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
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
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"
v
THIS UNDERGRADUATE THESIS IS DEDICATED TO
My Almighty Lord, Jesus Christ
My Beloved Parents
My Little Sister
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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.
viii
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.
x
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI ... vi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ... vii
1. Theory of Character and Characterization ... 11
2. Theory of Symbol ... 13
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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
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.
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.
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”.
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
"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
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
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
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.
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
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.
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).
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.
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.
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)
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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
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
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
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.
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”.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Salinas, California, during a time when California was the land of plenty. A place where dust storms and drought were unheard of, where water was plentiful and the air sprinkled with the sweet smell of fruit blossoms. It‟s a time when simple people farm the land and struggle to find a place for themselves in the world. Elisa Allen is at a point in her life where she has begun to realize that her energy and creative drive far exceed what life has offered her. The story takes place in the Salinas Valley in December at Henry Allen's ranch in the foothills. Immediately, we're placed in a rural setting, where women are isolated and men are manly. The story begins by introducing the setting: “The high grey-flannel fog of winter closed off the Salinas Valley from the sky and the rest of the world...of the great valley a closed pot.” (p.1), this quote about how the Salinas valley is closed off from the world is a symbol of the struggle that Elisa is soon to face. This vivid illustration unconsciously gives the reader a look into the dominating theme,
Elisa‟s loneliness.
Salinas Valley symbolizes the life in which Elisa trapped. The description of the location is one of confinement and entrapment, which symbolizes Elisa
Allen‟s inability to break out of her social role or location. The Salinas Valley
symbolizes Elisa‟s emotional life. The story opens with a lengthy description of
great valley a closed pot. The closed lid to the pot represents Elisa‟s limits of her
life in great valley where she lives, unable to exceed past the farm‟s boundaries.
We also learn that although there is sunshine nearby, no light penetrates the valley. Sunshine is often associated with happiness, and the implication is that while people near her are happy, Elisa is not. It is December, and the prevailing atmosphere in the valley is chilly and watchful but not yet devoid of hope. This description of the weather and the general spirits of the inhabitants of the valley applies equally well to Elisa, who is like a fallow field: quiet but not beaten down or unable to grow. What first seems to be a lyrical description of a valley in
California is revealed to be a rich symbol of Elisa‟s claustrophobic, unhappy, yet
hopeful inner life.
So there are three settings at work here. We have the larger context of a changing world, where women's rights are central, but still few and far between.
Her husband, Henry Allen, is a well meaning and essentially good man and is quite pleased to be able to make a decent living. Her marriage is reasonably happy and there is an easy banter between the two of them. While they have settled into a fairly familiar and ordinary routine, they are still responsive to each
clothes and pays great attention to her face and hair in anticipation. Henry compliments her again on how nice she looks though is bewildered by her actions and responses. She seems almost like a different woman. Her happy contentment will be dashed when she spots the tiny chrysanthemum shots lying on the road. The tinker dumped them out but kept the pot. His attention to her and her flowers was false. He only wanted to flatter her into giving him some business. The meeting with the tinker renews Elisa's feelings of femininity and sexuality as a woman. Her resistance to his mundane matters disappears after the tinker romantically describes the chrysanthemums as a quick puff of colored smoke. By admiring the chrysanthemums, he figuratively admires her. With a few well-placed words from the tinker, her masculine image has been rewell-placed with a feminine one. By giving him the red flower pot with the chrysanthemums, she gives him the symbol of her inner-self. The social image of women is symbolized
by the tinker‟s rejection of Elisa Allen‟s offer of chrysanthemums and herself:
both of the flowers and women are perceived as something worthless, to be discarded or ignored. She's stuck in a relationship or situation that isn't fully loving and fulfilling as well.
45
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION
This story contains some very powerful contextual symbols. Reflective of the title, the most important symbol are the chrysanthemums, representative of
Elisa‟s true personality. In the conclusion the writer would like to summarize that the main problem of Elisa is that she was not knowing exactly was she was looking for. She was feeling dissatisfaction with her life, but was not looking for the roots of that dissatisfaction. And even though tinker made her feel sexually attractive and gave her the possibility to feel that her flowers are needed and could impact to the society, in the long run, when she got disillusioned, it hurt her even more, as she was left again face to face with herself.
Elisa‟s energetic character appears to be incompatible with the
The setting of the story is at the valley of Salinas, California. Even though it seems like such beautiful scenery, the location seems so isolated. This can give the reader an idea of why she feels so isolated from the rest of the world. The fence around her garden also keeps her trapped by dividing her garden from her husband. And also, when an itinerant tinker happens by, Elisa's latent yearnings are awakened for the larger life that men enjoy of significant work, adventure, and sexual expression; and when she entrusts the tinker with cuttings from her chrysanthemums, she, in effect, reaches out to the wider world. But the tinker dumps her flowers in the public thoroughfare, thus rejecting her gesture toward a larger life, and she remains a pitiable victim of male domination and female disadvantage.
Elisa is clearly painted as a weak character. She is a lonely and detached woman. The chrysanthemums created a distraction from her loneliness, her isolation because of the fence around her, and the feelings of inadequacy. Towards the end she questions whether or not she is strong. John Steinbeck provides a clear insight into Elisa and her garden of chrysanthemums. Henry places a protective hold on Elisa, just as she is possessive over her chrysanthemums. Elisa started out as strong, but ended up as weak and somewhat resentful to the fact.
48
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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.
