1、 1 Literature review Analysis on Heroines Self-Cognition in The Chrysanthemums The Chrysanthemums is a short story in The Long Valley, a collection of short stories by John Steinbeck. The heroine Elisa appears as a diligent housewife, who is determined by her gender. Steinbeck picks one day in the l
2、ife of the Allens. Nothing that differs it from an ordinary winter day in an ordinary farmers life, until the strange tinkers arrival. The content of the story concerns the influence the arrival of a strange tinker has on this rural housewife Elisa, but the story is about much more than the content.
3、 This story acquires increasing favorable reputation once published, and has been awarded as one of Steinbecks best pieces of short story. More than sixty years later, it is still one of the authors most widely anthologized story. and meanwhile, one of his most debated. What has almost amounted to a
4、 small industry about controversial issues has grown up around this work and the behaviour of its heroine Elisa. Charles(1974) asserts “thatThe Chrysanthemums can be read as Steinbecks response to feminism“. Elisa want to make some change in her life, and try to prove that female can do like male, a
5、nd eager to be free and equal. However, all the attempt ultimately seems to be doomed to be a tragedy. He points out that steinbeck, as a male writer, it is surprising to see his sincere concern about female true mind and doubt the determined role of female. Unfortunately, Steinbeck himself cant get
6、 rid of his identity as a male in the man-dominated society, and is afraid of the threaten from females continuing trying revolt. The paper reveals the Steinbecks real altitude to feminism through careful analysis to Elisas cognition course in this short story. At the same time, the overall analysis
7、 exactly explains why Elisa make effort to try to realize her dream, but turns out to be only bubble and finally make nothing changed. Hughes(1989) identifies “elements responsible for the critical success of The Chrysanthemums, specifically plot, characterization, symbolism, and overall objectivity
8、“. Hughes present Elisas distinct characteristic through the analysis of the 2 plot of this short story, filled with nuanced observations About Elisas psychological course. He obtains the profound theme, discussing the symbolic meaning of the object “chrysanthemums“ that heroine loves most. He conte
9、nds that the only joy in Elisas life are her chrysanthemums, and Steinbeck uses them to represent Elisas unchanging life. however, the chrysanthemums arent enough for Elisa anymore. She yearns for something more in her life than the everyday routine farm life, and then falls prey to momentary desire
10、 for free after the conversation between the strange tinker, and ends up being crushed for her efforts. Hughes unfold a vivid drawing unearthing Elisas true heart expounds the the reason this short story describing one day ordinary life to be such a success, which should owing to the overall spiffy
11、arrangement of the plot, characterization, and symbolism. Huang qi(2010) argues the three pairs of social contradictions: male and female; material and spiritual; man and nature in her text, to resolving the entangled development of Elisas feminist consciousness. In that man-dominated society, woman
12、 forced to play a role, which is determined by her gender, and has little power to strive for their own. On the pursuit, man always to chase after the material things and interest. Compared with her husband, Elisa prefer to maintain more about spiritual life. When it comes to the struggle between ma
13、n and nature, Huang qi indicated that identical altitude to nature between man and woman. The tinkers abandon and discrimination of chrysanthemums seems such a shame in contrast to heroine Elisas devotion to chrysanthemums. Huang qi demonstrates the miserable constrain during Elisas self searching p
14、rocess of self-awareness and real self, calling on people to pay closer attention to real mind. Zhang jianlin(2007) Mainly analysis the heroine Elisas needs, especially her the sort of recognition and free that she craves. He uses Maslows hierarchy of needs to discuss Elisas multilevel needs. Maslow
15、 asserts that human being needs can be divided into five categories: the physiological needs, safety requirements into demand, ownership and the needs of the love, respect and demand fulfillment needs. Zhang points out that husband provide Elisa basic needs, ignoring later more important needs about
16、 that on spiritual. Elisa seems to lack due respect, demands equal love, and 3 fulfillment for free and equality in that patriarchal society. Eventually, Zhnag acknowledges that Heroine experience much pain and suffering under male social repression. In conclusion, Zhang reveals Elisas aspiration fo
17、r to be equal and free, eagering to spiritual satisfaction through analysing heroines overall demands with Maslows hierarchy of needs theory. Zhang lin and Feng ruizhen(2003) represent Elisas entangled pain of the struggle among self, the id, and the superego through her mental journey in their pape
18、r. The paper emphasizes the miserable experience during the ego fight: Elisas itch to try to know the outer world; Elisas ambivalent mind to want to make life changed; Elisas delight when she communicate with the tinker; Elisas sorrow and crash when witness the abandoned chrysanthemums. They try to
19、interpret the short story in light of Simund Freuds psychoanalytical theory, to emerge the unfair oppression and pain that considerate women are tasting in that society, and give a profound understanding about the implicated theme of the work. The Chrysanthemums is a story of a womans frustration, d
20、escribing the influence the arrival of a strange tinker has on this rural housewife Elisa in one ordinary winter day. Steinbeck states that readers feels that something profound has been there after it is finished. However, it is hard to tell what it is and how profound. This exactly cause us to com
21、prehend the story and see the implication of the work. As the production of man-dominated society, Elisas tragic self cognition accounts great study value. Previous majorities of the researches principally focus on the Elisas feminism, chrysanthemums symbolic significance and authors written style.
22、This study will try to find a new perspective to comprehend the chrysanthemums, concentrating on Elisas Character defects presented through her self cognition. It can provide a new fresh view to appreciate this short story. Whats more, this will appeal people to shape better character, to obtain pos
23、itive action in life, especially in trouble. References 1Charles. S. Ms. Elisa and Steinbecks The ChrysanthemumsJ. Modern Fiction Studies. 1974, 20(2): 211-213. 2Hughes. R. The ChrysanthemumsJ. John Steinbeck: A Study of the Short Fiction, Twayne 4 Publishers, 1989: 21-7. 3Shillinglaw, S. The Chrysa
24、nthemums: Steinbecks Pygmalion in Steinbecks Short Stories in The Long ValleyC. Essays in Criticism, ed. Tetsumaro Hayashi. Muncie: Ball State University, 1991: 1-9. 4黄琦 (Huang,Qi).菊花与苹果的角逐 对约翰斯坦贝克菊花的现实思考 J.湖南科 技学院 学报， 2010.31（ 5）： 49-51. 5陶 玲（ Tao, ling） 20 世界美国文学选读 M.北京 :北京大学出版社 ,2006. 6张建林 (Zhang,Janlin).伊莉莎的需求 解读斯坦贝克的菊花 J.科技信息， 2007. 7张璘 ,冯瑞贞 (Zhang Lin, Feng Ruizhen). 伊莉莎阿兰的心路历程 -解读斯坦贝克的 菊花 J.镇江高专学报 ,2003.16(2):36-39.
