Chrysanthemums

John Steinbeck wrote about Elisa Allen and her natural planting hands in the short story, “The Chrysanthemums”. The overall theme of this story seemed to center around her ability, as a woman, to do work as meaningful as a man’s work. Her big, beautiful chrysanthemums that she had nurtured and cared for were to grow beautifully as she prepared them for the season. Her husband, Henry, observed “you’ve got a gift with things” (12), and said she might try her hand in the orchard and raise big apples. Henry had just sold steers for close to his asking price, so he was likely feeling successful at that point, and asked Elisa to celebrate with dinner and a movie in town.
The peddler comes along as she finishes her transplanting that afternoon. At first, Elisa appears to try to avoid prolonging his visit as he is asking for work at fixing pans, etc. The man obviously knows how to reach her heart by asking about the ‘mums. Her excitement is apparent as she pulls out plants for him to take to one of his customers on his route. Elisa becomes transcended as she tells the man how he should inform the customer about the plants care and nurturing. As she talks about how “you can feel how it is” (71), she wells up with passion for her work.When Henry arrives home, after Elisa has cleaned up for their outing, the passion and glint is still in her eyes as she looks strong and happy (101). When they pass by the chrysanthemums that the peddler has thrown away, she knows that she has been taken advantage of. She is saddened that he did not really want the ‘mums after all. The peddler had known her weakness and enthusiasm for her flowers, and she had given in to allow him to make money from fixing pans that she did not care about. He had preyed on her weakness. Her sadness seemed to lie in that her interpretation of the peddler and what he stood for was false and that he was not real and genuine