Originally published in a 1937 issue of Harpers, "The Chrysanthemums" has come to be accepted as one of John Steinbeck's greatest works and perhaps his best short story. Like Steinbeck's famous novels The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men, "The Chrysanthemums" takes a no-frills realist approach to describing the lives of lower-class Americans during the Great Depression. The story focuses on Elisa Allen, wife of farmer Henry Allen, who encounters a traveling repair man while her husband is away. Although the repair man has no luxury, Elisa finds herself envious of his ability to travel and the value given his work, even as she's limited by her gender and the flowers she plants get...
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