Aesthetic Freedom

John Steinbeck is most known for literary works such as The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men; however, his short story,  “The Chrysanthemums”, expands on his resume of treasured literary works. The Chrysanthemums tells the story of a marriage in Salinas, California that lacks a fundamental passion neither partner seems aware of. Elisa Allen, the wife, is a strong, middle-aged woman with the gift of a green thumb and a love of the garden, whereas her husband Henry is a successful owner of a small ranch. However, Elisa apparently finds a missing piece in her relationship in a brief exchange with a traveling tinker. Elisa cannot articulate this until her chance meeting because the Salinas Valley sees “no sunshine” (Steinbeck 320) in December, and it seems to be a colorless life that lacks beauty. Moreover, it is a life that Elisa does not want. The tinker seems to value Elisa’s aestheticism in a similar sense, so when she encounters the nameless, unkempt man, she is drawn to his perceived love of flowers and his understanding of beauty. Unbeknownst to Elisa, the tinker’s motive is simply to find work. Elisa discovers that the tinker deceived her and her husband does not understand her, so in its use of setting and symbolism, “The Chrysanthemums” implicitly speaks of breaking free of limitation and seizing desire.

Salinas Valley appears to be a fertile area; however, Elisa and Henry do not have children. Instead, Elisa tends to her garden as though they were her children while Henry hopes for her to “work out in the orchard and raise some apples that big” (Steinbeck 321). In other words, her chrysanthemums are useless flowers to the men in the story who seek some sort of recompense from Elisa’s talent. In his essay "Steinbeck's ‘The Chrysanthemums,’” Gregory Palmerino suggests Henry and Elisa are incompatible because “The natural elements of the foothills ranch seem…unwilling to confront each other” (164-5). Perhaps, Henry wants children, but Elisa is content to “raise” (Steinbeck 321) her flowers. Nevertheless, their inability to communicate their desires leads to dissatisfaction. At the same time, no true emotional fulfillment occurs between the two, and they “are neither capable nor willing to pursue a dialogue that might produce discord” (Palmerino 165). Subsequently, “The Chrysanthemums” beg the question of what marriage means as Henry and Elisa’s conversations are stilted, near artificial, and lack passion.

On the other hand, the tinker travels across the valley and seems to recognize Elisa’s yearnings. Incidentally, Elisa is suspicious of the tinker, yet once he compliments the flowers, Elisa changes her tone. Stanley Renner, author of “The Real Woman Inside the Fence in ‘The Chrysanthemums’” suggests the valley mimics isolation and Elisa’s willingness to open up to the tinker is an attempt to explore “the wider world” (306). Elisa’s conversation with the tinker, who lives a life of adventure and travel, leaves her sexually charged and enlightened by her femininity. As her passion has given her purpose, she knows that she is “strong… [but] never knew before how strong” (Steinbeck 327). The tinker’s spontaneous lifestyle appeals to Elisa because her marriage does not ultimately satisfy her needs or her exuberance. In addition, Elisa believes he understands the beauty of her chrysanthemums. As she kneels on the ground discussing the proper planting of the chrysanthemums, her passion overwhelms her as she talks about her “planting hands” (Steinbeck 325). In a sense, Elisa’s hands care for the buds, and the buds grow into beautiful flowers; however, the buds need fertile soil. In essence, because the tinker acknowledges the chrysanthemums’ splendor, he recognizes Elisa’s passion and desire.

In addition to setting, Steinbeck frequently employs colors to symbolize desire and limitations. The chrysanthemums are like a “quick puff of colored smoke” (Steinbeck 324) that shines amongst the cold winter grays. In his essay “Organizational and Gendered Imagery in John Steinbeck’s ‘The Chrysanthemums,’” John Timmerman notes color “becomes the basis of the interior organization of the story itself, purposefully framing, developing, and concluding a well-wrought structure” (29). In other words, the flowers’ vivacity is a lingering sensation for Elisa because yellow is certainly a bright color and near synonymous with sunlight. Instead, Salinas Valley’s winter brings “fog and rain [that] do not go together” (Steinbeck 320). It is hardly a coincidence that Elisa’s ability to live symbiotically with nature, as opposed to her husband living off of it, is represented by her green thumb and love for the flowers she tends to. These flickers of color are certainly representative of Elisa’s hope, and it is why she is so distraught by the tinker callously tossing the chrysanthemum cuttings by the roadside. The chrysanthemums have lost their color, and they are only “a dark speck” (Steinbeck 327) at the roadside. Indeed, the flowers she cultivates are the true fruit of her womb and her femininity. On the other hand, discovering the chrysanthemums at the wayside offers Elisa enlightenment. She hides her tears as if “an old woman” (Steinbeck 328), but the tinker’s insincerity and deception allow Elisa to break free of her emotional limitations and recognize the desire to feel.

Ultimately, Elisa’s tears are not a sign of weakness. It seems that Steinbeck intended to represent Elisa, not only as a woman but as a human who briefly finds a kindred spirit. While her womanhood, the fruits of her labor, and the color she so graciously tended to are all for naught, she thought the tinker was someone who loved the flowers and their beauty as much as she did, and he knew the merits of aestheticism. Thus, Elisa allowed her reactions to escape, and now that she understands the freedom of her emotions, she can seize, and hold on to her desires.

Works Cited

Palmerino, Gregory J. "Steinbeck's The Chrysanthemums." Explicator 62.3 (2004): 164-67. NCLive.org. Web. 4 Oct. 2013.

Renner, Stanley. "The Real Woman Inside the Fence in "The Chrysanthemums"" Modern Fiction Studies 31.2 (1985): 305-17. NCLive.org. Web. 5 Oct. 2013.

Steinbeck, John. "The Chrysanthemums." Approaching Literature: Reading Thinking Writing. By Peter Schakel and Jack Ridl. 3rd ed. N.p.: Bedford/St. Martin, 2011. 320-28. Print.

Timmerman, John. "Organizational And Gendered Imagery In John Steinbeck's “The Chrysanthemums”." Steinbeck Review 9.1 (2012): 29-38. NCLive.org. Web. 4 Oct. 2013.