"The Chrysanthemums"

In "The Chrysanthemums" by John Steinbeck, Elisa plans to go have a nice evening with her husband Henry after Henry had just sold some cattle for a good price "I sold those thirty head of three-year old steers" (633). As he leaves to go to round up some cattle with Scotty, Elisa finds that she has time to transplant some of her chrysanthemums, which symbolize her God given gift not only that, her self worth. While doing this, a wagon pulls up with a man that fixes pots and pans, sharpens scissors and lawn mowers. The man (the book does not mention his name)tries to see if he can do some work for her, she shoots him down so to speak, in doing this, she essentially puts down his God given gift and means of survival (his work doesn't benefit her, so she blows him off). He finds that by talking about chrysanthemums he sparks an interest in her telling her that this other lady he knows would love to have some for her garden, so one thing leads to another and she ends up finding some things for him to fix (as well as giving him some chrysanthemums). After this he leaves, as he is leaving she says, "'Good-bye--goodbye.' Then she whispered, 'That's a bright direction. There's a glowing there.'" (637,38). This symbolizes her finding new respect for his livelihood (after pretty much thinking he was a loser). Then Henry comes home and they head off to town. On the way they pass just the chrysanthemums which had been dumped on the road but not the pot. Looking ahead Elisa See's the wagon creaking along, it is at this point she realizes how selfish she had been by not being willing to help this man who was obviously desperate and poor before he had caught her interest with the chrysanthemums. In this, Elisa finds an epihpany, "She turned up her coat collar so he could not see that she was crying weakly-like an old women" (639). This stories abstract symbol is simply our selfishness in our lives, and how we are unwilling to help those in need, if it does not benefit or amuse us.