Symbolism in John Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums"
Summary:
In John Steinbeck's short story "The Chrysanthemums," the symbolism associated with the fence, the garden, and the chrysanthemums help to illustrate the story by striking an emotional chord with the audience.
Symbolism in John Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums"
In "The Chrysanthemums" John Steinbeck develops a theme of limitations. The story is essentially a man in the mirror story where the rigid Elisa sees herself for the first time as trapped. Although Elisa has recognized her life as limited and confining, she sadly accepts her life as is and does nothing to rectify her situation. In John Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums" symbolism of the fence, the garden, and the chrysanthemums help illustrate the story by striking an emotional chord with the audience.
Primarily the idea of limitation or confinement is presented as the story begins: "the high gray-flannel fog of winter closed off the Salinas Valley from the sky and from all the rest of the world. On every side it sat like a lid on the mountains and made of the great valley a closed pot." Within this closed pot Elisa exists in even smaller confines. Her only escapee is through working in her garden, which is confined by a wire fence. The wire fence serves a dual purpose to the garden. It keeps harm from Elisa's precious chrysanthemums but gives view to its beauty. The fence represents Elisa's marriage; allowing clear view of the world and what it has to offer but prevents tangibility.
"The Chrysanthemums" introduces us to Elisa Allen, a woman who knows she has a gift for growing things, but it seems to be limited to her garden. Diligently working in her garden, Elisa watches as men come and go, living their lives unconfined, wondering what it must feel like to have that freedom. That emotion is revealed as Elisa gases at her husband and acquaintances talking, "she looked down toward the men by the tractor shed now and then." As she tills the soil for her chrysanthemums Elisa tills the thoughts in her head. The garden she so desperately maintained represents her world. A world that will only flourish if nourished. Emotional nourishment and stimulation is what Elisa lacked and longed for. The garden is limited in space to grow and so is her marriage. The garden is safe, non-threatening and so is her world. The garden contains many different elements that make it what it is, although unseen, and if the proper nourishment is not given it will die, as with Elisa.
Elisa is especially proud of her chrysanthemums and how big they are this year. Steinbeck exhibited this pride Elisa portrayed as "she straightened her back and pulled on the gardening gloves again. Yes they'll be strong this coming year." Elisa worked hard at her garden and it was important to her. In fact it was the only thing she had to be proud of. For Elisa the chrysanthemums symbolized the work she feels she is capable of as a woman; a woman who has a gift and who knows there is more to life than her small garden. The chrysanthemums were confined to a small garden admired only by Elisa and her husband. Elisa could only hope, one day someone else appreciating the beauty of her chrysanthemums.
In the end, Elisa realized that she is trapped in the valley never to leave, only to hope; trapped behind her fence, in the garden forever looking out, never to venture past. What she does not realize is she has the power within herself to change her life, but she remains planted in her garden aside her chrysanthemums.
This is the complete article, containing 569 words
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