Essay on Symbolism in The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck

Symbolism is a style in literature which gives meaning to objects that are different from the literal sense. John Steinbeck has effectively used symbolism in his short story The Chrysanthemums to provide a description and analysis of Elisas life and actions. Steinbeck uses chrysanthemums flowers symbolically to represent Elisa's femininity, masculinity, beauty, sexuality, and to signify her children.

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Firstly, chrysanthemums symbolize Elisa's femininity and masculinity. Elisa works in the chrysanthemums garden dressed in manly clothes. These male clothes represent her strength. She wears thick leather gloves to protect her hands while tending her chrysanthemums. Steinbeck states: Her figure looked blocked and heavy in her gardening costumes, a mans black hat pulled over her eyes She pruned the chrysanthemums with a short and powerful scissors, and the stems were too small and easy for her strength (1). The chrysanthemums also symbolize Elisas femininity. This feminine status is shown in the way she tenders her flowers as if they were her children.

Secondly, Steinbeck uses the chrysanthemums flowers to symbolize Elisas sexuality. Elisa erotically describes how she feels when picking those buds that she does not want in her garden and how these buds move into her fingertips. She remarks: Well, I can only tell you what it feels likethey never make a mistake (5). Also, Elisas meeting with the tinker awakens her sexuality. She has been living a lonely life despite being married. She initially resists the tinker, but when he comments positively about the chrysanthemums, her resistance disappears. The tinker figuratively admires her by showing interest in the chrysanthemums which catalyses her life, and the masculine form she has is replaced with a feminine one. Elisa tears off her battered hat and shook her lovely hair and is excited when she meets the man: Elisa ran excitedly to the back of the house (4). She shows her sexuality openly when the tinker describes a night in the wagon. She says this in reference to the stars: Every sharp pointed star gets driven into the body. Its like that. Hot and sharp and lovely (5). Because of her emotions, she is sexually aroused, and she almost touches the man. Steinbeck also notes: She was kneeling on the ground looking up at him, her breasts swelled passionately (5).

Furthermore, chrysanthemums represent Elisas children. She cautiously prunes the flowers in the garden with utmost care and love, the way a mother does to her children. Elisa has erected a fence all around the chrysanthemums garden to protect it from dogs, cattle and chicken and the flowers were protected from pests as Steinbeck remarks: No aphids were there, no snow bugs or snails or cutworms (1). These pests are a potential risk to the flowers and Elisa removes them from her garden the way a mother protects her children from any harm and is proud of them like they were her children. Whenever she receives compliments about the chrysanthemums flowers, she is happy and on her face, there was a little smugness (2). She is pleased by her capability of nurturing such wonderful flowers, and her pride highlights the fact that these flowers are a perfect substitute for her children.

The tinkers abandonment of the chrysanthemums shoots given to him by Elisa is symbolic. It represents rejection, and this tells the way the society rubbishes women as just mothers and housekeepers. Elisa, as she is offering the flowers to the tinker, also offers herself to him. The tinker ignores the flowers and Elisa in equal measure which makes her think that she adds little value to the world and the flowers are not relevant to anyone. Also, the abandonment of the chrysanthemums by the roadside symbolizes that Elisa is just a source of income to the tinker. Despite Elisa offering herself to him physically and emotionally, he barely brushes her aside and presses for money which when he gets, he throws away the chrysanthemums by the road. She feels let down when she notices a dark sperk on the road: She tried not to look at as she passed it, but her eyes would not obey (7).

Moreover, the chrysanthemums flowers epitomize Elisas strength and beauty. The flowers in the garden are as strong as Elisa. When Henry finds her in the garden tending the chrysanthemums, he says: Youve got a new strong crop coming (1). Elisa agrees and remarks: Yes, they will be strong this coming year (1). Henry notices the strength that Elisa has at the start of the story and the hardy chrysanthemums symbolize Elisas physical appearance. The tinker describes the chrysanthemums as puffs of colored smoke which portrays them as beautiful. This beauty is as a result of Elisas effort who works tirelessly in the garden to make them look great. She also spends the same effort to make herself appealing by putting on new underclothes, stockings and the dress which symbolises how pretty she was (6). Steinbeck observes: She worked carefully on her hair, pencilled her eyebrows and rouged her lips (6). The chrysanthemums are therefore a symbol of Elisas beauty because she takes the effort to make them beautiful and spends the same attempt to make herself good-looking and Henry notices her.

In conclusion, Steinbeck uses symbolism in his short story effectively to represent Elisas feminine and masculine nature as well as her sexuality. She wears manly clothes in her garden and uses strength when working on the chrysanthemums. Despite this, her feminine nature is aroused when the tinker meets her in her garden. Through the tinker, her sexuality is reawakened but is disappointed when the tinker throws away the chrysanthemums shoots that were meant to be given to a woman. Elisa cares and protects the flowers like a mother does to her children. These flowers are symbolically used to represent her children.