How Does Steinbeck Respond To Women's Struggle For Equality

When John Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums” was published in the 1930’s, it was a time of change for society. Women, who had always been seen as fragile and weak, were struggling for equality in a male dominated society. This story was Steinbeck bringing attention to women’s struggle for equality. Focusing on the story and the roles of female members of society, one will find that Elisa is quite masculine in the story and His story is centered on Elisa Allen. She is not happy and is frustrated with the position of her life. She is struggling to establish a certain masculinity. Her 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 (Steinbeck 1). Her face is described as “eager and …show more content…
In Sweet’s eyes, the tinker is to Elisa what the Cattle buyers were to Henry (211). Elisa’s initial response to the tinker is to not give him any work, but when he praises her flowers, comparing them to a "quick puff of colored smoke" (Steinbeck 5), her femininity begins to show as she takes off her masculine gloves and hat. Steinbeck then begins to portray that she is attracted to the tinker when he says that “[h]er voice became husky” and that this is because he represents all the adventure and freedom that she wishes she could enjoy. She allows her emotions to control her and let’s go of her masculine side, freeing her central feminine sexuality, according to Sweet (212). By the time she realizes her feminine emotions, it is too late: "Elisa's desires for equality are now bathed in failure" (Sweet 212). She allowed herself to become emotional, “the trait women possess,” while men conduct men without emotion whenever possible (Sweet 213). She then realizes that any hope for equal treatment is nothing but a dream, and that she was betrayed by her nature and by