Character Change and Symbolism

             The use of symbols in fiction is to give the events of the story and stronger presence and to help explain better the intent of the story. Just as dialogue, characterization, and plot work on the surface to move a story along, symbolism works under the surface to connect the story's outside action to the theme.
             John Steinbeck used a lot of symbolism in, "The Chrysanthemums". This short fiction is about a woman named Elisa Allen, who is brave and fiery, but is disheartened at the way her life is going. The cause for her frustration is derived from not having any children and from her husband's inability to view her in a romantic light as a woman. She has only one outlet for this pain of unhappiness and that is her flower garden where she grows beautiful chrysanthemums. Steinbeck uses these chrysanthemums as the symbol of Elisa's' true essence.
             The first and most obvious symbol is that of the Chrysanthemums themselves as Elisa's children. The way she takes care of her garden, handling them with love and care, just as she would do if she had real children of her own. She is very protective of her flowers, she places a wire fence around them and she makes sure, "no aphids were there, no sow bugs, or snails or cutworms. Her terrier fingers destroyed such pests before they could get started." (255) The
             pests represent the natural harm that could come to her flowers and like a good mother she gets rid of them before they can harm her children.
             Later in the story the chrysanthemums come to symbolize Elisa's femininity and sexuality. The idea of Elisa caring for her flowers is certainly one of a feminine view, but there is a masculine image that comes across in the way she dresses while working and the way her home is kept. " Her figure looked blocked and heavy...a man's black hat...clod-hopper shoes..."(254) "It was a hard-swept looking house with hard-pol...

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Character Change and Symbolism. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 09:03, March 28, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/26409.html