The Chrysanthemums Symbolism

In “The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck, the titular flower, Salinas Valley, and Elisa Allen complement each other. The importance of each is therefore highlighted: the yellow chrysanthemums suggest Elisa’s personality traits and view of life; while the Salinas Valley indicate her protected lifestyle and lead us to realize her greater desires in life. Throughout “The Chrysanthemums” Steinbeck is proving a point about married couples and women’s roles in society. Chrysanthemums and the Salinas Valley serve as pivotal symbols revealing Elisa Allen’s personality, traits, and outlook on life.

The chrysanthemums are a large part of Elisa’s life and symbolize how she views herself. Elisa relates to the flowers and sympathizes with them as

When gender is brought up Elisa often caves into stereotypes, for example she doesn’t like fights. However, the chrysanthemums give her hope and strength to continue moving forward and growing as a person in ways that would not be possible if the flowers were not a constant figure. Being a female in a male-orientated environment she is often plagued by insecurities. For example when Henry, her husband, says “Why--why, Elisa. You look so nice!” (Steinbeck 248) she responds “Nice? You think I look nice? What do you mean by ‘nice’?” (Steinbeck 248). The wire fence in which her chrysanthemums reside “protected her flower garden from cattle and dogs and chickens” (Steinbeck 243). The wire fence not only shelters the flowers, but can also serve as a metaphorical protection for Elisa, further revealing the thin line between Elisa and her flowers. Elisa relies heavily on the chrysanthemums support and guidance due in part to her geographical location, the Salinas

It is a place found in both the beginning of the story and the end. It also points towards the overall theme of the literary work (Kennedy 271). Like how the Salinas Valley is surrounded by mountains, Elisa’s life is surrounded by boundaries. These boundaries include Elisa’s self-confidence struggle and progressive thinking throughout her life. Steinbeck refers to the Valley as a “closed pot” (Steinbeck 242) leading the reader to see Elisa’s life in a bubble. Her life is mundane, lacking many of the struggles found in larger cities and limiting her world view. The sides of the “pot” or Valley could also serve as a metaphorical and literal protection from the dangers of the world, guarding Elisa from many of the struggles found in larger communities. As Elisa is protected by the mountains, in turn she protects the chrysanthemums from harm and danger. Elisa protects the flowers as if they are truly a friend, “no aphids were there, no sow bugs or snails or cutworms. Her terrier fingers destroyed such pests before they could get started” (Steinbeck 243). The chrysanthemums serve as an emotional outlet for Elisa to release her anger about her circumstances. Elisa leads a small, humble life in a conservative area. Elisa therefore realizes she can do so much more with her life and pours these emotions into her flowers causing them to be very successful. The flowers also signify