The Chrysanthemums

by John Steinbeck

The Chrysanthemums: Genre 1 key example

Genre
Explanation and Analysis:

The Chrysanthemums is a short story in the genre of literary realism, meaning its goal is to depict real life as accurately as possible. Steinbeck was also a prominent figure in the modernism literary movement of the early 20th century, in the company of writers like James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, and Marcel Proust. Modernist works challenged literary conventions and typical modes of storytelling, often to get to the heart of conventions that writers viewed as needing to be challenged in society while bridging the gap between literature and human consciousness.