The Use of Symbols in John Steinbeck’s The Chrysanthemums...

In John Steinbeck’s â€Å"The Chrysanthemums†, he uses the chrysanthemums, fence, and garden to symbolize Elisa’s thoughts and feelings throughout his story. He uses these symbols to show love, neglect, loneliness, protection, and passion for his characters. Steinbeck introduces Elisa, the main character, as a masculine young woman with a â€Å"face lean and strong† (Steinbeck 209) and â€Å"her figure looked blocked and heavy in her gardening costume, a man’s black hat...clod-hopper shoes.† (Steinbeck 209) He lets the chrysanthemums symbolize Elisa’s true beauty. She feels that her husband does not see her as beautiful woman. All he can see is a house wife and a gardener. He shows little interest in the chrysanthemums. When Henry says, â€Å"You’ve got†¦show more content†¦If the chrysanthemums were to die, so would Elisa. Elisa protects her garden with â€Å"wire fence that protected her flower garden from cattle and dogs and chickens.† (Steinbeck 210) The fence also protects Elisa from the man’s world. It isolates her and gives her a clear view but does not let her get tangled in it. The fence is her boundary of her world and as long as she stays within the boundaries she will be safe. Elisa does step outside the fence when the tinker comes to visit. He shows her a little bit of attention by taking interest in her chrysanthemums so that she will find him something to fix. He describes the chrysanthemums as â€Å"Kind of a long-stemmed flower? Looks like a quick puff of colored smoke?† (Steinbeck 212) she finds herself flattered by his comments. The chrysanthemums symbolize her femininity and sexuality when â€Å"she tore off the battered hat and shook out her dark pretty hair. The tinker restores her feeling about her femininity and sexuality. He made her realize that she did not need to step outside of her boundaries. All she needs to do is to make herself look more feminine. â€Å"She scrubbed herself with a little block of pumice, legs and thighs, loins and chest and arms, until her skin was scratched and red.† (Steinbeck 214) Elisa wears her best dress â€Å"which is the symbol of her prettiness† (Steinbeck 214) to impress Henry. HeShow MoreRelatedThe Use of Symbols in John Steinbecks The Chrysanthemums720 Words   |  3 PagesIn John Steinbecks short story, The Chrysanthemums, he uses the flower to symbolize his main characters thoughts and ideas. There are many examples of such symbolism in this work. Elisa Allen is a lonely woman who enjoys growing and nourishing her chrysanthemums. Since her husband is always working the cattle in their farm, she never has enough attention or any kind of affection. The result of this dispassionate marriage leads Steinbeck to describe his main character as follows, Her faceRead More Use of Symbols and Symbolism in John Steinbecks The Chrysanthemums944 Words   |  4 PagesUse of Symbols and Symbolism in John Steinbecks The Chrysanthemums  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      John Steinbecks short story The Chrysanthemums is about a proud, strong woman named Elisa Allen who feels frustrated with her present life. Her frustration stems from not having a child and from her husbands failure to admire her romantically as a woman. The only outlet for her frustration is her flower garden where she cultivates beautiful chrysanthemums. Steinbeck uses chrysanthemums as symbols of the inner-selfRead MoreEssay about Symbolism in The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck700 Words   |  3 PagesSymbolism in The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck At first glance John Steinbecks The Chrysanthemums seems to be a story of a woman whose niche is in the garden. Upon deeper inspection, the story reveals strong symbolisms of children, vulnerability, and connection--being the most important, of the main character. Elisa Allen is the main character who is at her strongest and most proud in the garden and weakened when she becomes vulnerable and loses her connection to the outer worldRead MoreThe Chrysanthemums973 Words   |  4 Pages Prompt: How do the chrysanthemums as well as other symbols throughout the short story show women’s role in society? A Potential for Equality   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Humans, just as flowers, cannot fully live without sunlight. They cannot develop without nourishment, and most of all they cannot flourish if not carefully tended to. Just as the Chrysanthemums fight to stay strong and meaningful in the short story, â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† by John Steinbeck, the main character, Emily, tries to do the same. BothRead MoreEssay on Symbolism in The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck1179 Words   |  5 PagesSymbolism in The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck A symbol is an act, person, thing, or spectacle that stands for something else, by association a usually broader idea in addition to its own literal meaning (Cassill Bausch, 1728). John Steinbecks The Chrysanthemums may seem as a story describing a simple day with the Allen couple. It begins with Elisa Allen working in her garden and her husband, Henry Allen, negotiating with two suited business men that want to purchase steers. TheyRead More John Steinbecks â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† Essay1286 Words   |  6 PagesJohn Steinbecks â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† John Steinbecks The Chrysanthemums shows the true feelings of the main character, Elisa Allen, through the use of setting and her interactions with other characters in the story. By way of vivid descriptions, Elisas feelings of dissatisfaction over the lack of excitement in her life are portrayed. Her role as a mere housewife and then the subsequent change to feelings of a self-assured woman are clearly seen. These inner feelings are most apparent withRead MoreComparing John Steinbeck s Mice And Men And The Grapes Of Wrath1126 Words   |  5 PagesComparing and Contrasting Steinbeck John Steinbeck is a famous author known for many of his short stories, as well as the books Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath. His works have been studied and analyzed often because of his unique ability to create symbolism from small amounts of text. â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† is a short story written by John Steinbeck, and was first published in 1939. It tells the story of a woman who feels she is capable of completing any task a man can, but is set back byRead MoreJohn Steinbecks Use of Symbolism in His Book The Chrysanthemums611 Words   |  2 PagesChrysanthemums John Steinbeck is remembered as one of the classic American writers, and his book Chrysanthemums is no exception. The title of the book is a reference to the symbols and plot of the story, a Chrysanthemum being a symbolic flower for the protagonist, Elisa Allen. The story is set during the Great Depression, and therefore marriage by arrangement was common in agricultural areas, as finding food and shelter were more important than childhood ambitions, as Elisa learned the hard wayRead MoreThe Chrysanthemums By John Steinbeck982 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Chrysanthemums† is a short story written by John Steinbeck. The story was originally published in 1937 before later being released as a part of his The Long Valley collection. This is an important story as it expresses women in a way that is more realistic, showing their true boredom, ambition, and capabilities. Some scholars interpreted this story differently, but C. Kenneth Pellow interprets it as â€Å"radically femin istic.† The Great Depression was finally ending and women’s rights were risingRead More Symbols and Symbolism - Flowers as a Symbol in John Steinbecks The Chrysanthemums983 Words   |  4 PagesFlowers as a Symbol in The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck      Ã‚  Ã‚   In romantic or sexual context, a woman is often said to be as beautiful as a flower. In John Steinbecks short story The Chrysanthemums, Elisa Allen never receives this recognition. Although she is a strong woman, she is frustrated because her husband will not admire her romantically in any way. This frustration only deepens because she is childless and feels the need to be a mother. She discovers an outlet for her frustration

The Rise and Fall of the Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire was an imperial state that was founded in 1299 after growing out of the breakdown of several Turkish tribes. The empire then grew to include many areas in what is now present-day Europe. It eventually became one of the largest, most powerful and longest-lasting empires in the history of the world. At its peak, the Ottoman Empire included the areas of Turkey, Egypt, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Macedonia, Hungary, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and parts of the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa. It had a maximum area of 7.6 million square miles (19.9 million square kilometers) in 1595. The Ottoman Empire began to decline in the 18th century, but a portion of its land became what is now Turkey. Origin and Growth The Ottoman Empire began in the late 1200s during the breakup of the Seljuk Turk Empire. After that empire broke up, the Ottoman Turks began to take control of the other states belonging to the former empire and by the late 1400s, all other Turkish dynasties were controlled by the Ottoman Turks. In the early days of the Ottoman Empire, the main goal of its leaders was expansion. The earliest phases of Ottoman expansion occurred under Osman I, Orkhan, and Murad I. Bursa, one of the Ottoman Empires earliest capitals, fell in 1326. In the late 1300s, several important victories gained more land for the Ottomans and Europe began to prepare for Ottoman expansion. After some military defeats in the early 1400s, the Ottomans regained their power under Muhammad I. In 1453, they captured Constantinople. The Ottoman Empire then entered its height and what is known as the Period of Great Expansion, during which time the empire came to include the lands of over ten different European and Middle Eastern states. It is believed that the Ottoman Empire was able to grow so rapidly because other countries were weak and unorganized, and also because the Ottomans had advanced military organization and tactics for the time. In the 1500s, the Ottoman Empires expansion continued with the defeat of the Mamluks in Egypt and Syria in 1517, Algiers in 1518, and Hungary in 1526 and 1541. In addition, parts of Greece also fell under Ottoman control in the 1500s. In 1535, the reign of Sulayman I began and Turkey gained more power than it had under previous leaders. During the reign of Sulayman I, the Turkish judicial system was reorganized and Turkish culture began to grow significantly. Following Sulayman Is death, the empire began to lose power when its military was defeated during the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. Decline and Collapse Throughout the rest of the 1500s and into the 1600s and 1700s, the Ottoman Empire began a considerable decline in power after several military defeats. In the mid-1600s, the empire was restored for a short time after military victories in Persia and Venice. In 1699, the empire again began to lose territory and power subsequently. In the 1700s, the Ottoman Empire began to rapidly deteriorate following the Russo-Turkish Wars. A series of treaties created during that time caused the empire to lose some of its economic independence. The Crimean War, which lasted from 1853 to 1856, further exhausted the struggling empire. In 1856, the independence of the Ottoman Empire was recognized by the Congress of Paris but it was still losing its strength as a European power. In the late 1800s, there were several rebellions and the Ottoman Empire continued to lose territory. Political and social instability in the 1890s created international negativity toward the empire. The Balkan Wars of 1912 and 1913 and uprisings by Turkish nationalists further reduced the empires territory and increased instability. Following the end of World War I, the Ottoman Empire officially came to an end with the Treaty of Sevres. Importance of the Ottoman Empire Despite its collapse, the Ottoman Empire was one of the largest, longest-lasting, and most successful empires in the worlds history. There are many reasons as to why the empire was as successful as it was, but some of them include its very strong and organized military and its centralized political structure. These early, successful governments make the Ottoman Empire one of the most important in history.

Task Dependency †Critical Path Free Essays

Dependencies and Network Diagram The network diagram is a schematic representation showing the sequence and relationship/ dependency of the tasks along with their duration. All the tasks, except the first and the last, are linked with at least one predecessor and successor to have a proper sequence of work. This logical dependency between the tasks will determine afterwards the duration of the project. We will write a custom essay sample on Task Dependency – Critical Path or any similar topic only for you Order Now There are four types of dependencies which define the relation between pair tasks Finish-to-start (FS- the second task ‘successor’ can’t begin until the first ’predecessor’ is completed), Finish-to-finish (FF- the completion of the successor depends on the completion of its predecessor), Start-to-start (SS- the start of the successor depends on the start of its predecessor), Start-to-finish (SF- the finish of the successor depends on the start of its predecessor). Critical Path However the duration of the project is meaningless without identifying what is driving the project, why the project takes so long, what possible action is required to shorten the duration or what possible risk may extend the project†¦ Among the set of activities interconnected on the diagram; there is always one longest duration path from start to end of the project travelling through the network, Carmichael D. (2006, p. 51). This longest path is also known as a critical path driving the project duration and all tasks falling on this path are called critical activities. Any delay which occurs on these critical activities will delay the project completion time as well. The critical path analysis is carried out in three steps. The first step consists of forward pass which calculates the early schedule (earliest start time and earliest finish time of a task). If a schedule activity has two or more predecessors, its early start is governed by the early finish time of the preceding activities whichever is maximum. The second step is the backward pass which calculates the late schedule (latest start and latest finish time of a task). If a schedule activity has one or more successor, its late finish is governed by the late start time of the succeeding activities whichever is minimum. Finally the third step calculates the total float and free float. It is therefore crucial to have dependency between pair of tasks in order to analyze the duration, critical path and critical activities of the project. Critical path helps the project team to complete the project efficiently and on time. Nonetheless critical path is dynamic in nature and changes depending on the progress of work, Furniss B. nd Trauner J. (2010). Constraints Wysocki (2012, pp. 205-209) explains that there are four types of constraints which each one has appropriate area of application 1- Technical constraint This is a dependency in which the successor activity can start with some output of the predecessor activity. According to Wysocki there are four types of dependencies under this technical constraint †¢ Discretionary constraint This is a judgmen t which may be introduced by the project manager to change the dependency between tasks and avoid further risk. Discretionary dependency is often called soft logic, Kerzner H. and Saladis F. (2009, p. 167). †¢ Best-practice constraint This refers to previous experience of the project manager or others in executing similar task to the present. In some circumstance, dependencies which come from past experience are part of risk-aversion. The dependencies vary from industry to industry either to faster production (SS) or to avoid risk (FS- mostly building construction starts after the design is finished) †¢ Logical constraint It is a result of the project manger’s way of thinking or common sense to follow logical sequence between pair tasks in such a way the logic is reasonable and justifiable. †¢ Unique constraint It occurs usually when a specific/critical resource is required for the execution of several tasks. 2- Management constraint This constraint is imposed by the management and dependencies of tasks can be reversed to a better one should the need arise. 3- Interproject constraint My current project is a construction of student accommodation and has a specific requirement for the toilet to be installed in the student rooms. This toilet is called prefabricated bathroom POD which should be manufactured as a complete standalone unit with floor and wall tiles, door, shower tray, water closet (WC), bidet, hand wash basin, mirror, hair drier†¦ off-site. The construction of the pods is a separate project. The pods are, then, transported to the site, lifted with crane and installed in the building. The installation of external masonry blockworks on the main project can only start after the delivery and installation of pod is finished (see attached picture). 4- Date constraint This constraint preset a fixed start or finish date for deliverable to make it happen on a specific date. There are three types of constraints. The first and the most annoying constraint which I exercised on my current project is the ‘on this date’. In order to energize all the utility services and proceed with all subsequent testing and commissioning activities, we (the contractor) needed to know when the power supply will be provided/completed by the client. The client ordered the contractor to submitted programme of work applying a constraint â€Å"on this date† for power-on connection task. We prepared the programme accordingly and highlighted the client that the project will be completed on X date from the day we receive the power-on. Unfortunately the power-on could not happen on the specified date and ALL of our subsequent activities were affected. The sequence of work was totally distorted with difficulties to construe the schedule resulting negative float. ‘No later than’ is the second constraint you can impose on a task to limit the latest finish time it can be finished. This constraint can, as well result negative float. The third constraint is the ‘No earlier than’ which specifies the earliest date a task can be finished but cannot result negative float by itself. Conclusion In general the combination of different dependencies and constraints build the project schedule and form the network diagram which is a tool to understand the sequence of work and critical activities in the project. Carmichel D. (2006) Project Planning and Control London: Taylor Francis Furniss, Brian J. and Trauner, Theodore J. (2010) ‘The Critical Path: Definition vs. Understanding’, Construct, 19(1), [Online]. Available at: http://ehis. ebscohost. com. ezproxy. liv. ac. uk/eds/detail? sid=89b2f511-7e34-41db-8676-5d3f40f45afe%40sessionmgr10vid=1hid=3bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9hAN=52161761 (Accessed: 05 October 2012) Wysocki, R. K. (2012) Effective Project Management: traditional, agile, extreme. 6th edn. Indianapolis: John Wiley Sons, Inc. Kerzner, H. and Saladis F. (2009) Project Management Workbook. 10th edn. New Jersey: John Wiley Sons, Inc. How to cite Task Dependency – Critical Path, Essay examples