Character sketch of Elisa Alle

A detailed Summary of Character sketch of Elisa Alle

In the "The Chrysanthemums," John Steinbeck portrays a woman's struggle for identity. We are first introduced to Elisa Allen, a strong hardworking woman that is married, and lives on a ranch in Salinas Valley, tending to her chrysanthemums. While she is tending to her garden, a peddler, who fixes pots and pans for a living, arrives to the farm and cons Elisa into believing that he is interested in her chrysanthemums. The stranger's easily adopted sham, and Elisa's quick gullibility for it, show the vulnerability of someone who is spiritually yearning, and makes the ending of the story that much more tragic. This sudden and brief encounter with the stranger changes Elisa's life, leading to new found desires and revelations about herself. A symbolic setting, relationship with the chrysanthemums, and a struggle between masculinity and femininity reveal the protagonist's inner search for her identity and happiness.

The imagery at the very beginning of "The Chrysanthemums" personifies Elisa's emotions. "The high gray-flannel fog of winter closed off the Salinas Valley from the sky and from all the rest of the world. On every side it sat like a lid on the

Some common words found in the essay are:
Salinas Valley, Elisa Allen, John Steinbeck, elisa's life, elisa allen, elisa's lifestyle, elisa feels, salinas valley, encounter stranger, feels trapped, elisa's emotions, desires life,

Approximate Word count = 780
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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