A review by alishaabrahamsreads
The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck

3.0

I really enjoyed the subversion of what the chrysanthemums meant in this story. Usually flowers symbolize femininity, gentleness, and innocence—but in this story we see how the chrysanthemums have a “bitter” or even “nasty” smell, pushing the idea of them further, perhaps as a way to represent Elisa herself. Elisa starts with a happy and strong countenance, but after the tinker comes along, she seems to be unsatisfied with her life. The sexual undertone of the flower planting ritual as well as her dissatisfaction with being an “old woman” and not being able to travel, watch fights, etc. like men do, seem to amalgamate into a story of a womens limits in this society. Elisa cannot be spontaneous like the tinker and even has to ask her husband if they can drink wine, both showing her lack of agency and control over her own desires. Elisa must be fine with the life she has, because she cannot have anything more.