In the short story “Chrysanthemums”, the author John Steinbeck uses Elisa’s garden as a symbol of respite, a beautiful piece of nature, and a place for her to escape oppression, and be herself. In addition, the garden symbolizes her strength and sexual desires. During the time this story took place, most women were subordinate to men. Women’s obligations consisted of working around the house and raising children.
It is evident in the novel that Elisa lives a lonely life, and doesn’t have contact with any people other than her own family. Her true passion is for her garden, and being alone in her garden allows her to escape and cope with her everyday stress. The garden represents a place of retreat from her husband’s oppression. Nothing can disturb her while in the garden because of the “wire fence that protected her flower garden from cattle and dogs and chickens.” Elisa keeps bugs from eating her plants. “She spread the leaves and looked down among the close-growing stems. No aphids were there, no sow bugs or snails or cutworms.” Steinbeck is clearly pointing out her desire to eliminate the all of the negative things in her everyday life.
According to critic Cynthia Bily in Short Stories for Students, Elisa’s flowers replace the things that are missing in her life. As the story progresses, the garden enables Elisa to be more at ease with herself especially in her responses to the visitor. She is delighted that the man has such genuine interest in her flowers.
Another critic named Ernest W. Sullivan from Short Stories for Students, believes that the man’s interest in the chrysanthemums aroused Elisa’s sexual desires. In the story, Steinbeck writes “Her breast swelled passionately”. Not only does Elisa get Arnoso, 2 physically aroused but even her tone of voice changes dramatically. Elisa’s voice grows husky, and she says “I’ve never lived as you do, but I know what you mean. When the night is dark-why, the stars are sharp-pointed, and there’s quiet. Why, you rise up and up! Every pointed star gets driven into your body. It’s like that. Hot and sharp and-lovely.” The garden symbolizes a place for Elisa to become passionate about all of her desires, such as the character Edna did in The Awakening by confiding in another man who was not her husband.
French writer Francoise d’Eaubonne used the term ecofeminism in 1974 in the philosophy that said, “Women have a spiritual connection with nature that is stronger than men’s, that women and nature are dominated by men in similar ways, and that women’s connections to nature can be a source of strength.” This is apparent in the way that Steinbeck describes Henry’s perspective on the Chrysanthemums. Henry’s comment, “work out in the orchard and raise some apples that big” shows that he has no appreciation of nature, and only cares about what the garden can yield in the financial sense. He also says “Some of those yellow Chrysanthemums you had this year were ten inches across”. He only sees the flowers by their size, not their beauty.
Steinbeck also creates the garden to symbolize a source of strength for Elisa. Steinbeck makes numerous comments to show it, such as describing her face as “lean and strong, her hands having “strong fingers”, and her effort put into her work as being “over-powerful”.
Throughout the short story, “Chrysanthemums”, it is obvious how the author John Steinbeck uses symbolism. The garden provides a spiritual and beautiful Arnoso, 3 retreat for Elisa to pursue her fantasies both socially and sexually, as well as a source of strength.
