A Woman Bound by Society in "The Chrysanthemums" by John Steinbeck When John Steinbeck's short story "The Chrysanthemums" first appeared in the October edition 1937's Harper's Magazine (Osborne 479), Franklin D. Roosevelt had just been re-elected president. The country was recovering from the Great Depression, unions were developing, and child labor in manufacturing had been eliminated (Jones 805-6). The first female cabinet member in American history, Frances Perkins, was appointed Secretary of Labor (Jones 802). She was one of the few women of her time to achieve equality in a male-dominated society. For most women, liberation was a bitter struggle that usually ended in defeat. In “The Chrysanthemums,” this fight for equality is depicted through Steinbeck’s character, Elisa Allen. According to Stanley Renner, "The Chrysanthemums" shows "a strong, capable woman deprived of personal, social, and sexual fulfillment by the prevailing conception of women's role in a male-dominated world" (306). Elisa's appearance, actions, and speech describe the frustration women felt in Steinbeck's male world of the 1930s. “Steinbeck's world,” observes Charles A. Sweet, Jr., “is a man's world, a world that frustrates even minor-league women liberationists” (214). This frustration is evident when Elisa is first introduced. Her figure is described as "stuck and heavy" because she wears heavy gloves, heavy shoes, a "man's black hat," and a large apron that hides her printed dress (Steinbeck 330). Her house has the masculine qualities of being "swept and polished" (Steinbeck 330). Elisa is bored with her husband and with her life (McMahan 455). Obviously, Elisa is dissatisfied with the traditional feminine role and is trying... ....half of paper ......et al. America and Its People: Volume Two Since 1865. London: Scott, Foresman, 1989.McMahan, Elizabeth E. "'The Chrysanthemums': A Study of the Sexuality of woman." Modern Fiction Studies 14 (1968-69): 453-8. Marcus, Mordecai. "The Lost Dream of Sex and Childbirth in 'The Chrysanthemums.'" Modern Fiction Studies 11 (1965): 54-8. Osbourne , William R. "The Texts of Steinbeck's 'The Chrysanthemums.'" Modern Fiction Studies 12 (1966-67): 479-84. "The Real Woman Inside the Fence in 'The Chrysanthemums.'" Modern Fiction Studies 31 (1985): 305-17. Steinbeck, John. "The Chrysanthemums." 'The Chrysanthemums' by Elisa Allen and Steinbeck. Modern Fiction Studies 20 (1974): 210-14.