Chrysanthemums

The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck

Often times, we go through life feeling confused, lost, and sad. Living life through various facades grows weary over time. Eventually, we are led to the inevitable search to strive for the discovery of who we really are. Self-identity is an important focal point in our individual triumphs and tribulations we experience in our journey of life. During times of conflict, we frequently struggle with only ourselves.

"The Chrysanthemums" by John Steinbeck, written in the mid 1900's, is a downhearted story about a woman experiencing the pain of hiding who she really is. The story takes place in Salinas Valley, California. The atmosphere of Salinas is described as "the fog of winter...sat like a lid on the mountains and made of the great valley a great closed pot" with "pale cold sunshine". We get an imagery of a very dark, damp, isolated place. A gloomy disposition is instantly created through the use of the author's somber tone as well. This place seems to be one of hopelessness and sorrow. This is foreshadowing of the main character, Elisa Allen's, denouement. We can see the distance between Elisa and her husband Henry. While she is working on her gardening, he is far away. As he suddenly arrives by her side, she is taken aback as she "started at the sound of her husband's voice. He had come near quietly." We can infer that they have a lack of communication and pleasantness in their marriage. This preface creates the foundation for Elisa's struggles we are led to discover further in the story.

Elisa Allen is first presented as a very domesticated woman. Living in a time where women do not have much of liberation, she is placed to perfectly fulfill her duties of being a good housewife. She is working on her garden when we are first met with her. In fact, she is not discussing matters with the two businessmen as her husband is. Despite this, we are told that she is a young thirty-five year old woman whom is "lean, and strong and her eyes were as clear as water." Furthermore, she is then described solely focusing on her strength as "Her face was eager and mature and handsome; ...even her work... was overeager, over powerful. The chrysanthemum stems seemed too small and easy for her energy." The choice of words used, such as handsome shows her as not being typically "ladylike". She is exemplified as that of a man's traits. Elisa is proud of her prized chrysanthemums. She focuses all of her pride and labor into her gardening work. As her husband is negotiating business, she is pretending to be deeply involved in such matters that are only to be for women. She must keep herself out of men's concerns. There is a wire fence encircling her flowers. This is symbolic to the real life boundaries she is not allowed to cross. She must maintain her position of being a woman and all the standards associated with. The chrysanthemums begin to represent Elisa herself. Every year they grow, and are predictable, just as herself. She tends to them as she tends to only herself. She is closed off in a boundary within herself just as the flowers are closed off in the fence. Nobody is allowed to enter her heart, as the fence's purpose to keep unwanted inhabitants out. So she continues to nurture her chrysanthemums, the only thing she knows how.

Amidst the care take of her flowers, a repairman arrives. He has entered "confidentially over the fence" into her garden. This symbolizes that he has entered her heart. Even her husband had not crossed the fence, rather leaned on it when approaching her. This repairman is one of the few that has been able to enter a side of her very few people are able to obtain. He begins to ask Elisa if she has anything that needs to be repaired. This in fact is quite ironic, as a matter-of-fact, it is her heart that needs to be repaired. She is battling with herself inside. Instead she declines, still holding up a boundary. He then begins to discuss her lovely chrysanthemums. This instantly wins her attention as "the irritation and resistance melted from Elisa's face". He asks "You say they're nice ones?" referring to her flowers. She responds "Beautiful." Representing herself as she answered. She takes off her men's hat to bare her "dark