Symbolism In John Steinbeck's 'The Chrysanthemums'

Elisa, also a housewife, usually had activities involved in routine housework and maintaining her flower garden, that was filled with chrysanthemums. She took care of the chrysanthemums as if they were her children, and being a farmers’ wife, she had more free time than her husband, Henry. When the tinker, also known as the tin man, came up to Elisa for work he tried to manipulate her into giving him some work to do. When the tinker saw there was no way Elisa would give him work, he tried to work her. “What’s them plants, ma’am?” (Steinbeck, 208). Tinker asked Elisa about the plants probably so he could influence her about chrysanthemums- that way they bond on the subject of the flowers and from there Elisa started to explain the importance of these flowers. Elisa doesn’t realize she’s being played with until near the end when tinker finally leaves she waves goodbye to him but her voice drops as she says the word “Goodbye to goodbye”, finding that the tinker threw Elisa’s chrysanthemums away (Steinbeck, 210). This quote showed the attachment for the chrysanthemums Elisa had, and the minute the tinker threw away those flowers, it broke Elisa’s heart. This makes Elisa thinks about how a man can get what he wants while Elisa

Elisa’s sexual interests and potential as a woman are reawakened by this encounter, though her husband fails to see her desires or meet them. In "The Chrysanthemums," John Steinbeck uses language conventions such as imagery,

“The Chrysanthemums” is a short story in The Long Valley, a collection of short stories by John Steinbeck. This story dramatizes the efforts made by a housewife, Elisa Allen, to compensate for the disappointments which she has encountered in her life. Steinbeck makes it clear that Elisa yearns for something more in her life then the everyday routines of farm life. While Elisa is portrayed as strong, in the end, her strength serves to be insufficient in having the courage to effect any real change in her life since her fragile self-esteem proves to be too susceptible to outside forces.

Seemingly, the flowers represent Elisa. She believes she is strong and tough and able to accomplish anything thrown her way; however, taken for granted as she is only a woman allowed to look and act accordingly. Surrounding the flowers is a wire fence set up to keep out predators and to separate the flowers from the rest of the farm. The wire fence is symbolic in the fact that it is identical to the world Elisa lives in. Elisa is contained within the farm, unable to explore or leave without the help of someone else. Elisa is stuck on the farm, isolated from the rest of the world so that she can be kept safe. Naive and unaware of how the world works, her husband keeps her on the farm to protect her from harm. When Elisa gives the chrysanthemum to the travelling merchant, she gives him a small piece of herself. Later, as her and her husband are driving to town, she sees the flower tossed aside as though it was nothing; as a result, she realizes she could never go off on and live the way the merchant had. The flowers embody her character still, and how out of her home without protection, the world can be harsh and cruel. In short, Elisa’s isolation leaves her ignorant, unable to understand how callous the world is, and comes to the bleak realization that she can’t live a life anywhere outside of her fence. Because of how women were treated, constantly pushed down and unable to pursue their interests, Elisa is left unable to learn what life has to offer. Learning

This helps to symbolize patience, reassurance, and when your plants finally grow – satisfaction.” It it basically like taking care of a child, but in a shorter period of time. In the second part of the story, the Chrysanthemums come to symbolize Elisa's femininity and sexuality as a women. It goes into her husband Henry and how she feels like Henry doesn't appreciate her femininity, and this feeling causes her to be self observed towards him. Elisa becomes discontented with Henry after states that, "I wish you'd work out in the orchard and raise some apples that big.”

The traveller looked around for something to fix at Elisa farm, but found nothing until “they roamed around to the chrysanthemum bed where she had been working. ”(Steinbeck 418) “The irritation and resistance melted from Elisa’s face”(418) after the traveller asked about her chrysanthemum’s. After this part in the story the reader can speculate that Elisa enjoys talking about her chrysanthemums. The traveller “ changed his tone quickly” after assessing that Elisa liked the recognition of her flowers.

In "The Chrysanthemums" John Steinbeck develops a theme of limitations. The story is essentially a man in the mirror story where the rigid Elisa sees herself for the first time as trapped. Although Elisa has recognized her life as limited and confining, she sadly accepts her life as is and does nothing to rectify her situation. In John Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums" symbolism of the fence, the garden, and the chrysanthemums help illustrate the story by striking an emotional chord with the audience.

John Steinbeck's "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, Elisa's 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 with the portrayal of Elisa working in the garden with the chrysanthemums, the conversation she has with the man passing through, and finally, when she and her husband are going out to dinner.

"The Chrysanthemums", one of John Steinbeck's masterpieces, describes a lonely farmer's wife, Elisa Allen. Elisa Allen's physical appearance is very mannish yet still allows a hint of a feminine side to peek through. John Steinbeck brings symbolism into play to represent Elisa Allen's frustrations and hidden passions. Isolation is another representation through symbolism found in "The Chrysanthemums." Elisa's failing detached marriage is represented through two symbols. The two reoccurring symbols are the chrysanthemums and fences. John Steinbeck draws pity from the reader for Elisa Allen who desperately wishes to experience the passions of a fulfilling marriage and the stimulation of

Steinbeck uses chrysanthemum’s to symbolize Elisa’s strength and power in order to show how societal standards cause women to miss out on opportunities and become frustrated with the confinement of their expression. “[Elisa] was cutting down the old year's chrysanthemum stalks with a pair of short and powerful scissors. She looked down toward the men by the tractor shed now and then. Her face was eager and mature and handsome; even her work with the scissors was over-eager, over-powerful.” Chrysanthemum stalks require a great deal of force to be cut down, which is highlighted through Elisa’s use of “powerful scissors.” Ordinarily, flowers are portrayed as beautiful and delicate; however, chrysanthemums are sturdy and tough. Steinbeck chose specifically to use chrysanthemums because they symbolize the strength Elisa has; she is confident, empowered, and masculine, but all of her strength is confined within the standards of society just as the chrysanthemums are confined within the walls of her garden. Elisa, as a woman, is unable to express herself as strong, masculine, and proud because that was not the standard that women were held to during that time; her expression is confined to her work in the garden with her chrysanthemums, and it is frustrating for her to miss out on the opportunities that would showcase her strength and let it be appreciated by her husband and the mender because of the standard of delicacy and beauty that women are held to.

Stanley Renner said, “Chrysanthemums is a story about a woman kept from personal, social, and sexual fulfillment” (306). At the beginning of the story Elisa is tending to her chrysanthemums with care, because she actually loves them. She puts work into them, and in return they give beauty and fulfillment, unlike her husband. After her husband invites her to dinner, Elisa is ecstatic and really dresses up for her husband. She hopes that he sees her as a woman and not just his wife, but that quickly gets shot down by his reply, “You look strong enough to break a calf over your knee, and happy enough to eat it like a watermelon.”

John Steinbeck, in his short story "The Chrysanthemums" depicts the trials of a woman attempting to gain power in a man's world. Elisa Allen tries to define the boundaries of her role as a woman in such a closed society. While her environment is portrayed as a tool for social repression, it is through nature in her garden where Elisa gains and shows off her power. As the story progresses, Elisa has trouble extending this power outside of the fence that surrounds her garden. In the end, Elisa learns but does not readily accept, that she possesses a feminine power weak for the time, not the masculine one she had tried so hard to achieve through its imitation.

“The Chrysanthemums” takes place in Salina’s Valley during the winter month of December 1938. This story is focused on the relationship between Elisa Allen and her husband, Henry Allen. As the story opens, Elisa is on her husband’s ranch pridefully cutting down chrysanthemums in the garden. Her husband comes to praise her on how well she works with the flowers as she congratulates him on selling “thirty head of three-year-old steers” (pg. 359). Henry then asks her to head into town for dinner and a movie, which Elisa agrees. They seem to be a couple made well for each other by the positive conversation they briefly had.

In John Steinbeck’s “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.

The author’s message is implied through the symbolism of the chrysanthemums in which the protagonist carefully cultivates in her garden. The garden is cultivated with “Her terrier fingers destroyed such pests before they get started” (243) describing how works to protect the chrysanthemums from other pests in nature. In return for her hard work and diligence to maintain such a lovely garden with healthy plants which her husband sings her praise. Henry says “You’ve got a strong crop coming” (243) and her strength to care for nature makes her strong part of nature and as a women. Henry also tells her “you’ve got a gift with things” (243) referring to her ability to grow strong and healthy plants. Elisa gift is raising healthy plants such as chrysanthemums with large blooms. Henry also observes “Some of those yellow chrysanthemums you had this year were ten inches across” (243) which is what Elisa attributed to her planters hands. The large blooms on the plants allude to how Elisa is healthy and strong and the amount of time Elisa has to garden. The descriptive imagery of Elisa in comparison to nature and beauty allows the readers to recognize the protagonist is influenced by the chrysanthemums. The author makes you aware of the importance of the chrysanthemums when her husband and the traveler comment on their