Eliza Henry is a talented, strong-willed woman who will not take charge of her own life. In other words, she is a mass of contradictions. On one hand she yearns to leave her prison of a marriage for a more exciting and fulfilling life. On the other, Eliza realizes the limitations pressed upon women and does the best she can to make her situation better. Eliza realizes her marriage is in trouble, there is no passion between her and her husband, but she insists on staying because she believes that is what women in her position are supposed to do. "You made your bed, now lie in it" seems to be her motto. Eliza throws herself into her housework and her gardening. In fact, she cares for her Chrysanthemums as if they were her own children. There will always be a conflict in her mind as to what she could do with her life and what she has to do as a married woman.
             On the outside Eliza seems to be a cheerful, lively person; but she suffers tremendously internally. She devotes her time and energy to her home and gardens, she has a "hard swept looking house with hard polished windows and a clean mud mat on the front steps". All of Eliza's excess energy is devoted to her flower garden. From lack of affection, Eliza and her husband Henry, do not have children In Eliza's garden she is the mother to all the flowers. She treats each Chrysanthemum sprout as if it were one of her children, caring and cradling each one with loving care and commenting to anyone who will listen that her flowers have the biggest blooms around, and each year they get just a little bit bigger. "She makes sure 'no aphids, no sowbugs or snails or cutworms' are there...these pests represent natural harm to the flowers, and , just as any good mother, she removes them before they can harm her children" "Symbolism in "The Chrysanthemums" http://wwwnhc.nhmccd.cc.tx
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