The Chrysanthemums Analysis

"The Chrysanthemums" Analysis

In John Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums," vivid imagery of early 1900's farm life sets the stage of a day in the life of Elisa Allen. She is gifted with a green thumb and pours her talent into her garden, making sure to delegate extra attention to her prized chrysanthemums. The impression given to the reader is that she is middle aged, though she embodies youth, enthusiasm, and is rife with unbridled passion. She is the epitome of excellence, of health, and all that health entails. Yet, she is somehow limited by her surroundings. Her zest for life, though not problematic in and of itself, necessitates activities and creative outlets that are simply unavailable on a farm, thus causing her much internal frustration. The only solace she has is the zeal with which she applies her floral expertise, which, while rewarding, falls significantly short of what she is ultimately capable of as a human being. "...even her work with the scissors was over-eager, over-powerful. The chrysanthemum stems seemed too small and too easy for her energy." (p.1233) Elisa's desperate thirst for excitement and adventure gives voice to her dissatisfied subconscious, which shows itself in multiple instances throughout the story.

The first of Elisa's frustrations manifests itself when a traveling salesman happens by and she subconsciously lusts after him, quickly realizes what she is doing, and becomes embarrassed. "She was kneeling on the ground looking up at him. Her breast swelled passionately...'Every pointed star gets driven into your body...It's like that. Hot and sharp and--lovely.' Kneeling there, her hand went out toward his legs in the greasy black trousers. Her hesitant fingers almost touched the cloth...She stood up then, very straight, and her face was ashamed." (p.1237) This does not mean that Elisa wished to be unfaithful to her husband, but it implies that so much excessive passion is trapped within her that her normal cognitive function is overwhelmed at the mere prospect of someone new paying attention to her.

Next, Elisa exhibits a strong curiosity towards the traveling lifestyle of the salesman. She identifies with the desire to be the master of one's own destiny. She appreciates the salesman's ability to go wherever he chooses, and his ability to make a living based on his own merit, despite the cutthroat environment. As the salesman departs, the reader is given the distinct impression that a part of Eliza longs to go with the salesman, never to return to the monotony of such an interminably static lifestyle: "...Her lips moved silently, forming the words 'Good-bye--good-bye.' Then she whispered, 'That's a bright direction. There's a glowing there.'" (p. 1238) This "bright direction" can only be a symbol of a life of adventure, a life with victories and defeats, but certainly a life worth living.

Finally, the reader is taken to a scene where Elisa resolves herself to making the best of the mildly eventful "dinner and a movie" evening that she