Chrysanthemums

Derek Grudzieski

Analytical Essay

English 1302

Prof: M. Hall

The Chrysanthemums

In the story, "The Chrysanthemums", John Steinbeck shows how loneliness and isolation throughout the story of a lonely woman, Elisa Allen, and her unfulfilled life and how the ending is as failed as Elisa's life.

In the story Elisa Allen is a woman who is in a sense held subject to the housewife role. The only real freedom she has is when she works in her garden of beautiful chrysanthemums. John Steinbeck uses many symbolic phrases in this story. There comes a part in the story where the tinker comes along, and under this wagon is a rangy dog. This dog leaves the wagon to explore some of the ranch that is owned by Elisa and her husband Henry. When the dog gets no further that the gate two shepherds intercept the dog. The two shepherds scared the dog and it states, "With his tail between his legs returns under the wagon." This symbolizes how Elisa feels like she can go no where other than the confines of her home.

On the topside of the wagon is the adventurous tinker, a man who does many things. The tinker started a conversation with Elisa and when she finds out that he does pretty much what he wants to do all the time she becomes very envious of the tinker. So the tinker therefore represents freedom to her. Then later to go along with the envy she becomes very attracted to him. To the advantage of the tinker he starts to talk to her about her chrysanthemums and how much a woman down the road wanted so bad to have some. So, with this she gets her very best pot, as to impress the tinker, to put the seeds and soil in. After the tinker leaves she feels naturally good about herself. She became very dirty when working in the garden so she goes inside to take a shower. John Steinbeck states that she was red from rubbing herself with the pumice, and put on her nicest underclothing and nicest dress. This seems symbolic to me as that she is going out with the old and starting new. Later, with her husband patiently waiting in the running car, she takes a very long time to put on her overcoat. Only when he cuts off the engine does she come out to meet him. This symbolizes that this is a moment where she is in control, and maybe for the first time, she is going to make him wait for her.

While on the way to dinner, Elisa sees a dark speck in the road ahead. John Steinbeck then writes, "She Knew." She knew means that