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| The overall theme for "The Chrysanthemums" was the limitations and opportunities between a man and a woman. In the story Elisa was told multiple times by the traveling handyman that "it ain't the right kind of life for a woman" and how "It would be a lonely life for a woman" because men were so dominant in this time . Being a married woman gives Elisa little room to do the things she wants to do because she was put into the stereotypical role of the house wife. Elisa later asks about the fights that people watch because Elisa wants to feel like, if she could, she can have the opportunity to go into one of these brawls. |
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| "I could show you what a woman might do." Elisa wants to point out to the man who came on the wagon that he isn't the only one who is good with their hands. Showing that she can do all the things he can do if not better. Also, the only reason she gave him work to do was because he was interested in her flowers, she felt bad that he didn't have food and partly so he would stop nagging her about all the things he can fix. |
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| Wealth becomes a minor theme throughout the novel.The handyman has no money and begs Elisa for dinner because she is the woman of the house and must help a man in need. Critics believe that the Allen's aren't happy with money alone and need more things that make them feel more than just comfortable. That is why Elisa plants the chrysanthemums and the handyman goes across the country helping people because they feel empowered doing something instead of just feeling like everything is a grind for money. Lewis, a critic reviewing the novel, comments " Freed from the crushing burden of absolute poverty and social disintegration, Steinbeck's characters, like Henry Allen, are quite pleased to be able to make a decent living, but equally important, like Elisa Allen, they are beginning to sense that not everybody can be satisfied by bread alone" because Elisa isn't happy with how her life is and needs to start doing things that help her fulfill that constant empty thought of being lonely. |
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| Meaning: "The question Steinbeck poses is whether one should settle for security and a lack of pain, or risk one's dreams in an attempt to live more completely and intensely"(Lewis). Steinbeck wrote about the character Elisa, and she doesn't feel satisfied just living on a piece of land. We see that she gets a little jealous after meeting the tinker and wonders what it would be like if she got to see and do something like that. |
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| Another theme seen in the story was lying. Elisa tells the Tinker that she doesn't have any work for him and it looks as if he will be leaving without any money which may very well have been the main reason he stopped. He says earlier in the story that he makes this trip annually so there shouldn't be any reason he needs to stop for directions. Another very important thing to notice in the quote above is that his eyes start to wander because he is looking for a common interest or buying himself time to try to convince Elisa to give him work. He also tends to lean in when trying to grab her attention, "The man leaned farther over the fence. Look. I know a lady down the road a piece, has got the nicest garden you ever seen. Got nearly every kind of flower but no chrysanthemums." He doesn't care about the flowers or the lady down the road for that matter he simply used Elisa to get his money and continued down the road. In fact, he is so unappreciative of her that he even throws the flowers he was supposed to take to the lady blatantly on the side of the road for her to later see. |
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| Imagery played a major role in the story "The Chrysanthemums" because of the different emotions being felt by Elisa and reinforcing the overall theme of limitations for a woman. The story describes Elisa being "alert and eager" because of the handyman's interest of wanting the one thing she is able to do. Using the imagery helps portray the overall mood of opportunities and limitations because of the vivid facial expression from Elisa Allen to the handyman. You can see the connections of the "strong hands" to the working of her flowers because that is what she believes most in, but after getting a little criticized by the handyman for not making him dinner makes her more upset. |
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| The use of canines is seen to be a motif throughout the short story. The imagery of a dog is compared to Elisa Allen multiple times including the visual of her destroying "snails","aphids","bugs", "cutworms", and other creatures using her "terrier fingers" in her garden. Throughout the story she would snarl and proving, proving that she was not seen to be man's best friend. Creating this image allowed the reader to sense a feeling of discomfort because of the anger Elisa shows. The handyman and Henry were both linked to the two shepherds because they both were born into their work life and have been committed to their work every day. The fighting between the dogs show the disconnect Elisa and Henry have between their marriage. The motif of the dogs shows the overall theme of limitations for Elisa. |
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| Using third person allowed the author to show the actions of all of the characters,but not show the feelings or thoughts. Throughout the story, the reader must infer the emotions being portrayed by the characters through their diction and actions. For example, the handyman was not being sincere while talking about the flowers, but the reader would not know that until they read, " It's nice, just like you say. Only when you don't have no dinner, it ain't." and realizing the handyman is using Elisa for a free dinner. Using the third person allows the large amount of imagery to help narrate the theme and the setting of the story. The imagery also allows the reader to infer from Elisa's facial expressions and detailed descriptions of her actions. |
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| The symbolism of the chrysanthemum can be further illustrated as Elisa's infertility and cutting the male stem is emasculating to Henry. The flower can symbolize the sense of power Elisa receives while working on something she loves. The color yellow of the chrysanthemums and the willows by the road could be symbolized as hope in the gloomy setting of the dark "high grey fog". Elisa's uses the little hope to have some kind of opportunity to work for something better, instead of just being at home as a housewife and being able to be with someone who makes her happy. |
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