“ Chrysanthemums ” by John Steinbeck. A Reminder The incomplete Chinese translation of “...

““Chrysanthemums”Chrysanthemums”byby

John SteinbeckJohn Steinbeck

A ReminderA Reminder

The incomplete Chinese translation The incomplete Chinese translation of “Everyday Use” (missing of “Everyday Use” (missing paragraph 75 onward)paragraph 75 onward)

The supplement is uploaded on the The supplement is uploaded on the Teacher’s Homepage.Teacher’s Homepage.

A Question to ExploreA Question to Explore

Why some devoted Japanese Why some devoted Japanese housewives would get online and housewives would get online and have cybersex with unknown people?have cybersex with unknown people?

John SteinbeckJohn Steinbeck

Nobel Prize winnerNobel Prize winner Journalism in W. W. II.Journalism in W. W. II. Born in Salinas, California, in the Born in Salinas, California, in the

fertile valley he remembers in fertile valley he remembers in “Chrysanthemums” “Chrysanthemums”

ThemeTheme

Love Abused:Love Abused:

"" 我本將心託明月，誰知明月照溝渠我本將心託明月，誰知明月照溝渠

(What does (What does 「明月」「明月」 as a metaphor ias a metaphor imply?)mply?)

Plot AnalysisPlot Analysis

The arrival of the caravan and the The arrival of the caravan and the initial rejection of Elisa of the pot initial rejection of Elisa of the pot mender mender (Exposition)(Exposition)

Elisa’s change of attitude Elisa’s change of attitude ( complication)( complication)

Plot AnalysisPlot Analysis

Elisa’s attraction by the pot mender Elisa’s attraction by the pot mender and her inner disturbances and her inner disturbances (crisis)(crisis)

The discovery of the truth The discovery of the truth (climax)(climax) Elisa’s sadness and the consequent Elisa’s sadness and the consequent

angeranger (denouement) (denouement)

Important SymbolsImportant Symbols

The wire fenceThe wire fence The chrysanthemumsThe chrysanthemums The fog The fog The seasonThe season

Traditional Dualism about GenderTraditional Dualism about Gender

man vs. womanman vs. woman Masculinity vs. femininity Masculinity vs. femininity Strong vs. weakStrong vs. weak Rational vs. irrational Rational vs. irrational Intellectual vs. emotionalIntellectual vs. emotional Public vs. domesticPublic vs. domestic

Problems in gender dualismProblems in gender dualism

Arbitrary distinction of human dispositioArbitrary distinction of human disposition by biological structuren by biological structure

Value hierarchy based on gender differeValue hierarchy based on gender differencence

Arbitrary assignment of border and fieldArbitrary assignment of border and field Intolerance about border-crossing cases Intolerance about border-crossing cases

Farm vs. GardenFarm vs. Garden

----- Public sphere----- Public sphere

vs. Domestic sphere vs. Domestic sphere

----- Economical production ----- Economical production

vs. Leisure activityvs. Leisure activity

----- Male dominance ----- Male dominance

vs. Female dependence vs. Female dependence

Wire Fence : ProtectionWire Fence : Protection

““Elisa started Elisa started (( 嚇ㄧ跳嚇ㄧ跳 )) at the sound of her at the sound of her husband's voice. He had come near qhusband's voice. He had come near quietly, and he leaned over uietly, and he leaned over the wire fethe wire fence that protected her flower gardennce that protected her flower garden f from cattle and dogs and chickens.”rom cattle and dogs and chickens.” (9)(9)

Wire Fence: Limitation Wire Fence: Limitation (the domestic sphere)(the domestic sphere)

“‘“‘You’ve got a gift You’ve got a gift (( 天份天份 )) with things . . . I with things . . . I wish you'd work out in the orchard and rawish you'd work out in the orchard and raise some apples that big.’ Her eyes sharpise some apples that big.’ Her eyes sharpened. ‘Maybe I could do it, too. I've a gift ened. ‘Maybe I could do it, too. I've a gift with things, all right. . . ‘with things, all right. . . ‘Well, it sure worWell, it sure works with flowersks with flowers,’ he said.,’ he said. (11-13)(11-13)

Henry vs. the Pot MenderHenry vs. the Pot Mender

practicalitypracticality vs. vs. romanticismromanticism daily routine vs.daily routine vs. possibilitiespossibilities realityreality vs. vs. dreams dreams the regularthe regular vs. vs. the mysterious the mysterious

& unknown& unknown

The Pot Mender: The Pot Mender: mysterious & romanticmysterious & romantic

““His eyes were His eyes were darkdark, and they were f, and they were full of the ull of the broodingbrooding (( 沉思的沉思的 )) that gets in th that gets in the eyes of teamsters e eyes of teamsters (( 卡車司機卡車司機 )) and of and of sailorsailorss.”.” (33)(33)

The intrusion of the alien (1)The intrusion of the alien (1)

Elisa’s change from reserve and Elisa’s change from reserve and resistance to bewilderment and resistance to bewilderment and entrancemententrancement

The mender’s position from outside The mender’s position from outside to inside the gardento inside the garden

The intrusion of the alien (2)The intrusion of the alien (2)

The change of Elisa’s outward The change of Elisa’s outward appearance from neutrality to appearance from neutrality to femininity femininity

The pot mender’s use and abuse of The pot mender’s use and abuse of lovelove

The blossom and shriveling of Eliza The blossom and shriveling of Eliza as a floweras a flower

The gradual advance of the alien (1)The gradual advance of the alien (1)

1) “The caravan pulled up to Elisa’s1) “The caravan pulled up to Elisa’s wire fence and stopped.”wire fence and stopped.” (29)(29)

2) “He leaned confidently over the2) “He leaned confidently over the fence.”fence.” (42)(42)

3) “The man leaned farther over the3) “The man leaned farther over the fence.”fence.” (56)(56)

The gradual advance of the alien (2)The gradual advance of the alien (2)

4) 4) “‘ . . . Come into the yard.’ While the “‘ . . . Come into the yard.’ While the man man came through the picket came through the picket (( 木樁木樁 )) fenc fencee. Elisa ran excitedly along the gerani. Elisa ran excitedly along the geraniumum(( 天竺葵天竺葵 ))-bordered path to the back of t-bordered path to the back of the house.”he house.” (63-64)(63-64)

The gradual change of Elisa’s The gradual change of Elisa’s attitude toward the pot mender 1attitude toward the pot mender 1

1) “I mend pots and sharpen knives 1) “I mend pots and sharpen knives and scissors. You got any of them and scissors. You got any of them things to do?“ "Oh, no," she said things to do?“ "Oh, no," she said quickly. "Nothing like that." Her eyes quickly. "Nothing like that." Her eyes hardened with resistancehardened with resistance.. (43)(43)

The gradual change of Elisa’s The gradual change of Elisa’s attitude toward the pot mender attitude toward the pot mender

2) “‘No’, she said shortly. . . ‘I’m 2) “‘No’, she said shortly. . . ‘I’m sorry,’ Elisa said sorry,’ Elisa said irritablyirritably. ‘I haven’t . ‘I haven’t had anything for you to do.’”had anything for you to do.’” (48-49)(48-49)

The gradual change of Elisa’s The gradual change of Elisa’s attitude toward the pot menderattitude toward the pot mender

3) The irritation and resistance 3) The irritation and resistance meltedmelted from Elisa's face.from Elisa's face. (52)(52)

4) Elisa's eyes grew 4) Elisa's eyes grew alert and eageralert and eager.. (59)(59)

5) Her face was tight with 5) Her face was tight with eagernesseagerness.. (68)(68)


6) She stopped and seemed 6) She stopped and seemed perplexedperplexed. . . . . . She looked deep into his eyes, . . She looked deep into his eyes, searchinglysearchingly. Her mouth opened a . Her mouth opened a little, and she seemed to be listening.little, and she seemed to be listening. (69)(69)


7) She was kneeling on the ground 7) She was kneeling on the ground looking up at him. Her breast swelled looking up at him. Her breast swelled passionately. passionately. (72)(72)

8) Kneeling there, her hand went out 8) Kneeling there, her hand went out toward his legs in the greasy black toward his legs in the greasy black trousers. Her hesitant fingers almost trousers. Her hesitant fingers almost touched the cloth. touched the cloth. (75)(75)


9) She stood up then, very straight, and 9) She stood up then, very straight, and her face was ashamed.her face was ashamed. (77)(77)


10) “After a while she began to dress,10) “After a while she began to dress,

slowly. She put on her newest slowly. She put on her newest

underclothing and her nicest underclothing and her nicest

stockings and the dress which was stockings and the dress which was the symbol of the symbol of her prettinessher prettiness.”.” (94)(94)


11) “11) “She turned up her coat collar so he She turned up her coat collar so he

could not see that she was crying could not see that she was crying weakly--weakly--like an old womanlike an old woman..” ” (122)(122)

The Turning Point of Elisa’s The Turning Point of Elisa’s Attitude: The ChrysanthemumsAttitude: The Chrysanthemums

““His eyes left her face and fell to His eyes left her face and fell to searching the ground. They roamed searching the ground. They roamed about until they came to about until they came to the the chrysanthemum bedchrysanthemum bed where she had where she had been working. ‘What's them plants, been working. ‘What's them plants, ma'am?’ The irritation and resistance ma'am?’ The irritation and resistance melted from Elisa's face.”melted from Elisa's face.” (50-51)(50-51)

The Pot Mender’s Romantic The Pot Mender’s Romantic LanguageLanguage

“‘“‘Kind of a long-stemmed Kind of a long-stemmed flower? Looks like a quick puff of flower? Looks like a quick puff of colored smoke?’ he asked. colored smoke?’ he asked.

‘ ‘That's it. What a nice way to That's it. What a nice way to describe them.’”describe them.’” (53-54)(53-54)

Henry’s Dull SentimentHenry’s Dull Sentiment

“‘“‘Why--why, Elisa. You look so nice!’Why--why, Elisa. You look so nice!’

‘‘Nice? You think I look nice? What do Nice? You think I look nice? What do you mean byyou mean by

'nice'?“'nice'?“

Henry blundered on. . . . He looked Henry blundered on. . . . He looked bewildered. .bewildered. . . .

Henry’s Dull SentimentHenry’s Dull Sentiment

‘‘You look strong enough to break a You look strong enough to break a calf over your knee,calf over your knee,

happy enough to eat it like a happy enough to eat it like a watermelon.’”watermelon.’” (99-103)(99-103)

Henry vs. Pot Mender in their Henry vs. Pot Mender in their artistic imaginationartistic imagination

白雪紛紛何所似白雪紛紛何所似 ??

撒鹽空中差可擬撒鹽空中差可擬 (Henry)(Henry)

未若柳絮因風起未若柳絮因風起 (Pot Mender)(Pot Mender)

Important SymbolsImportant Symbols

The wire fence: The wire fence:

---protection; restraint (a cage?)---protection; restraint (a cage?) ChrysanthemumsChrysanthemums The fogThe fog The season: winterThe season: winter

The chrysanthemums as a symThe chrysanthemums as a symbolbol

Why chrysanthemums? Why not Why chrysanthemums? Why not roses, Jasmine, tulips, etc.?roses, Jasmine, tulips, etc.?

The chrysanthemums as a symThe chrysanthemums as a symbolbol

The combination of feminine grace The combination of feminine grace and masculine strength and masculine strength

Fog as a symbol: Fog as a symbol: isolation & lonlinessisolation & lonliness

““The high gray-flannel The high gray-flannel fogfog of of winterwinter closed offclosed off the Salinas Valley from the Salinas Valley from the sky and from all the rest of the the sky and from all the rest of the world. On every side it sat like a lid world. On every side it sat like a lid on the mountains and made of the on the mountains and made of the great valley great valley a closed pota closed pot. . . . It was a . . . . It was a time of quiet and of time of quiet and of waitingwaiting.”.” (1-2)(1-2)

Winter as a symbol: dreariness Winter as a symbol: dreariness

““It was a time of It was a time of quiet and of waitingquiet and of waiting. . . . A light wind blew up from the sout. . A light wind blew up from the southwest so that the farmers were mildly hwest so that the farmers were mildly hopeful of a good rain before long; bhopeful of a good rain before long; but ut fog and rain do not go togetherfog and rain do not go together.”.” (1-2)(1-2)

The failed expectation of solace The failed expectation of solace (( 慰藉慰藉 ) ) : : disillusiondisillusion

““She turned up her coat collar so he coShe turned up her coat collar so he could not see that she was crying weakluld not see that she was crying weakly--y--like an old womanlike an old woman.”.” (122)(122)

((花自飄零水自流花自飄零水自流 ))

The closed-up energy inside Elisa:The closed-up energy inside Elisa:protection / repressionprotection / repression

““Her figure looked blocked and heavy in her gHer figure looked blocked and heavy in her gardening costume, a man‘s black hat pulled loardening costume, a man‘s black hat pulled low down over her eyes, clod-hopper shoes w down over her eyes, clod-hopper shoes (( 不合腳不合腳

的鞋的鞋 )), a figured print dress almost completely co, a figured print dress almost completely covered by a big corduroyvered by a big corduroy(( 燈芯絨燈芯絨 )) apron with four b apron with four big pockets to hold the snips, . . . she worked wig pockets to hold the snips, . . . she worked with. She wore heavy leather gloves to protect hith. She wore heavy leather gloves to protect her hands while she worked.” er hands while she worked.” (5)(5)

The closed-up energy inside Elisa 2The closed-up energy inside Elisa 2

“ “Her face was eager and mature and Her face was eager and mature and handsome; even her work with the schandsome; even her work with the scissors was issors was over-eager, over-powerful.over-eager, over-powerful. The chrysanthemum stems seemed toThe chrysanthemum stems seemed too small and easy for her energy.o small and easy for her energy. (6)(6)


““Behind her stood the neat white farm Behind her stood the neat white farm house with red geraniums close-house with red geraniums close-banked around it as high as the banked around it as high as the windows. It was a windows. It was a hard-swepthard-swept looking little house, with looking little house, with hard-hard-polishedpolished windows, and a clean mud- windows, and a clean mud-mat on the front steps.”mat on the front steps.” (7)(7)


“‘ “‘You might be surprised to have a riYou might be surprised to have a rival some time. I can sharpen scissors, val some time. I can sharpen scissors, too. And I can beat the dents out of litoo. And I can beat the dents out of little pots. I could show you what a wottle pots. I could show you what a woman might do.’”man might do.’” (88)(88)

Elisa’s romantic dream: unrealistic Elisa’s romantic dream: unrealistic

“‘ “‘I've never lived as you do, but I knI've never lived as you do, but I know what you mean. When the night is ow what you mean. When the night is dark--why, the stars are sharp-pointedark--why, the stars are sharp-pointed, and there's quiet. Why, you rise up d, and there's quiet. Why, you rise up and up! Every pointed star gets driveand up! Every pointed star gets driven into your body. It's like that. Hot ann into your body. It's like that. Hot and sharp and--lovely.’”d sharp and--lovely.’” (74)(74)

Elisa’s romantic dream: unrealisticElisa’s romantic dream: unrealistic

“ “Her lips moved silently, forming the Her lips moved silently, forming the words ‘Good-bye--good-bye.’ Then swords ‘Good-bye--good-bye.’ Then she whispered, ‘he whispered, ‘That's a bright directiThat's a bright direction. There's a glowing thereon. There's a glowing there.’ The sou.’ The sound of her whisper startled her. She shnd of her whisper startled her. She shook herself free and looked about to sook herself free and looked about to see whether anyone had been listening.ee whether anyone had been listening. (92)(92)

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