John Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums” (reprinted in Edgar V. Roberts, Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing, 6th Ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2001, 447-454) is about a proud, strong woman named Elisa Allen, yet she feels frustrated with her present life. Her frustration stems from not having a child, and her husband’s failure to admire her romantically as a woman. The only outlet for her frustration is her flower garden. This is where she cultivates beautiful chrysanthemums. The chrysanthemums tell a great deal about Elisa’s struggle to find her own identity. She does not seem in touch with her sexuality, and she is unable to articulate the source of the dissatisfaction. The meeting with the tinker renews Elisa’s feelings of femininity and sexuality as a woman. The tinker gives Elisa hope of a more fulfilling life, while providing her with a renewed sense of self.

In the portion of the story where Elisa is talking to the tinker, Steinbeck shows Elisa’s eagerness for attention, and how she comes to the realization that there is a more exciting life outside of the farm. In the tinker, Elisa finds someone who sees her as mo

Elisa’s initial appearance in the story is very manly, yet she still allows a feminine side to be noticed. “Her figure looked blocked and heavy in her gardening costume” (448). She wore “ a man’s black hat… clod-hopper shoes… and heavy leather gloves….”(448). She was also wearing “…a figured print dress almost completely covered by a big corduroy apron”(448). This image represents her repression of her own sexuality, and it is carried over into her relationship with her husband, Henry. Elisa feels that Henry does not recognize or appreciate her femininity, and this feeling causes her to be antagonistic towards him. The meeting with tinker revives her feelings of femininity. Her resistance to his mundane matters disappears after the tinker romantically describes the chrysanthemums as a “quick puff of colored smoke” (450). By admiring the chrysanthemums, he figuratively admires her. The chrysanthemums symbolize her sexuality, and she “[tears] off the battered hat and [shakes] out her dark pretty hair”(451). With a few well-placed words from the tinker, her masculine image has been replaced with a feminine one. The tinker is a catalyst in Elisa’s life. By giving him the red flowerpot with the chrysanthemums, she gives him the symbol of her inner-self. She begins to feel hope for herself. She sees a new beginning for her marriage.

re than a housewife. He is someone who can appreciate

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