The Effect of Symbolism and Gender Roles in “The...

From all areas of the world, people have been changing their forms of government in an attempt to decide on what’s best for their country. Apart from most, Communism is targeted toward making all equal, and it eliminates the concept of a dictator. The contradictory fact is that the concept fails when people cannot reach an agreement themselves, and then they realize a leader is needed to make the final decisions. Of course, with greed to be on top, people do not stray from this empty position for long. As unfortunate as it is, even when people decide to become equal, someone always wants to be the king. When this thirst for power is between men and women rather than the dictator and the country, men try to be in control while women serve†¦show more content†¦There is always an alpha when it comes to canines, and Steinbeck relates this to humans. Elisa’s characteristics are sometimes described masculine or dog-like. In some parts: â€Å"Elisa†¦ enters the story looking ‘blocked and heavy,’ wearing a man’s hat, heavy gloves, and a print dress†¦ [And] she could easily be mistaken for a man† (Higdon 2). This is not the way you would picture her since even critics describe her as the â€Å"otherwise attractive Elisa Allen† (Sullivan 5). When Elisa was talking to the tinker, she was described like a canine, especially when she â€Å"[bared] her teeth†: â€Å"Her upper lip raised a little, showing her teeth† (5). Besides Elisa being described like a dog, the tinker’s mutt is like Elisa because a mutt is a dog that is mixed bred, and Elisa is described with a mix of manly and feminine characteristics (5). The mutt seems to always be ruled by the other two shepherd dogs, which shows how Elisa’s life is constantly being ruled by someone else. At one point, â€Å"the mongrel darts from its accustomed position beneath the tinkers wagon, the two ranch dogs shepherd it back† (5). When Elisa challenged the tinker that she could do his job, the tinker shepherded her back with the words: â€Å"It ain’t the right kind of a life for a woman† (5). Both the cur and Elisa are unableShow MoreRelatedThe Chrysanthemums Symbolism Analysis1040 Words   |  5 PagesDominance Revealed Through Symbolism in The Chrysanthemums In Steinbeck’s â€Å"The Chrysanthemum† a story is told of a woman who loves to garden and tend to her beautiful chrysanthemums, a husband who tends to the matters of business on the ranch, and the strange encounter with a tinkerer. Each of these aspects create the story, but there is more depth than what meets the eye. Through Steinbeck’s short story one can recognize many symbols that represent the different gender roles of men and women and theRead More The Yellow Wallpaper and The Chrysanthemums 1017 Words   |  5 Pageshusbands in John Steinbeck’s â€Å"The Chrysanthemums and Charlotte Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper.† The authors share views regarding a similar theme of male domination and imprisonment. â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† involves the treatment of a depressed woman who is driven insane in a male imposed detention in her own room. On the other hand, Elisa Allen in the â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† struggles internally to find her place in a fully male dominated society with definite gender roles. The mirror-like situations bringRead MoreKhasak14018 Words   |  57 Pagescalled ‘swimming spots’. The language of The Legends of Khasak, with its novel images, was indeed a virginal experience for the readers. The comparison of the crescendo of the falling rain to the sexual act, the onset small-pox to the blooming of chrysanthemums , the image of the diademed serpents as a premonition to Ravi’s temptation to sin with his step-mother are just examples. The content of a work is the outcome of the unconscious part of the mind of the author. It springs out from the blue. Psychoanalytic