"The Chrysanthemums"

John Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums” was one of my favorite stories that we have read so far. I liked the way that the story was very descriptive like, “The thick willow scrub along the river flamed with sharp and positive yellow leaves (Steinbeck p. 632).” Also in that passage how he used color so you could practically picture what he is talking about. Even though in the end I am kind of confused because why didn’t she look at the caravan, “She swung full around toward her husband so she could not see the little covered wagon and the mismatched team as the car passed them (Steinbeck p. 639).” What did the driver of the wagon throw out? “Far ahead on the road Elisa saw a dark speck. She knew (Steinbeck p. 639).” Why didn’t she want to look at the wagon, was she scared or did she just not want to look?

Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

This is a creepy story of a young girl growing up in a hurry. This story was one of absolute horror. Fifteen year old Connie seems to be not unlike any other teenage girl. She is consumed by her vanity. This character is vain and thinks of nothing but her own needs. "to glance into mirrors, or checking other people's faces to make sure her own was all right" page 509. Connie's mother was hard on her it is understood from this story. "You think you're so pretty?" page 509. I sense Connie's mother was just overly worried about her daughter's well being. Unfortunately all the negative feed back and no positive feed back leads Connie to have horrible wishes regarding her mother "Connie wished her mother was dead and she herself was dead and it was all over" page 511. Be careful for what you wish for. Connie being young and naive thought her looks would be her life "she knew she was pretty and that was everything" page 509.
The first sense of horror in this story is on page 511 with the line "Gonna get you, baby". This first introduction of the devil in disguise, Arnold Friend, is hair raising. The character Connie seemed to blow it off but the reader feels something chilling in the air. I could somehow sense once Connie's family left for the barbecue that something awful was going to happen. I could hear myself telling Connie she should have gone with her family. Arnold Friend the evil tries so hard to get Connie to come out of the house. The more he tries and the more impatient he becomes the more horrified Connie becomes in her realization of what is happening. I as the reader almost feel as if she is being punished for something. I feel as though the character may be stuck in a bad dream and can't wake up. The ending left me as the reader wondering what truly happens to poor young Connie? Maybe she wakes up from the horrible nightmare a new person. I would much rather imagine that way.

JenN

A Worn Path

This story had amazing detail as I read it. I felt like I was sitting in the woods watching Phoenix walk to her destination. She seemed like a very old woman and as she was walking through her trail she made comments and had conversations with the nature around her. To some people they could have viewed her as crazy, but to me I think that she had traveled this path so many times that she needed something to keep her going and needed something to do. In the middle of the story when she came to "the end" I realized the great dangers she encountered every time she had to take this trip. Would I do it for my child, definitely! I think that she was a slave and had to get to a free land to get the medicine for her grandson. If she had gotten caught bad things may have happened to her and that is why she chose not to tell the hunter with the dog where she was coming from. She was very brave to pick up the nickel he dropped and slip it in her pocket. She has great meaning in life to help her grandson and seems to have a lot of courage.