... them. Many examples of symbolism are given to influence the plot in John Steinbeck's short story, "The Chrysanthemums." He uses the flowers to symbolize the main character's thoughts and ideas. For example, Elisa Allen is a lonely woman who enjoys growing and nourishing her chrysanthemums. Since her husband is always working the cattle in ... Looks like a quick puff of colored smoke?" "That's it. What a nice way to describe them" (91). She now feels appreciated and attractive to the stranger. His compliment to her about her flowers leads her to feel forced to allow him to fix her pots. ...

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• Grade Level: High School

... Elisa's facial features, her fingers as they dig through the dirt, and how strong her crops are. Although the author emphasizes and builds Elisa's character throughout the story that she is such a strong woman, he ends the story with Elisa breaking down and weeping. Symbols are important in the ... I raise them every year, bigger than anybody around here" (249). Notice how Steinbeck describes how Elisa's irritated face has vanished as a result from the stranger's question, which is Elisa's interest. From that moment further, Elisa began to "open up" to the man, feeling more comfortable an...

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... out for him. Ranch with a bunch of guys on it ain't no place for a girl, specially like her" (51). Curley's Wife's gender symbolizes loneliness as she is the only character on the ranch who is a female. All she wants is to converse with someone but she knows that her husband Curley won't let her, so she flaunts herself to men ... than those that had or tried to find companionship. Candy explained to George that it is wrong of him to let a complete stranger shoot his dog. "I oughtta of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn't oughtta of let no stranger shoot my dog" (61). Candy and his ...

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... the American Dream, this was a common belief of Americans in the depression. It is a dream that they can own their own land and work for themselves. The character George a migrant ranch worker "a small and quick man, dark of face with restless eyes and sharp, strong features" dreams of one day saving enough money to buy ... isolated and wanting companionship. In "Of mice and Men" Steinbeck outlines characters loneliness showing the strong and weak and how its devastates there lives. Crooks the loneliest character of the whole book. No one to speak to no one to be with, no one to speak ...

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... , uses multiple literary techniques to convey the theme of brotherhood. Steinbeck uses the self-family-society motif, biblical allusion, and logical ending to portray this theme. An example of character development is a character that evolves from self indulgence into caring about his or her family, and then finally society. Many characters in the novel complete this cycle, especially Tom Joad. When we ... . A logical ending is also used in the novel to suggest the theme of brotherhood. At the end of the novel, Rose of Sharon was the only character who did not complete the cycle of charac...

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... Casey, Tom Joad, Ma Joad, and Rosa of Sharon. It is also traceable through many different actions taken by the Joad family on the whole. The character of Jim Casy plays a strong role in bringing forth the theme in discussion. Casey is a preacher like none other. He does not preach the orthodox ... prison experience that reveals to Jim that only through the unity and concern for the entire human race will the migrants succeed. Rose of Sharon is another character which can be used to trace the progression of the Joads from a concern for themselves and their own personal welfare to a concer...

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... . In the novel, Brett says,Oh, Jake, we could have had such a damned good time together.? Jake replies,Yes, isn't it pretty to think so?? (Hemingway 75.) Robert Cohn, another character, becomes immediately attracted to Brett Ashley. To Cohn, theirfake romance? means everything. To Brett, it means nothing. His willingness to endure public humiliation for her reinforces the Lost Generation's belief ... her own family. Note that this break down of societal structure demonstrated with this quote is just like in The Sun Also Rises. At the close of the novel, a starving stranger needs the fami...

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... in him being nasty to everyone including his wife. E.g. He goes to a brothel every month but when his wife even talk to another man he complains. Crooks The most lonely character in the whole book. Where Curley's wife had Curley and Curley had his wife Crooks has no one. No one to speak to, no one to be with, no one ... very attached to his old dog, as he had been with the dog since it was a pup. He reacts badly to the dog's death, and feels guilty that he let a stranger kill it. Candy is afraid that he will be sacked when he is no longer any use. He knows that he will have nowhere to g...

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... her hair, however, Lennie results in hurting her and breaks her neck. Lennie rushes to George for help, but helplessly, George shoots his best friend. The two protagonists are differently character wise. Lennie is portrayed as a strong, innocent, mentally challenged worker who has an unusual tendency of hurting different objects while trying to pet them. George, on the other hand, is ... each other. Nearly all characters in this story express having an intense sense of loneliness and isolation. Each of them desires the comfort of a friend, but finds that comfort in a stranger. For examp...

• Word Count: 368
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: High School