The Chrysanthemums

Ana
September 27, 2011

“The Chrysanthemums” Critical Analysis

“The Chrysanthemums”, written by John Steinbeck is a story about a thirty-five year-old woman named Elisa Allen and her encounter with an old bearded man in a wagon and his effect in her perspective in life. The point of view in which the story was narrated is relevant to its analysis and understanding. Also a character analysis can be done to interpret how they each think and act the way they do. Steinbeck uses a great amount of symbols that can be analyzed to conclude the characteristics of the characters of the story as well as the setting and time in which it takes place. The protagonist, Elisa Ellen, also faces different changes or transformations during the story that
transcends her feelings and emotions at that time. The story has an omniscient narrator, an unidentified speaker that even though narrates about other characters, is mostly focused on Elisa. It seems as if the point of view is mostly about Elisa, the narrator creates the impression that he can not only see Elisa’s actions, but he can also see her emotions. That trait allows us to see through her eyes and understand her feelings. That is demonstrated when we do not know what the men are discussing with Henry until she does, or when she feels both frustration and later excitement towards the man in the wagon, but we do not know what he feels. An analysis of each main character individually can be made to understand the story better.
Henry Allen, for example, is the man of the house, the provider for the family. Due to the fact that the story takes places in a patriarchal time, Henry takes care of the ranch and of his wife, providing them with a comfortable life. He is a good husband and a nice man that treats her with respect. He however does not have much faith in her abilities other than house duties and gardening. It is clear in the story that there is a lack of passion in their marriage and it seems as if they are married simply because they have gotten accustomed to each other. Elisa is an attractive woman that although has an asexual life, as seen by their lack of children, is still a sexual person. She is intelligent and ambitious but is trapped by the society she lives in. She feels unappreciated and is frustrated with her inability of doing the same things men do. She is by far smarter and more talented than both men in the story, but her is life is not nearly as interesting or importance as theirs. Not much is described about the man in the wagon except for the fact that he is older and has a beard. His traits show a working man “The calloused hands he rested on the wire fence were cracked, and every crack was a black line.” (Steinbeck 728). He makes his living mending pots and sharpening knives and scissors. Although he is uneducated, he is smart and a good salesman. At first he pleads Elisa for work,
and then later uses his charm to ease his way into acceptance in hopes of receiving work. Steinbeck uses many symbols in his “The Chrysanthemums” story.
The Chrysanthemums themselves are a symbol of both Elisa and her life. Like the flower, Elisa is beautiful and powerful and as described in the story, her face is “lean and strong and her eyes were as clear as water” (Steinbeck 726). Elisa feels comfortable when around the flowers and feels a connection with them. Her sudden change from when the man in the wagon asks about the Chrysanthemums is an evidence of her appreciation and identification to the flowers, “The irritation and resistance melted from Elisa’s face.” (Steinbeck 729). At that moment she felt appreciated and important. Her bond to the flowers is so strong that when he compliments them, she feels as if he had complimented her as well. Also, at the same time as she is offering the Chrysanthemums to him, she is also offering herself, exemplifying her and the flowers unity once again as well as the symbolic meaning of her offering of the flowers. The amount of detail she gives when talking about the stars is “nearly pornographic” (SparkNotes). At the end of the story, as she sees the flowers on the floor, realizing his rejection to the flowers, she instantaneously feels rejected as well and starts “crying weakly-like an old woman” (Steinbeck
733) Elisa faces different transformations during the story. At the beginning of the story she is dressed in a way that represents her repressed life, looking “blocked and heavy in her gardening costume” (Steinbeck 726). She wears a man’s hat, gardening gloves and possesses scissors and knifes in her pockets. Her first transformation occurs when the man in the wagon asks about the Chrysanthemums flowers. She immediately changes to a nicer and more sensitive attitude towards him. She slowly becomes more feminine, as John describes “She tore off the battered hat and shook out her dark pretty hair” (Steinbeck 730). Her gloves also come off and she matures to sexual action, “She was kneeling on the ground looking up at him. Her breast swelled passionately.” (Steinbeck 730). She also feels capable of performing a man’s job and feels as if she does not need to be trapped any more. After the man leaves she still feels attractive and important. She takes a hot bath she stares at her naked body and “tightened her stomach and threw out her chest” (Steinbeck 732) in hopes of looking more beautiful and pleasing. She feels strong and encouraged. The second transformation happens when she notices the Chrysanthemums on the side of the road while on their way to dinner. She becomes soft and oppressed again, covering herself up like in the beginning of the story and crying “like an old woman” (Steinbeck 733). She feels like what she felt had no meaning and that “it was all over. The thing was done.” (Steinbeck 733).

Works Cited
Di Yanni, Roberts. “Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, and Drama.“ New York, NY. 2007. The Chrysanthemums. John Steinbeck. 1938.
SparkNotes Editors. “SparkNote on The Chrysanthemums.” SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2007. Web. 23 Sept. 2011.