Analysis Of The Chrysanthemums By John Steinbeck

I. Introduction

Oftentimes, the life of an author is reflected in his works. This is due to the fact that the experiences of the writer can serve as the foundation of his story line. Some of the famous authors who are known to have utilized this technique, which is also dubbed as Roman Clef, include Charles Dickens and Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Even in an unconscious manner, the author’s life is an inspiration to his writings and hence having a big impact on the entire work.
In this light, this paper will be a discussion of the life and work of John Ernst Steinbeck, who is more popularly known as John Steinbeck. In examining Steinbeck’s life, it will also evaluate his work, specifically regarding a short story entitled “The Chrysanthemums”.

It basically portrays the condition of women during the 1930s, wherein Steinbeck has personally witnessed it. The women during that time had struggled for equality, which resulted to a bitter ending as the male-dominated society usually prevails (Steinbeck, 1989). As what Sweet Jr. (1974) has described the protagonist in the story, Ella Allen, as the representation of the feminine ideal of equality and its eventual defeat. Indeed, she is a depiction of a woman who is frustrated in a society described to be of the masculine world, especially during the

During this time, little or less recognition is shown to the short story. Eventually, it was surprisingly recognized for the brilliance of this piece and the author was even given the Nobel Prize for Literature (Petite, 1995). Steinbeck’s work cannot be denied to be just a simple story but nonetheless a story that has triggered its readers into critical thinking or further imagination. The story has simply described the life of a woman, which is very much relevant during his time, but the author has also provided details where readers could infer in explaining the issues of the