In “The Chrysanthemums,” the wire fence symbolizes Elisa’s separation from the world. The fence serves both to protect and imprison her.

What are some symbols in The Chrysanthemums?

The chrysanthemums are symbolic of her children, and she is very proud of them. When Elisa’s husband compliments her on her flowers, she is proud, and “on her face there [is] a little smugness”(240). She is happy and pleased by her ability to nurture these beautiful flowers.

What do scissors symbolize in The Chrysanthemums?

Throughout “The Chrysanthemums” scissors connote a sense of masculine power and control. Elisa is rarely without her scissors throughout most of the story. She has a special pocket in her apron devoted to her scissors and she uses them in her chrysanthemum garden to cut down the previous season’s growth.

Why is Elisa crying at the end of The Chrysanthemums?

Elisa cries silently on the road into town with her husband because she is faced with the constrictions of her role as a woman and the circumstances of her life.

What is the purpose of including the dogs in chrysanthemums?

The involvement between the tinker’s dog and Elisa’s dogs is symbolic to their relationship. In the beginning, the dogs did not get along. When the tinker’s dog ran ahead of the wagon, “instantly the two ranch shepherds flew out at him” (Steinbeck 360).

What does Elisa see at the end of The Chrysanthemums?

Answers 1. They drive to town together, and Elisa notices a dark speck on the road in the distance. She realizes it’s the chrysanthemum sprouts that the tinker has dumped by the side of the road, keeping the pot.

What are some symbols in the story flowers?

The flowers, which Myop carries with her, represent youth and innocence. The flowers are also symbolic of the purity of her childhood, as Myop is unaware of the harsh world and death. In this way, the flowers symbolize innocence.

What symbolizes Elisa in the story?

Throughout the story, Elisa’s chrysanthemums symbolize Elisa herself, and particularly connote her latent, limited potential. Her direct association with the lovely, strong flowers implies her beauty along with her innate ability to create and…

What does the odor of the flowers symbolize in Odour of chrysanthemums?

Throughout the story, chrysanthemums primarily suggest unpleasantness and death, and Elizabeth cannot look at or smell them without being plagued by unhappy associations.

What does the mum symbolize?

Among the season’s most popular are chrysanthemums. Lovingly referred to as the queen of the fall flowers, the “mum” is symbolic for so many reasons. Mums symbolize joy, life, friendship, luck, and rebirth. Part of its beauty is its resilience in the face of a sudden drop in temperatures.

What symbolic value do chrysanthemums have here?

Meaning & Symbolism of Chrysanthemums



Daisy-like with a typically yellow center and a decorative pompon, chrysanthemums symbolize optimism and joy.

What is the main symbol in marigolds?

Marigolds were often linked to the powerful strength of the sun and represent power, strength, and light that lives inside of a person. The marigold has also come to symbolize a feeling of despaired love. If someone has lost someone they love, whether it be by death or a broken relationship.

What does the Salinas Valley symbolize in The Chrysanthemums?

The Salinas Valley symbolizes Elisa’s emotional life. The story opens with a lengthy description of the valley, which Steinbeck likens to a pot topped with a lid made of fog.

What does the chrysanthemum symbolize in the singing lesson?

The yellow chrysanthemum in “The Singing Lesson” symbolizes youthful joy. Each day at the start of class, star music student Mary Beazley gives Miss Meadows a flower, and on the day of the story, it’s a yellow chrysanthemum. While Miss Meadows has always accepted Mary’s flowers, on this day Miss Meadows refuses it.

What is the main theme of chrysanthemum?

The Inequality of Gender



“The Chrysanthemums” is an understated but pointed critique of a society that has no place for intelligent women.

What is the moral of the story chrysanthemum?

In the book Chrysanthemum, the theme is learn to love yourself how you are. This is shown throughout the story. In the beginning, Chrysanthemum loves her name and thinks it’s perfect. She then goes to school and kids there make fun of it and say it’s too long and too different because it is a kind of flower.