THE EDUCATION OF ELISA ALLEN: ANOTHER READING OF JOHN STEINBECK'S "THE
CHRYSANTHEMUMS"
Author(s): William Osborne
Source: Interpretations, Vol. 8, No. 1 (1976), pp. 10-15
Published by: Scriptorium Press
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OF ELISA ALLEN:
ANOTHER
EDUCATION
OF JOHN STEINBECK'S
READING
"THE CHRYSANTHEMUMS"
THE
appeared one of John Steinbeck's most
In The Long Valley (1938)
"The
Chrysanthemums."
received
story, it has nevertheless
some
of
these
the
interpretations,
concerning
general
highly
divergent
the nature
of Elisa
the
value
of the story and some
Allen,
concerning
and
of
the
variant
critics
by
present
readings
past
protagonist.
Typical
and
popular
durable
anthology
short
uncomplicated
Seemingly
an
are
offered
those
Warren
Beach
and
Kenneth
Joseph
Payson
"The
of comparison
Chrysanthemums"
worthy
it "arbitrary,
and
finds
self
writing,1
Kempton
by
finds
Beach
Kempton.
with
Chekhov's
and
impelled,
unreal."2
Though
that
as
disagreements
In
Kempton.
of these
some
to resolve
The
some
crucial
husband,
mutual
...
Henry.
than
alone
in the work
study,
and
disagreements
of the central
an
of such
will
attempt
as Beach
critics
be
made
and
to examine
to suggest
a reading
which
might help
by the different
analyses.
posed
Beach
and Kempton
lies in their
and her relationship
to her
personality
problems
between
of dissent
of Elisa
and
arty, muddy,
annoyingly
one text of the story exists in
cannot
account
for
such
basic
effect
more
found
present
area
its
that
reason
those
the
interpretations
Allen's
"one
and
finds this relationship
of confidence
while
writes
of her "tenseness"
(p. 311),
Kempton
finds
her "possibly
husband"
impotent
(p. 123). Beach
trait in
feminine
sees a masculine
(p. 311), but Kempton
Beach
respect"
she is with
when
her refined
her
fuzzy work
it is true
today,3
print
pieces,
and
and
personality
(p. 123).
that
suggests
she
may
be
for "manliness"
longing
That
a frustrated
woman
both writers
Beach
Elisa
is basically
agree.
an unsatisfied
for some
longing
way of life less
says that she "harbors
settled
than that of the rancher's
wife, something
typified by the shabby
in
the stars"
tinker
his
underneath
camping
wagon
(p. 312).
nightly
find
cannot
Kempton
and
frustration,
criticizes
in
anywhere
Steinbeck
the
for
many blind alleys:
story
leading
a
source
the
for
reader
Elisa's
down
in one way or another,
but
is constantly
herself
[Elisa]
defeating
know
....
why and over what issue only God and Mr. Steinbeck
at least, that she longs for something.
But whether
it is
We know,
life of the tinker,
or
the freedom
by the nomadic
suggested
or manliness
children
by her care of the young plants,
symbolized
in her strength
and her masochistic
indicated
by her delight
sex life hinted at by
of her body in the bath, or a normal
scrubbing
her tenseness
with
when
her possibly
or
husband,
impotent
as
her
merely
Ignorant
we can't
lost
of the
know
youth
desire
what
as
that
the
implied
at
the
end—who
her and creates
opposes
story means
(p. 123).
can
say?
frustration,
10
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too
On
the
Beach
and
we
contrary,
story,
will
account
for
the
and
know
and
the
about
agree
us what
given
the
and though
means,
or worth
of the
meaning
for an interpretation
that
story
is requisite
of such criticism.
Steinbeck
novels:
romantic
what
not
disparity
is one that
Chrysanthemums"
his stories,
plays,
sensitive
can
do
Kempton
Steinbeck
has
The
theme
of "The
to use
and again
in
again
effect of a utilitarian
on the
society
At the root of Elisa's
frustration
is
the
individual.
was
her
of who she is and what her relationship
to her society
uncertainty
should
which
seems
to be a peculiarly
modern
one.
be, a problem
Pioneer
for example,
seldom
their identities
or
women,
questioned
their
value.
The
combination
their child-producing
of their scarcity,
and
potential,
Steinbeck
their
such
them
value
and
status.
gave
in a culture
woman
in which
physical
strength
Elisa
as a post-pioneer
has far less value,
presents
a combination
because
machines
have
largely
Elisa
is childless,
has
few responsibilities
people.
a home
for her husband,
is a vigorous,
beyond
maintaining
intelligent,
and romantically
sensitive
who restlessly
woman
seeks fulfillment
and
with a husband
who does not particularly
need her vigor and
identity
to
begun
replace
and does
not understand
her romantic
intelligence
sensitivity.
Like
most
Elisa
intuition
a mystical
romantics,
perceives
through
between
Nature
and Man, a perception
which she has been
relationship
unable
to communicate
to her
whose
inclinations
are
husband,
utilitarian.
in the story he banteringly
that
thoroughly
Early
suggests
she turn her flower-growing
talent
to the raising
of larger
a
apples,
neither
one of them takes very seriously.
Her matter-of-fact
suggestion
about
hands
that knew
how to do it"4 is in
response
having
"planters'
remarkable
tinker
tended
the
to
appeal
the "little
linked
with
is most
sexual
her
Fordson"
and
unchallenging
ambivalence
romantic
later to the
explanation
Elisa
has for so long
Thus,
real feelings
that her behavior
appears
or ambivalent
to the reader.
To dramatize
her
emotion-charged
comes
up.
different
us
ways of life, Steinbeck
provides
his covered
a man and a way of
wagon,
restlessness
and desire
and the
for identity;
the tinker
symbols:
which
of her
her
contradictory,
to claims
of two
response
with two
tractor,
10) and
to
same
subject
or disguise
her
to deny
confused,
life
contrast
when
Henry
and
When
The
in which
Elisa's
literary
pattern
dramatized
is her unconscious
blurring
at one moment
in a feminine
and
behaving
obviously
identity—her
and then
manner,
Beach
ones,
and
unexciting.
speaks
they
in a ruggedly
again
manner.
masculine
at the beginning
of the story (p.
a utilitarian
life which was to Elisa
mentioned
Allen
of Elisa's
are both
feminine
traits
masculine
and
for she exemplifies
correct,
Kempton
both
and
virile
of her
features.
Her gardening apparel is masculine: "Her figure looked blocked and
in her gardening
heavy
her eyes . .
(p. 10).
her
work
with
the
chrysanthemum
desire
10). Her
stems
a man's
black hat pulled
low down over
costume,
Her
seems
masculine:
"even
energy
vigorously
was
scissors
The
over-eager,
over-powerful.
seemed
to compete
with
too
small
men
and
shows
easy for her energy"
(p.
a somewhat
unfeminine
11
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as when
she tells the tinker that he might someday
have
too. And I can beat the dents out of little
scissors,
sharpen
show you what a woman
pots. I could
might do" (p. 19). The mark of a
masculine
be her reading
about
too, might
sensibility,
extraordinarily
aggressiveness,
a rival: "I can
brutal
prize
2.3).
Side
a fact which
fights,
as a surprise
comes
to her
husband
(p.
is a tendency
by side with her masculine
vigor and aggressiveness
romantic
Her
is apparent
daintiness
when
she
femininity.
for an evening
in town
with Henry.
She puts on "her newest
toward
dresses
and
underclothing
of her prettiness.
her
She
and rouged
eyebrows,
sales
she has
appeal
nicest
and dress which
was the symbol
stockings
worked
on her hair,
her
carefully
pencilled
her lips"
When
the tinker,
whose
20-21).
(pp.
described
resisted,
cannily
as
chrysanthemums
being "like a quick puff of colored smoke" (p. 15), Elisa's resistance
melts
and
her
to colorful
a nice way
"What
sensitivity
language
appears.
them"
for
(p. 15), she says, and she is only too glad to prepare
several
of the slips.
Her
romantic
more
is never
temperament
to describe
him
than in her description
apparent
her hands
and the tiny plants
You
watch
of the mystical
is preparing:
union
she
feels
between
she
work. They do it themselves.
You can feel
and pick
a
the buds.
never
make
pick
They
mistake.
with the plant. Do you see? Your
They're
fingers and the
You
can feel that, right up your arm. They
know.
plant.
They
never
make
a mistake.
You can feel it. When
like that you
you're
can't
do anything
Do
wrong.
you see that? Can you understand
it
how
your
is.
fingers
They
that? (pp. 17-18).
The
hands
are
the
she
same
mentions
here
ones
bent
in delicate
of wielding
capable
it is these
and
hands,
pots,
ambiguous
but now unsheathed
and free,
heavy
gloves
and almost
touch the trouser-leg
of the tinker,
her rapturous
of the mystical
awareness
union
When
the tinker
progress
of his
Her
shoulders
closed,
leaves,
caravan:
so that
she
stands
with plant
and earth
to pound
dents out of
with
sometimes
sheathed
contact
a hammer
that
reach
out tentatively
shares
who, she is certain,
between
man and nature.
as she
transported
were straight,
her head
the scene came
vaguely
the slow
watches
thrown
into
back, her eyes half
them. Her lips moved
silently, forming the words "Good-bye—good-bye." Then she
whispered, "That's a bright direction. There's a glowing there."
The
sound
looked
In Elisa's
ambivalence,
of her whisper
startled
her. She shook
free and
herself
whether
had been
anyone
listening
(p. 20).
to see
relationship
and this
to her
is related
husband
and
the tinker
to her uncertainty
and
there
is further
confusion
12
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about
her
The relationship
to her husband
is neither
identity.
nor as cold as Kempton
notes
but somewhere
suggests
extremes.
and
well,
does
Henry
she
possibly
as can
adroitly,
her
following
Henry
vest as ne
be
"Nice?
has
came
came.
You
these
sensitivity
to him
feelings
to
inability
with the tinker:
very
very
communicate
out
of the door, shoving
his tie inside his
and her face grew tight. Henry
at her. "Why—why,
Elisa.
You
look so
stiffened
looked
think
as Beach
between
romantic
her
conveyed
from
their
experience
banging
Elisa
and
Elisa's
never
inferred
blundered
Henry
understand
extraordinary
short
stopped
nice!"
not
as ideal
I look
on.
nice?
"I don't
and happy."
strong
"I am strong?
Yes,
What
know.
What
strong.
do you mean
by 'nice'?"
I mean
you look different,
do
you
mean
'strong'?"
He looked bewildered. "You're playing some kind of game," he
said
break
"It's
helplessly.
a calf
over
a kind
your
of a play.
knee,
watermelon."
For
You
a second
didn't
she
strong,"
Elisa's
tone
she
know
boasted.
here
is a blend
she mentions
strength
There
lost
what
You
happy
look
enough
to
strong
enough
it like
a
to eat
her rigidity.
Don't
talk like
"Henry!
She grew complete
you said."
again.
"I never
knew
before
how strong."
that.
"I'm
and admonitory.
of the satiric, playful,
The
is a product
of her relationship
to the tinker.
love interest
Elisa
and the unkempt
between
here
no
is, of course,
an oddly platonic
accord
tinker, except
one, engendered
by his apparent
with her mystical
in their relationship
The important
element
musings.
is her blind
belief
that he somehow
understands
her feelings
about
nature
and
shared
with
and
beauty
her. Elisa's
spirit, feelings
sudden
burst
which
no one
else
has
apparently
that so surprises
of mutual
understanding,
of self-assurance
is the strength
that comes
of reciprocal
of a shared
In no other part of the story is she as
intimacy.
female
as she is for a brief time following
her experience
unambiguously
with the tinker.
It is during
these
moments
that she puts on her most
Henry
confidence,
feminine
of
keeping
in the curiously
and indulges
herself
feminine
practice
in last-minute
husband
while
she
waiting
engages
if not literally
which
true is at least probably
still
(a practice
as such
now
on the defensive,
regarded
by men).
Henry,
apparel
her
preenings
popularly
cannot
account
his
idle
hat.
the
car.
went
strange
confidence:
and when
he
toward
the tractor
shed,
"I'll get
to her, they were his own again.68
I'm starting."
can put on your coat while
into the house.
She heard him drive to the gate and
looked
Henry
brought
out the
Elisa
for her
eyes
You
down
back
down
his motor,
and then she took a long time to put on her
it here and pressed
it there. When
turned
pulled
Henry
motor
off she slipped
into her coat and went
out (p. 22).
She
13
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of course,
is the last time she will
will keep
waiting.
Henry
When
Elisa
discovers
that the tinker
This,
time
her
in
and
so confident
appear
the last
she
in
has not really been interested
her feeling
and has,
about nature,
his
her
of tiny
of
wagon
gift
the disillusioned
woman
we see at the
has not really understood
flowers,
thrown
over
the
side
fact,
chrysanthemums,
end of the story.
and
an
she
becomes
If she
is embittered,
she is not without
self-knowledge
final irony is that Elisa
of who
she is. Steinbeck's
awareness
is a romantic
into full, if painful,
of her identity—she
knowledge
a utilitarian
The
who
have
redeemed
other
tinker,
might
society.
members
a notable
was in truth no
of her society
by being
exception,
different.
He threw away the flowers
but kept the pot. His actions
ended
Elisa's
chance
of becoming
a strong
advocate
of her way of life, a
comes
in
confident
vigorous,
a tearful,
romantic,
words
of the story
she
Instead
representative.
senile
representative
who
as
weakly—like
"crying
of Steinbeck's
reputation
an
has
become
old
a disabused
in the
is described
woman"
final
(p. 23).
but states
as a symbolist,
speaks
disestablished
story we are faced with "conflicting,
symbols"
and that even the title is of "little help"
For the interpretation
(p. 123).
offered
for a title than what Steinbeck
here, what could be more relevant
Kempton
that in this
The
provided?
the
for
Elisa
is
ambiguous
perfect
symbol
un
that hardy,
un-feminine
flower,
durable,
oddly
bitter
and massiveness
and somewhat
of its strength
chrysanthemum,
feminine
because
smell
tough
and
yet oddly
stem
comes
here,
symbolism
When
the tinker
feminine
rejected
of the
flowers
preceded
It is, of course,
an old
individual
supersensitive
it is a flower.
too because
a fragile,
as in many
tender
bud
and
bloom
From
and
its strong,
The
flower.
too obvious.
Steinbeck
is almost
stories,
Elisa.
The death
the flowers,
he was rejecting
the death
illusions.
of Elisa's
of the
Steinbeck:
the maiming
materialistic
increasingly
society.
Almost
from his first to his last work he has dramatized
it, and in the
in the
he has
handled
it neither
as well
consideration,
story under
Chekhovian
manner
as Beach
nor as badly in the structural
sense
avers,
as
Kempton
would
have
with
theme
in
an
it. It is still
good
Steinbeck.
William
Osborne
Chairman
Professor
14
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and
of English
NOTES
1American
Fiction, 1920—1940
(New York, 1941), pp. 310-11. Subsequent
to this work will be cited in the text.
2Short Stories for Study (Cambridge,
will be cited in the text.
1953), p. 124. Subsequent
references
references to this work
'For an account of the texts of "The Chrysanthemums," see Modern Fiction Studies, 12
(Winter 1966-67), 479-84. The present study will make use of Text 2 referred to in the
aforementioned article. See also the useful critical commentary, similar in some respects
to the present one, in Marcus Mordecai, "The Lost Dream of Sex and Childbirth in 'The
"
Modern Fiction Studies, 11 (Spring 1965), 54-58; and Elizabeth E.
Chrysanthemums,'
"
'The Chrysanthemums':
McMahan,
Study of a Woman's Sexuality," Modern Fiction
Studies, 14 (Winter 1968-69), 453-58.
4John Steinbeck, The Long Valley (Cleveland,
work will be cited in the text.
1945).
Subsequent
references to this
15
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