Biographical Criticism In The Chrysanthemums By John Steinbeck

What inspires a person to write the way he or she does? Is there a relationship between a story’s text and the author? In John Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums,” the main character, Elisa Allen, cherishes her chrysanthemums, yet her femininity is unnoticed. The flattery she receives from the tinker gives her hope; however, it is, specifically, false hope, in that the attention that she gains causes more frustration over how she, like other women of her time, is treated by men, including Henry, her husband. This is revealed when she notices “a dark speck” on the road (Steinbeck 102), as the impoverished tinker abandoned her flowers and only wanted money. As mentioned earlier, there is more to the written word than what is on its surface. Whereas biographical criticism refers to examining a literary work by relying on information about the writer, historical criticism focuses on analyzing the cultural and social issues in relation to the time that story was produced. Steinbeck’s influences behind the setting and characters’ traits revolves around not only how women were seen and the Great Depression but Steinbeck’s life.
The handyman who is associated …show more content…
The content in Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums” is filled with information concerning the Great Depression, how society viewed women and expected them to behave, Steinbeck’s rocky relationship with his first wife, and his passion for working in rural California. Also, biographical and historical criticism shape the impact it has on the reader, as he or she gains knowledge. Steinbeck, as well as other writers, indirectly provides information regarding himself in not only “The Chrysanthemums” but his other remarkable creations. What do you think an author might do to enhance his writing? How do biographical and historical criticism