The Chrysanthemums Personal Response
Born and raised in America as an Asian-American, I found it difficult to live in ease. The strange stares, racist slurs, and disadvantages made it hard to embrace and understand my heritage and my self-identity. “Ching-chong, go back to where you belong.” Some people never allowed me to feel comfortable and confident in my own skin. I tried my best to cancel out the negativity; but overtime, years of harassment will eat away anyone emotionally and mentally. I am ashamed to say that I tried running away from what made me, me. I never acknowledged my families past, made an effort to learn the Hmong language, and practice any traditional customs. It was foolish to me. We lived in America - the land of the free. However, I regret my decisions
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Depression is a common feeling for those who do not succeed in finding themselves or tasting satisfaction. Every person should be allowed to live accordingly as they wish; However, in The Chrysanthemums, Elisa struggled trying to express herself in society. She is an intelligent, interesting and passionate woman who yearns for adventure; but during the time period of the story, women weren’t allowed to venture beyond the societal expectations: a house-wife. Therefore, she finds a way to express herself through caring for her house and tending her garden filled with chrysanthemums. Elisa is often stopped or ignored at every turn. Her desires were crushed and compromised: having a professional occupation is not optional, she has no children, her interests in the business side of the ranch goes unnoticed, she is patronized, and her wish to see the world is shrugged off. In the reading, Elisa seems to be discontent with her marriage, lifestyle, and false identity that she readily looks to the tinker for two things that seems to be lacking in her life: a stimulating conversation and sex (Steinbeck 227-234). Her flirtatious conversation and attraction to the tinker brings out the best in Elisa and shows us how she rarely gets to express herself. When the tinker disappears along with her physical and mental fulfillment, Elisa’s devastation reveals how dissatisfied she is with her marriage, how she feels trapped as a woman, and her doubts that she will ever find
Depression is a common feeling for those who do not succeed in finding themselves or tasting satisfaction. Every person should be allowed to live accordingly as they wish; However, in The Chrysanthemums, Elisa struggled trying to express herself in society. She is an intelligent, interesting and passionate woman who yearns for adventure; but during the time period of the story, women weren’t allowed to venture beyond the societal expectations: a house-wife. Therefore, she finds a way to express herself through caring for her house and tending her garden filled with chrysanthemums. Elisa is often stopped or ignored at every turn. Her desires were crushed and compromised: having a professional occupation is not optional, she has no children, her interests in the business side of the ranch goes unnoticed, she is patronized, and her wish to see the world is shrugged off. In the reading, Elisa seems to be discontent with her marriage, lifestyle, and false identity that she readily looks to the tinker for two things that seems to be lacking in her life: a stimulating conversation and sex (Steinbeck 227-234). Her flirtatious conversation and attraction to the tinker brings out the best in Elisa and shows us how she rarely gets to express herself. When the tinker disappears along with her physical and mental fulfillment, Elisa’s devastation reveals how dissatisfied she is with her marriage, how she feels trapped as a woman, and her doubts that she will ever find