The Sexual Repression of Elisa Allen
...sa’s husband. When Steinbeck states that the fog “sat like a lid on the mountains and made of the great valley a closed pot” he is linking Elisa’s closed sexuality from the world (Madden 1125). Steinbeck states that in the valley surrounding her, “It was a time of quiet and waiting. The air was cold and tender” (Madden 1125). This is coupled with Elisa’s yearning for her husband to be tender and loving, but it was met with the coldness of his response. All of this symbolism is met with an explosion of raw emotions when the tinker stops by the farm. With her sexuality being repressed by her husband, it is no surprise how Elisa reacts to the tinker. The response she gives to the tinker is triggered by his apparent interest in her chrysanthemums. Up to this point of the story, this is the only thing she feels passionately about. Elisa finally feels like someone is paying attention to her and is interested in what she likes. This awakens something inside her that appears to burst at the seams. Her voice “grew husky” and her breasts “swelled passionately” (Madden 1129). Elisa is so aroused at this point that she reaches out to touch the tinker on his pants. The “pot” of her sexuality had the top blown off. She was now experiencing feelings she was not used to experiencing. After the tinker leaves, she scrubs herself clean and makes herself look very attractive. She wanted to keep this feeling alive. Henry, Elisa’s husband, is unable to satisfy his wife’s need of sexual attraction. After the tinker leaves Elisa gives herself what Higdon calls “almost a ritually purifying” bath (par.5). Elisa has a desire to convey her sexuality, so she puts on a dress as a “symbol of her prettiness”. She also wears make-up, and even puts on her “newest underclothing” to feel the part (Madden 1131). When Henry finally sees her, he appears shocked and tells her that she looks nice. He also tells her that she looks “strong enough to break a calf over your knee, happy enough to eat it like a watermelon” (Madden 1131). Usually, women do ...