"The Chrysanthemums"

There may be two different symbolic things here.
Elisa Allen is smbolic of women in the olden days who minded their own business and did what women were supposed to do. "When she heard him splashing in the tub, Elisa laid hie dark suit on the bed, and shirt and socks and tie beside it. She stood his polished shoes on the floor beside the bed."(p.638. 95) In this statement of her actions, Elisa had been the prime wife in those days symbolically showing her husband that she knows her place. Then there is the chrysanthemums.
The chrysanthemums are symbolic of what she would like to be. They seem to portray the idea that she would like to rid of certain things in her life and do more. "It's when you're picking off the buds you don't want." This is symbolic of her regret and desires all at the same time. The colors of the flowers may be used to interpret her longing to be bright (happy). "Kind of a long-stemmed flower? Looks like a quick puff of colred smoke?" he asked.p.635) "Quick puff of colored smoke": can symbolize a sense of boldness and independence, all things that she does not stand for (only desires to).