in literature to give to the literary work meaning that goes beyond what is evident to the reader. Symbolism helps in giving the piece of writing feeling and mood without the writer having to actually spell out the same. By giving certain things human like characteristics and also defining them with certain qualities, the writer can manage to give the novel another level that may refer to things that are completely alien from what is mentioned in the piece of writing.

In literature, symbolism is an important device for writers. Literary symbols extend meaning beyond the prosaic representation of realities afforded by literal description or extracted through analysis and exposition. According to Barton and Hudson, a literary symbol designates an object or a process that not only serves as an image itself but also refers to a concept or abstract idea that is important to the theme of a work. Harmon notes that there are two broad types of symbol. First, there are symbols that carry a universal meaning. In this case, a sunrise may represent a new beginning or a stream the passage of time. With the second type, an object or process is invested with a particular meaning by an author (Barton and Hudson, 1997: 491-493).

Frye, Baker, and Perkins also distinguish between different kinds of symbols, but they identify three types. First, there are natural symbols that present things not for themselves, but for the ideas people commonly associate with them. Examples are a star to represent hope, a mountain to represent a barrier, or a sun set to represent an ending.

Second, there are conventional symbols. These present things for the meanings people within a particular group have agreed to give them. For example, a national flag may represent patriotism and a badge civil authority. The third kind are literary and are sometimes built upon natural or conventional symbols, adding meanings appropriate primarily with the work at hand, and like the symbols with invested meaning which Harmon identifies, these symbols may sometimes create meanings within a work for things that have no natural or conventional meaning

outside it”. (Frye, Baker, and Perkins, 1985: 452-453).

There are several ways to recognize symbolism in literature. One is the frequency an object or character is mentioned in a piece of literature--if it is mentioned often, it is probably important. Another way to find a symbol is to look at how much detail is used in describing an object. These two methods give clues that the writer wants the readers to infer something about a particular object. According to most definitions, a symbol is an object/person/idea that represents another idea through association or resemblance. When reading, the reader should pay attention to any items, locations, or people that are described with extended details. The author is using these descriptions as a sign. If the author repeats the object or idea, then there is significance to it.

C. Theoretical Framework

After mentioning those theories which related one another, the writer decided to use those theories because they are needed in analyzing the meaning of

needed the theory of characterization which is the way how major character‟s looks like and her characteristics described in the story.

Characterization is also the way to identify the characters through physical description of the character, the dialogue, the character‟s actions, the

character‟s thoughts, and the ways in which he or she get in touch with other characters in the story. Theory of character is also needed because to understand a story, character is the first thing to know; characters are the engine which drive a short story. The character who is going to be characterized here is Elisa Allen, the major character.

Theory of symbol is needed because symbolism is also a key part of poetry with many poets using symbols to express emotions like love, grief, death, anger, jealousy, etc. Understanding symbolism can be difficult because while some writers use very simple imagery to put forward their views, there are authors, playwrights and poets who believe in using multiple symbols and several contexts to play on the symbols they have used. And also, symbolism is what

makes literary works more enchanting to read.

By seeing that theory we can identify easily what the symbol that represents something valuable in the story.

19 CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY

A. Object of the Study

First published in the October, 1937 issue of Harper's, ''The Chrysanthemums'' was included in John Steinbeck's 1938 short story collection,

The Long Valley. In several significant ways, this story of an unhappy marriage is typical of Steinbeck's fiction. It takes place in the Salinas Valley of California, the ''Long Valley'' named in the title of his first short story collection. It concerns a married couple and examines the psychology of the unhappiness their marriage causes. Finally, it contains many vivid images of the seasons, weather, plants, and animals, all of which fascinated the writer his entire life. One of Steinbeck's most

accomplished short stories, “The Chrysanthemums” is about an intelligent,

creative woman coerced into a stifling existence on her husband's ranch. The story appeared in Harper's Magazine in 1937; a revised version, which contained less sexual imagery, was published in the 1938 collection The Long Valley. Many critics believe the story reflected Steinbeck's own sense of frustration, rejection, and loneliness at the time the story was written. Some scholars also have

speculated that the female protagonist of “The Chrysanthemums,” Elisa Allen,

was inspired by Steinbeck's first wife, Carol Henning.

The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck is about a frustrated woman Elisa who feels a strong sense of feminism and loneliness in her life.

She seems to be oppressed by a male-driven society. The title itself depicts as a symbol of the nature of Elisa. It is a story about a marriage which has its limitations. This story gained popularity among the critics and different opinions and views were commented on it.

In his short story "The Chrysanthemums," John Steinbeck presents a narrative rich in symbolism, focusing on the yearnings of a frustrated farm wife. However, it is not simply the tale of an individual woman's oppression, but a commentary on the limitations that faced all women in early twentieth century America. Steinbeck uses both symbolism and setting to create a mood of isolation and longing. The reader is able to understand how a woman comes to feel trapped within her own life, and begins to resist the constraints that are forced upon her. In the end, Steinbeck conveys a sense of hopeless about his main character's plight, and though she may try to rise beyond her position, reality will always intrude and keep her entrenched in a suppressed role. (lotsofessays.com, 2012)

The story tells about a proud, strong woman named Elisa Allen who feels frustrated with her present life. Her frustration stems from not having a child and from her husband's failure to admire her romantically as a woman. The only outlet for her frustration is her flower garden where she cultivates beautiful chrysanthemums. Steinbeck uses chrysanthemums as symbols of the inner-self of Elisa and of every woman. In the second part of the story, the chrysanthemums come to symbolize Elisa's femininity and sexuality. The portrait of Elisa caring for the flowers as though they are her children is clearly a feminine image, but her

masculine image is also observed in her "hard-swept and hard-polished" home. This image is carried over into her relationship with her husband. Elisa feels that Henry doesn't recognize or appreciate her femininity, and this feeling causes her to be antagonistic towards him.

There is an undercurrent of resentment towards her husband. Throughout the story Elisa has built up the idea that she has worth as a woman to society because someone has taken interest in her gardening. At the end of the story, however, Elisa comes to a realization about her current life and situation. When she sees the chrysanthemum tossed on the side of the road she has an epiphany about the events of that day and her life as a whole. Elisa comes to realize that the fix-it man was just using her. She realizes that the man actually had no interest in her, but only for his business. Seeing the chrysanthemum on the side of the road also brings Elisa back into reality.

B. Approach of the Study

This study is deal with symbols revealed through the major character of

“The Chrysanthemum”. Symbol is one of intrinsic elements in literary work. Since the analysis of this study is about symbol, the writer decides to use Formalistic approach. Formalistic approach is an approach regards literature as "a unique form of human knowledge that needs to be examined on its own terms." All the elements necessary for understanding the work are contained within the

work itself. Of particular interest to the formalist critic are the elements of form—

style, structure, tone, imagery, etc.—that are found within the text. (Kennedy and Gioia, 1995: 1790-1818)

A primary goal for formalist critics is to determine how such elements work together with the text's content to shape its effects upon reader.

C. Method of the study

The writer used library research method to support this study. The primary

data were taken from the short story entitled “The Chrysanthemum” by John

Steinbeck. Then the other data were taken from books and internet sources that consist of some theories to analyze the topic that will be shared by the writer from this short story.

First, the writer needed to do the close reading to the main source to get the deepest understanding of the story, especially the parts which became the topic of the research; the major character and the symbol used in it. The writer needs to understand deeper about the character and the symbols in analyzing the short story. Knowing and understanding the details of the story is really important.

Second, the writer read the secondary sources, to collect all of the information which was needed for the process of the research; the short story, the references book, and internet sources. Then the writer will formulate the problem formulations according to the topic that is going to discuss in her research study. The writer had three problem formulations to analyze. First, explaining how the

major character was described in the story, how the symbols are used in the short story, and explaining how the symbols reflect the major character‟s life.

The writer needed to understand well about the main character to get to know the characteristic of the main character itself. Then, the writer will identify the symbols used in the story, analyzed the symbols and proved that the symbol reflects the major character‟s life in the story. The last step, the writer draws a conclusion from her study.

In terms of getting the data about the theory of character and characterization, the writer used the book A Handbook of Literary Terms. While to find theory of symbol, the writer compiles some sources from books and internet.

24 CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

In this chapter, there are three problem formulations will be analyzed by the writer. The first problem is about the description of the major character; Elisa Allen. The second problem is about the symbols are used in the short story, and the third problem is about the reflection of the symbols toward the major

character‟s life.

A. The Description of the Major Character: Elisa Allen.

Elisa Allen is a rancher's wife, an awesome gardener, and a pretty strong lady. But still, she doesn't quite seem happy with her day-to-day life, so when the tinker approaches and the pair strike up their mysterious and revealing conversation, her life changes, maybe forever. When Elisa is first introduced, she's wearing a gender-bending outfit that conceals her body, making "her figure looked blocked and heavy" (p.5). The fact that she's wearing men's clothes might mean that Elisa's the kind of lady who isn't afraid to go against what's expected of a woman. But on the other hand, the clothes, which are manly, could also be seen as oppressing her womanliness by hiding it from the world.

“The Chrysanthemums” is a story about a strong woman; Elisa Allen.

Elisa Allen is the story‟s protagonist, a thirty-five-year-old woman who lives on a ranch in the Salinas Valley with her husband Henry. She is lean and strong, and wears shapeless, functional clothes. The couple has no children, no pets, no near neighbors, and Henry is busy doing chores on the ranch throughout the day.

Elisa fills her hours by vigorously cleaning the “hard-swept looking little house, with hard-polished windows,” and by tending her flower garden. Her life is full of loneliness and frustration. Elisa‟s inner frustration can be seen from her dressing. She is frustrating about her relation with her husband; Henry Allen. But here, she tries to define her role as a woman through gardening and her

efforts to show off woman‟s power in male-dominated society. Her husband does not pay attention to her. She feels lonely and unhappy with her life, especially her marital life. Her husband is a rancher. He is always working the cattle in their farm; because of her husband job she never has enough attention from her husband. She also does not have children in her marital life with her husband. Because of that, the solution of her frustration is taking care of her flower garden where there is a beautiful chrysanthemum. She loves her chrysanthemum a lot. Like her children, she gives her love, care and attention to her lovely flower. Elisa feels more enjoy in gardening than her relationship with her husband.

It is written in the short story,

“…Her face was lean and strong and her eyes were as clear as water. Her

figure looked blocked and heavy in her gardening costume, a man‟s black

hat pulled down over her eyes, clod-hopper shoes, a figured print dress almost completely covered by a big corduroy apron with four big pockets to hold the snips, the trowel and scratcher, the seeds and the knife she worked with. She wore heavy leather gloves to protect her hands while she worked...” (p.5)

She is ignored by her husband. This ignorance causes her to take care of her beautiful chrysanthemum than her husband who does not care about her. The

chrysanthemum, “… I wish you‟d work out in the orchard and raise some apples

that big…” (p.10). Henry Allen is Elisa‟s husband, a hard-working and successful small-scale rancher. As the story opens, he has completed the sale of thirty steer, and he wants to celebrate with Elisa. He suggests an evening in town, with dinner and a movie, and compliments her on her gardening skills. But there is no intimacy in his talk; the two are serious and formal with each other, and when Henry attempts a bit of humor Elisa does not understand it. As the couple prepares to leave for town, Henry can see that something is bothering his wife, but he cannot guess what it is and everything he says is wrong. In the face of her strange mood he blunders, he is bewildered and speaks helplessly. He is a good man, and he wants to make her happy, but he does not know what she needs. Knowing that

her husband does not show his interest in Elisa‟s chrysanthemum, Elisa feels that her husband does not really appreciate her and does not have interest in her too. She feels that Henry does not recognize her femininity and her beauty. Henry does

not able to understand Elisa‟s needs as a woman.

One of the major weaknesses of Elisa Allen is her misconception that changing her physical appearances and mannerisms, to become more masculine, makes her appear stronger; when in actuality it emphasizes her true feelings of weakness. For example, when Elisa is gardening she wears a costume, which includes: a man's hat, clodhopper shoes, a print dress that is covered by a large corduroy apron, and heavy leather gloves-all of which make her figure look blocked and heavy. Although Elisa feels that by dressing in this manly fashion she will be considered equal to men in a man's world, she is still seen by the men as

just an average house wife. Another example of her attempts to hide her feminine qualities is while she is tending to her garden. Steinbeck describes Elisa as "over-eager" and "over-powerful" when she had control of the short and powerful scissors, and when she is seen destroying the aphids, sow bugs, snails, and cutworms of her garden with her terrier fingers. Clearly, Elisa is over-compensating, using more power than needed (or used by a female) to kill the pests living in her garden.

In this story, the author also mentioned another character who makes Elisa changed her looks for a while; the tinker. The man is a tinker who travels up and down the coast every year with a horse-drawn wagon bearing the

legend “Pots, pans, knives, scissors, lawn mores, Fixed.” He is large, with

careworn face and hands and a dirty suit. Because he depends on his salesmanship to earn his living, he is skillful at bantering small talk, but his friendly laughter is only superficial. Elisa has no work for him and is about to send him away when he notices the chrysanthemums and gets her to talk about them. Instantly her tone changed. She becomes enthusiastic, and she finds some work for him to do. When she finds her discarded chrysanthemums on the road that evening, Elisa realizes that his interest in the flowers was insincere, simply a way to win her over. When the traveling tinker comes along and talks about his wandering habits, she begins to think about how limited her life is, and she longs for adventure. The idea that her chrysanthemums will be shared with a stranger who will appreciate them gratifies her, makes her think that in a small way she is part of a larger world.

When the man betrays her by throwing away the chrysanthemums, he makes it clear that her world extends only as far as the boundaries of the ranch.

When the tinker approaches her, Elisa feels interested in him. Elisa feels that way because the tinker shows her that he is interested in her flower. The

tinker says, “…Kind of a long-stemmed flower? Looks like a quick puff of colored smoke…That‟s it. What a nice way to describe them…” (p.50).When the tinker says that, Elisa feels appreciated and attractive to him.

After the tinker leaves, she feels confident about herself,

“… and then she scrubbed herself with a little block of pumice, leg and

thighs, loins and chest and arms, until her skin was scratched and red… after a while she began to dress, slowly. She put on her newest

underclothing and her nicest stockings…she worked carefully on her hair, penciled her eyebrows and rouged her lips…” (p.93-94)

She applies her make up slowly. She hopes that her husband will pay attention to her and recognize her needs as a woman and wife; love, care, attention

and romance. But, Elisa‟s hope is quickly shattered when she heard Henry‟s comments on her change, “… you look strong enough to break a calf over your

knee, happy enough to eat it like a watermelon…” (p.103), and also her hope is really shattered when she sees her chrysanthemum that he gave to the tinker is on the road. She feels frustrated and devastated by the way of the tinker towards her chrysanthemum. In the end, she is as she was; back to who is she at the first. Elisa Allen struggles to characterize her position as a woman in a very close society. Her environment portrays the social depression, while the garden shows her power and masculine. Elisa has trouble extending this power outside the fence that

surrounds her garden. She finally learns but not acknowledges that she possesses a fragile feminine power, not the masculine one she had attempted to attain.

B. The Symbols Used in “The Chrysanthemums”

As the writer mentioned before, there are two main symbols in this

short story that reflected the major character‟s life. In this part, the writer is

going to identifies what the symbols are used by the author as a reflection of the

major character‟s life. By seeing and analyzing the descripstion about the major character, the setting and some other parts in the short story, the writer finds that

there are two symbols that used by the author in describing major character‟s life. This story, “The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck depicts multiple

ideas that embodies the reader with symbols or ideas that could be identified in multiple aspects.

There are the two significant symbols in this short story, they are the

title itself, “The Chrysanthemums” and the setting that the author used, Salinas

Valley. As the writer mentioned before in previous chapter, there are several ways to recognize symbolism in literary works. The first characteristic is that an object or character is mentioned often, because it is probably important. The other way to find a symbol is to look at how much detail is used in describing an object. These two methods give clues that the writer wants the readers notice something about a particular object, which are the symbols. A symbol is an object/person/idea that represents another idea through association or resemblance. When reading, the reader should pay attention to any items,

locations, or people that are described with extended details. The author is using these descriptions as a sign. If the author repeats the object or idea, then there is significance to it.

In Steinbeck‟s The Chrysanthemums, it is found that Elisa Allen of the Salinas Valley was quite an interesting character. The story starts with Elisa, a thirty-five year old woman, in her garden cutting down the old year‟s chrysanthemum stalks with a short pair of scissors. Steinbeck described her as a

seemingly strong woman. “Her face was eager and mature and handsome; even her work with the scissors was over-eager, over-powerful.” (p.6). After a brief

encounter with her husband, Elisa‟s character seemed to be underrated or

disrespected by her husband. In a way she seemed lonely and starving for

attention but she didn‟t show it.

The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck is a story that is set in the Salinas Valley. Most of the setting is described on the first page of the story. It is winter in the Salinas Valley, which is described as being all black grey and cracked; it is also mid-December. The surrounding areas are mostly pastoral. Later in the story though, signs of the time period, the great depression, John

Steinbeck‟s use of these settings are a part of the overall plot and circumstances his characters are in. They are meant to show desperation and to add emphasis to the hard times that were felt around them. With the introduction of the story the narrator paints a picture of the landscape.

“The high grey-flannel fog of winter closed off the Salinas Valley

been used to set the atmosphere, it shows the reader to see how trapped Elisa is

without her own knowledge. As Henry, Elisa‟s husband, talks about her

chrysanthemums she suggests working in the orchard, her request is immediately ignored as if the idea of a woman in the orchard were completely out of the question.

The way of she cares about her flower shows her escapement from her unhappy marital life with her husband, her childlessness, her unfulfilled desires, and her role as a woman. The most intense would be the appreciation or lack of for females as well as the dominance of females in this time period and region. Though as a woman she is expected to have feminine qualities, Elisa is separate from that stereotype.

C. The Symbols As the Reflection Of the Major Character’s Life

In general terms, symbol is anything that stands for something else. Obvious examples are flags, which symbolize a nation; the cross is a symbol for Christianity; Uncle Sam a symbol for the United States. In literature, a symbol is expected to have significance. An action, person, place, word, or object can all have a symbolic meaning. When an author wants to suggest a certain mood or emotion, he can also use symbolism to hint at it.

Symbolism is often used by writers to enhance their writing. Symbolism can give a literary work more richness and color and can make the meaning of the work deeper. In literature, symbolism can take many forms including a figure of speech where an object, person, or situation has another meaning other

than its literal meaning and the actions of a character, word, action, or event that have a deeper meaning in the context of the whole story. A metaphor is a figure of speech that uses symbolism. It compares two things that are not similar and shows that they actually do have something in common. In a metaphor, there is an additional meaning to a word. This makes it an example of symbolism. Our language contains an immense number of symbols whose intended meaning or significance is well-known and accepted by the majority. Of course, many of these do wind up in books, magazines, stories, and other written works. Even flowers can have a symbolism; roses stand for romance, lilies stand for beauty and temptation, and chrysanthemums represent perfection. Symbolism, as people can see, can be found almost anywhere. Any time there is something that represents more than its literal meaning, this can be an example of symbolism.

In the short story, “The Chrysanthemum,” John Steinbeck effectively uses symbols to help the reader understand the story‟s plot and obtain insight into the characters‟ thoughts and feeling, especially the major character, Elisa Allen. As

the major character of the story, Elisa Allen is thirty-five-year-old woman, who serves as the channel in which most of these symbols are used. In this story, Elisa Allen feels neglected and ignored by her husband, Henry Allen, who is working as

a rancher. Henry shows Elisa that he doesn‟t care about her. He shows his little

affection and attention to his wife.

After describing the characteristics of the major character, Elisa Allen in

discuss about the symbols that are used in the short story in order to find what the symbols reflects to the major character, Elisa Allen. There are two main symbols

that the writer is going to analyzed, the title itself “The Chrysanthemums”, and the

setting, Salinas Valley.

1. Chrysanthemums and Elisa

The first symbol is the title of the story, “The Chrysanthemums”. Elisa herself is symbolized by the chrysanthemums; she explicitly associates herself with her lovely flowers. Like Elisa, the chrysanthemums are lovely, strong, and thriving. Elisa is main character of the story being told, along with her prized flowers; the chrysanthemums. Steinbeck introduced Elisa to the reader as a thirty-five year old woman who possesed a face that was “lean and strong”, “her

figure looked blocked and heavy...” (p.5). The first introduction to Elisa Allen is

a harsh one, being that she seems so crude and unattractive. While tending to her garden, she gets some dirt on herself and does not take notice of it and nor does it bother her. Through those simple factors, Elisa can be depicted as manly and not concerned with much except for her garden. John Steinbeck brings

symbolism into play to represent Elisa Allen‟s frustations and hidden passions. Isolation is another representation through symbolism found in “The Chrysanthemums”.

Elisa is a country housewife. She is semi-distant from her husband and greatly distant from the world around her. She is a homebody, meaning that she rarely leaves the boundaries of her home and she has a lot of time and energy

being built up. She uses some of this energy to clean up her house, but most of it is spent on her flower garden. Her garden is a place of solitude. It‟s her own little world where she can let herself go and be the person that she wants to be. Her feminine side is brought out in her garden, the nurturer for the chrysanthemums, and a mother almost to them. When the tinkerer comes to her home and into her garden he shows interest in her chrysanthemums. She takes this also as an interest in her as well. The garden in other words is a symbol for her femininity and womanhood. The limitations and tidy confinement of both

her home and the chrysanthemum‟s flower are symbolized by her care of the

flowers. The chrysanthemum flowers symbolize Elisa Allen‟s feminine side. As

she maintains and cares for her chrysanthemums, it represents her attempts to maintain her feminine aspects. If she was to let the chrysanthemums die, it represents the death of her sense of self and make her into an empty woman. The chrysanthemum represents her giving up a part of herself.

Firstly, the flower represents Elisa‟s unfulfilled needs. The story makes us understand that Elisa has no social life. She has no friends to visit and she rarely has people come over. The only people she sees are the cattle buyers who come occasionally. Her life is limited to the valley, more precisely her home which she shares with her husband, Henry Allen. Elisa‟s feeling of social isolation changes when she comes into contact with the pot mender who expresses some interest in her chrysanthemum garden and when she hears that some other person down the roads has been looking for some as well. Both Henry and Elisa give the impression of a compatible couple, despite the fact that their way of

communicating is really strict and serious. Elisa and Henry Allen seem to share a conventional, benign, and therefore unsatisfying marriage. Their ranchland home is neatly divided into masculine (the orchard/farm) and feminine spheres (the garden/house) and it seems when the two cross, as when Henry leans over Elisa's garden fence, there is a sense of awkwardness, not passion or understanding. The chrysanthemums are also seen as a symbol for her heart. Her existence seemed drab, dull and inevitable. She wanted to travel the world but she knew that she should not leave her husband. She felt that her husband was not taken enough care of her personally, so she took care of herself in the form of her chrysanthemums. She meticulously trimmed them and transplated them with intense care. The type of care that she felt was missing from her marriage with her husband. Elisa‟s marriage neither fills her time nor fulfills her desires.

The flower represented any of Elisa Allen‟s dreams of having some worth to society as a woman. Elisa explicitly identifies herself with the flowers, even saying that she becomes one with the plants when she tends to them. When the tinker notices the chrysanthemums, Elisa visibly brightens, just as if he had noticed her instead. She offers the chrysanthemums to him at the same time she offers herself, both of which he ignores and tosses aside. His rejection of the flowers also mimics the way society has rejected women as nothing more than mothers and housekeepers. Just like her, the flowers are unobjectionable and also unimportant: both are merely decorative and add little value to the world. When she sees the flowers lying on the road, these dreams are shattered and ruined as is

the flower. This kind of action leaves Elisa feels rejected and emotionally depressed. The flowers have been used to symbolize Elisa's soft and delicate character. The author compares Elisa's character with the Chrysanthemums who both have a strong and rough exterior but deep inside have a compelling sense of beauty. The Chrysanthemums represent her repressed feelings and desires. Not much is worse than feeling all alone in the world, feeling like no one cares or understands. The complete emptiness of being solitary for long periods of time is enough to drive someone crazy; enough to make up imaginary people living within the confines of a room. It is enough to force an older woman to put complete confidence in a stranger that probably doesn't care at all. Lack of attention from a husband can be one of the worst forms of loneliness for a woman to endure. She feels deeply concerned about her flowers and symbolically speaking, she needs her internal beauty to blossom. “The Chrysanthemums” describes the inner longings of Elisa Allen, the wife of a rancher, who feels an unconscious need to display her usefulness in a way more meaningful than the simple farming life she leads will allow. The flowers become an important symbol of the deep and intimate interaction with nature and life that her ordinary life and relationships seem to lack. Steinbeck uses chrysanthemums as symbols of the inner-self of Elisa and of every woman. Initially, Elisa is shown working diligently in her flower garden. Her figure is described as blocked and heavy because she is wearing heavy gloves, heavy shoes, a man's black hat, and a big apron that hides her printed dress. Her home has the masculine qualities of being hard-swept and hard-polished. Elisa is bored

with her husband and with her life. Yet unfortunately her husband, Henry Allen does not understand her mind; his interest is focused not on the point that she likes to grow it but on the possibility of making money with the help of her great inborn skill. Henry describes Elisa's talents with her garden as a gift. Elisa describes this innate ability as planting hands in her attempt to explain her connection to her garden to the traveling handyman.

Elisa Allen is a woman who is unhappy and lonely in her marriage. Her husband is regularly attending to the cattle and the farm, Elisa is left alone with her chrysanthemums. Elisa is described as not caring too much about her

appearance because she feels no one will pay attention anyway. , “Her face lean and strong…Her figure looked blocked and heavy in her gardening costume, a

man‟s black hat pulled down over her eyes.” (p.5). Henry is the root cause for Elisa's lack of fulfillment. In all their interactions, he fails to give her what she needs to be happy.

The other representation of the flower is that the chrysanthemums symbolize Elisa's children. She is childlesness woman. She tends her garden and handles the chrysanthemums with love and care, just as she would handle her own children. The way of Elisa treats her flowers shows the childlessness side in her marital life with her husband. The way she cares for her flowers, is the way she would take care of her children, since they replace her non-existent kids. She sees the chrysanthemums as a replacement for not only children, but also for her

disturbing, as her unstable nature has much to do with her husband‟s lack of

understanding his wife. The way she nurtures her flowers also portrays how her children will be handled. The fact that Elisa is childless suggests that she needs more fulfillments in her life. She wishes to take care of someone, and since she has no one other than Henry, who does not seem much of help for her, she transfers these maternal instincts to her flowers. She spends a great amount of time tending to her chrysanthemums, which could represent the time that she could be spending on taking care of her family, or potential children.

Elisa is very protective of her flowers and places a wire fence around them; she makes sure no aphids, no sow bugs or snails or cutworms are there. Just as any good mother, she removes them before they can harm her children. The chrysanthemums are symbolic of her children, and she is very proud of them. The portrait of Elisa caring for the flowers as though they are her children is clearly a feminine image, but her masculine image is also observed in her hard-swept and hard-polished home. Elisa, who is 35, is nearly beyond child bearing age and it is apparent that she has no children, which may be symbolic of sexual dissatisfaction in the marriage. Instead, Elisa seems to have channeled her creative desires into the raising of her chrysanthemums. Elisa, repressed and unfulfilled, whether through her husband's doing or her own, is primed to be taken advantage of by the handyman who expresses what appears to her to be a genuine interest in her talents. Elisa exposes her vulnerabilities to this man and though she is temporarily empowered, ends up feeling weak and old once she realizes she has been dumped.

This image is carried over into her relationship with her husband. Elisa feels that Henry doesn't recognize or appreciate her femininity, and this feeling causes her to be antagonistic towards him. The chrysanthemums symbolize her sexuality, and she tears off the battered hat and shakes out her dark pretty hair. With a few well-placed words from the tinker, her masculine image has been replaced with a feminine one. By giving him the red flower pot with the chrysanthemums, she gives him the symbol of her inner-self. She begins to feel hope for herself and her marriage as the tinker leaves. In the lavish care and attention she gives to her chrysanthemums, John Steinbeck is symbolizing her desire for a child or her inability to have one. Elisa‟s flowers themselves are

symbols for what Elisa doesn‟t have in her life. Elisa is childless and lacks the

boldness and color which the flowers have. Her frustration stems from not having a child and from her husband's failure to admire her romantically as a woman.

Through symbolism in "The Chrysanthemums," John Steinbeck creates a sexually repressed and discouraged Elisa Allen who is isolated from society however still retaining their values and is also trapped in a fruitless marriage. Their marriage is childless and conventional and she has begun to sense that an important part of her is dying and that her future will be predictable and mundane. Elisa is a barren woman who has transferred her maternal impulses to her garden, a garden full of unborn seedlings. She is very devoted to her chrysanthemums, which could be used as an attempt to fill the void of her

loveless, childless marriage. There is no indication that she has a bad or abusive marriage, but it is undoubtedly an unhappy one.

2. Salinas Valley

As the writer mentioned before, one of the way to recognize something as a symbol is by seeing and paying attention to to any items, locations, or people that are described with extended details. The other symbol is found through the setting used in this story, Salinas Valley. John Steinbeck choose the seetting of

the story to take place in Salina‟s Valley, being the same that he was born. Even

at the very beginning of the story, symbolism is represented through the location of the story taking place.

Women have always been viewed to be inferior in everyday society. Because of this stereotyping, women have been given limits and boundaries to what they are able to do. Married women especially have these issues to which they are confined within the gender roles they must play. This, however, has not prevented women from attempting to step past and overcome these boundaries and stereotypes. John Steinbeck uses symbolism, characterization, and conflict in

his work “The Chrysanthemums” to support the controlling idea of the limitations

of a married woman.

The other symbol that the writer found is the setting of the story, Salinas Valley. The description of Salinas Valley in this story gives an idea of women‟s role. The Chrysanthemums, by John Steinbeck, is set in the beautiful valley of

49

Online Sources:

The Symbolism of The Chrysanthemums. StudyMode.com. Retrieved 11, 2007. <http://www.studymode.com/>

<http://www.academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/> (August 7, 2012) <www.lotsofessays.com/The Chrysanthemums> (October 21, 2012) "Symbolism in The Chrysanthemums". Anti Essays. 24 Oct. 2012

<http://www.antiessays.com>

<http://www.religionfacts.com/> (April 14, 2010)

<http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_a_hand_kiss_symbolize>

<http://web.mst.edu/~gdoty/classes/concepts-practices/def-symbols.html>

<http://www.schoolsucks.com/paper/Chrysanthemums-By-John-Steinbeck/13040.html> (April 24, 2011)

<http://www.antiessays.com/free-essays/103579.html> (July 14, 2011) <http://www.storybites.com/literary-terms/characterization-in-literature.php>

50 APPENDIX

Appendix: Summary of John Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums”.

The story opens peacefully. Elisa Allen is alone, tending her garden. Not only is she alone but the farm itself, even the Salinas Valley, seems to be isolated. High dark fog rises all around the valley walls, its flannel-like texture shutting this small world off and isolating it so that we are forced to peer closely into it for small signs of life. There is no sun in the valley, and the cold December sky seems to have dropped like a lid onto the top of the valley. The earth is colored unnaturally dark, like metal; the fields hold no crops, only stiff stubble, and there is only thick scrub along the riverbanks.

Elisa is a middle-aged married woman, who lives on her husband‟s, Henry, ranch. She is a very simple woman who takes great pleasure in caring for her flowers. Henry is often away at work and Elisa is left alone, which is why her flowers mean so much to her. Elisa Allen's hands move eagerly, almost too eagerly and too powerfully for the small chrysanthemum stems. At work is a woman who seems trapped beneath her heavy work clothes. She lives alone with her husband; she has no children, and has transplanted her energies into creating substitutes for her lack of children raising immense chrysanthemums. Elisa feels neglected by her husband, Henry, who is always working cattle on their foothill ranch. He shows her little affection and attention, which causes her to become a very strong and determined looking woman: "Her face was lean and strong and her eyes were as clear as water. Her figure looked blocked and heavy in her

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gardening costume, a man's black hat pulled low down over her eyes". This strong look serves as a barrier to her inner feelings of insecurity. Elisa turns to cherish and nurture the chrysanthemums, a symbol of her true beauty, as a result of her strained marriage.

While Elisa was working in the garden, she saw a man go by. On the side of his wagon it read “Pots, Pans, Knives, Scissors, Lawn mores. Fixed”. As the wagon turned down the drive, Elisa was very apprehensive about talking to the man. He asked if she had anything he could fix and she declined. He noticed her flowers and began to comment on them. She thought he sounded interested in her chrysanthemums and she let her guard down. As they were talking, the man brought up the topic of a lady down the way that had wanted chrysanthemums in her garden. Elisa decided to give him a pot with the stalks in it and he would deliver it to her. She went into great detail as to how to care for them. She also prides herself on the fact that she has gardener‟s hands which was something her mother had. She decides to find some pots for him to fix so he could eat that night. He fixes her pots and then heads off down the road to deliver the flowers. After the man left, Elisa realized the man had conned her into thinking he really cared by talking about her flowers. She was disappointed for not sticking to her word and letting herself become so open to a stranger.

Elisa then goes inside to get ready for dinner in town. As she showers, she scrubbed herself with a little stone of pumice, legs and thighs, loins and chest and arms, until her skin was scratched and red. This description illustrates how Elisa

was trying to wash away her feminine flaws of opening up and giving in. When her husband arrives, he comments on how beautiful she looks; only this was not what she wanted to hear. She had just scrubbed away her womanly beauty and she did not want to be thought of as beautiful. On their way to dinner, Elisa notices a speck ahead on the side of the road. As they passed she realized it was her chrysanthemums that the man had thrown off the wagon. She then knew that the man did not care for her offering or the effort she put into it, but only the money he received.

At the end of the story, Elisa breaks down and begins to cry. She turned up her collar so he could not see that she was crying weakly-like an old woman. This leads us to believe that Elisa is afraid to show emotion to her husband because this might make him think less of her and she wants to be treated equal. By showing this emotion, it makes her feel like she will never escape the title that society has put on her, merely for being a woman.

xi ABSTRACT

SILVIA GALUH OKTAVIANI (2012). The Symbols As the Reflection of the Major Character’s Life in John Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums”. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University.

“The Chrysanthemums” is a short story written by John Steinbeck which was first published in 1937. The short story tells about a woman named Elisa Allen who feels frustrated with her present life. Her frustration stems from not having a child and from her husband's failure to treats her romantically as a woman. She cares for the house and cares for her garden, but she has a desolate life. The only outlet for her frustration is her flower garden where she cultivates beautiful chrysanthemums. Elisa's flowers mean everything to her and she cares for them as if they are her children.

This thesis writing has some purposes. First, to describe the major character‟s characterization. Second, to explain the symbols used by the author to give reflections about the major character‟s life. Third, to find out the reflections which are shown by the usage of the symbols in describing the major character‟s life.

To accomplish this study, the writer applies library research method and formalistic approach. The writer takes the primary data from “The Chrysanthemums”. The secondary data are taken from some theories related to the topic of the study, such as theory of character and characterization, and also theory of simbol.

The writer finds that the major character in this short story is described as a frustated woman because of her unhappiness in her life, marital life. She is not happy because her husband does not fulfill her needs as a woman. She has no child even. She feels trapped with the situation at that time, male-dominated society. The writer finds out that the flower she cares for and the place where she lived are the things that symbolizes herself. From the that two things, the writer finds out that the flower is symbolize her beauty, her careness and her needs of having a child. And the place where she lived is symbolize her role as a woman which is trapped by the role of male-dominated at that time.

xii ABSTRAK

SILVIA GALUH OKTAVIANI (2012). The Symbols As the Reflection of the Major Character’s Life in John Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums”. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University.

“The Chrysanthemums” adalah cerita pendek yang ditulis oleh John Steinbeck yang pertama kali diterbitkan pada tahun 1937. Cerita pendek ini mengisahkan tentang wanita bernama Elisa, yang merasa putus asa dalam hidupnya. Keputusasaannya disebabkan karena ia tidak memiliki anak dan kegagalan suaminya dalam memperlakukannya sebagaimana layaknya seorang wanita. Ia merawat kebun bunga dan rumahnya dengan baik, tetapi ia merasa kesepian. Satu-satunya jalan keluar dari keputusasaannya adalah kebun bunga yang ia miliki dimana ia bisa menanam bunga krisan kesayangannya.

Tujuan dari studi ini adalah, pertama untuk mendeskripsikan karakteristik si karakter utama. Kedua, untuk menjelaskan simbol apa saja yang digunakan oleh pengarang untuk memberikan cerminan tentang kehidupan karakter utama. Ketiga, untuk menemukan cerminan dan gambaran yang dapat dilihat dari penggunaan simbol dalam menggambarkan kehidupan karakter utama.

Untuk menyempurnakan studi ini, penulis melakukan studi pustaka dan menggunakan pendekatan formalistik. Penulis mengambil data pokok dari cerita pendek “ The Chrysanthemums” dan beberapa teori yang bersangkutan dgn topik studi ini, seperti teori tokoh dan penokohan dari teori tentang simbol.

Penulis menemukan bahwa karakter utama dalam cerita pendek ini digambarkan sebagai seorang wanita yang putus asa karena dia tidak bahagia dalam kehidupan pernikahannya. Dia tidak memiliki anak dan suaminya tidak mampu memenuhi kebutuhannya sebagai seorang wanita. Dia merasa terjebak dalam situasi pada waktu itu, dimana peran laki-laki lebih mendominasi. Penulis menemukan bahwa bunga yang ia rawat dan tempat ia tinggal adalah hal-hal yang mencerminkan dirinya. Dari dua hal tersebut, penulis menemukan bahwa bunga yang ia rawat itu merupakan simbol dari keindahan, kepedulian, dan kebutuhannya akan hadirnya seorang anak. Dan tempat di mana ia tinggal menyimbolkan perannya sebagai wanita yang terjebak oleh peran laki-laki yang mendominasi saat itu.