Henry Recently Made A Business Agreement Involving Chrysanthemums?

“The Chrysanthemums” is a short story by American writer John Steinbeck, set in the 1930s Salinas Valley of California. Elisa Allen, a married couple, lives on their farm in the area and grows beautiful chrysanthemums. Her husband, Henry, is a farmer who runs the ranch, supports himself and his wife, and makes business deals. Elisa is startled by Henry’s appearance and tells her she has a talent for growing things.

Henry informs Elisa of his successful business transaction and suggests they celebrate with a night on the town. The fact that Elisa is startled by Henry’s appearance implies that he is not as intelligent as Elisa. He talks business with two men down by the tractor shed and returns to the house, where he startles Elisa in her garden. He tells her she has a talent for growing things.

Henry comes from across the yard, where he had been arranging the sale of thirty steers. He offers to take Elisa to town so they can celebrate the sale. He is not as intelligent as Elisa, but he is responsible for running the ranch, supporting himself and his wife, and making business deals. All Elisa can do is watch him from the sidelines.

As the story opens, Elisa meticulously tends to her small chrysanthemum garden while Henry is engaged in business matters, brokering a cattle deal with a large meat company. The businessmen had come to discuss a deal with Henry, and Henry states that the men were from the Western Meat Company and had just bought thirty of his steers for a good price.

In summary, “The Chrysanthemums” is a short story by Steinbeck that explores the relationship between Elisa and Henry, their relationship with the land, and their business dealings.


📹 Symbolism in John Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums”

Symbol dominates “The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck. This video offers a useful “second reading” of this short story.


What does the man do with The Chrysanthemums that Elisa gives him?

Elisa observes a tinker on the roadside who had discarded flowers but retained the vessel in which they were grown. She discusses the potential for conflict and the possibility of harm to men and women, yet she remains reluctant to depart, concealing her countenance from Henry and weeping quietly.

What do Henry and Elisa decide to do in town?
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What do Henry and Elisa decide to do in town?

The story begins with a panoramic view of the Salinas Valley in winter, and the focus then shifts to Elisa Allen, a thirty-five-year-old woman who is passionate about her gardening. Her husband, Henry, comes from across the yard to celebrate the sale of thirty steers and praises her skill with flowers. They seem to be a well-matched couple, but their conversation is formal and serious.

Elisa refuses to see a fight and agrees on dinner and a movie instead. Before they leave for town, Elisa hears a man driving up in an old spring wagon, “the man”. He earns a meagre living fixing pots and sharpening scissors and knives and travels from San Diego to Seattle every year. Elisa admits she has no work for him, but when he presses for a small job, she becomes annoyed and tries to send him away.

Suddenly, the man’s attention turns to the flowers she is tending, and he remembers seeing chrysanthemums before. Elisa is delighted with his description and agrees to bring some chrysanthemum seeds for a customer who also gardens. She invites the man into the yard and prepares a pot of chrysanthemum shoots for the putative woman’s garden. Elisa envies the man’s life on the road and is attracted to him because he understands her love of flowers.

In a moment of extreme emotion, she nearly reaches for him but snatches her hand back before touching him. Instead, she finds him two pots to mend and drives away with fifty cents and the chrysanthemum shoots, promising to take care of them until he can deliver them to the other woman.

Who is Henry's biological mother?
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Who is Henry’s biological mother?

In “Lifting of the Curse”, Henry receives a book of fairy tales from his teacher, Mary Margaret Blanchard. He discovers that the residents of Storybrooke are characters from the book and struggles with his belief in Regina’s true identity. He seeks therapy to end his belief in the curse and brings his biological mother Emma Swan to Storybrooke. Emma convinces him of the truth by consuming a sleeping curse, but he is awoken by true love’s kiss, breaking the curse.

Emma and Mary Margaret are dragged into a portal, leaving David to look after him. Henry seeks to remove magic from Storybrooke after the death of Regina’s mother Cora and her vow to avenge Mary Margaret. He is kidnapped by Greg Mendell and Tamara, where Peter Pan, Henry’s great-grandfather, wants possession of him. Pan persuades Henry to give him his heart, which saves magic. Regina reclaims the heart and resurrects Henry, but Pan enacts Regina’s original curse again.

A year later, Hook restores Emma’s memories, leading her to return to Storybrooke with Henry to save their family from another curse. Henry is confused about Emma’s decision to relocate, but his past memories are restored with his book. Regina gives him true love’s kiss, breaking the curse. Henry returns to Storybrooke, living with Regina and the Charmings. He helps Regina search for his storybook’s author, Isaac, and breaks the pen, deeming it too powerful for anyone to use.

What is the relationship between Elisa and Henry like?
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What is the relationship between Elisa and Henry like?

In the 1930s, Henry Allen, a farmer in the Salinas Valley of California, is a kind, traditionally-minded husband who provides Elisa with a comfortable life. However, Elisa is unhappy in their marriage, as Henry is content with societal gender roles and expects nothing from her other than her responsibilities as a homemaker. He neglects Elisa emotionally and sexually, as seen in their childless marriage and Elisa’s attraction to a tinker.

Henry serves as a personification of the American patriarchy, believing very little in Elisa and expecting even less. Ironically, despite being her husband, Henry knows little about Elisa, including her identity and capabilities.

The Chrysanthemums quotes are all spoken by Henry Allen or refer to him, with each theme indicated by a dot and icon. For example, Henry observes that Elisa has a gift with things, like the ten-inch-wide yellow chrysanthemums she had this year.

Who is Henry in The Chrysanthemums?

Elisa’s husband, Henry, is a good, solid man who provides for her, treats her with respect, and occasionally takes her out. However, he is stolid and unimaginative, praising her as a child without understanding her genuine interest in business or her potential. Henry serves as a stand-in for patriarchal society, believing that a strict line separates the sexes, with women enjoying dinner and movies and men enjoying fights and ranching. His benevolent, sometimes dismissive attitude towards his wife, who is smarter, highlights society’s inability to treat women as equals.

What is the point of The Chrysanthemums?

The chrysanthemums symbolize Elisa’s role as a woman, representing her children, femininity, and sexuality. Elisa is frustrated with her marriage with Henry, as she feels that her children and romance are missing. Her husband fails to appreciate her womanly qualities and emotional needs. The encounter with a tinker reawakens her sexuality and brings hope for a more exciting and romantic marriage. However, Elisa realizes that her life will not change when she sees the flowers thrown on the road, devastating her to settle for such an unfulfilling life.

What does Henry offer to do with Elisa on the way to dinner?
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What does Henry offer to do with Elisa on the way to dinner?

“The Chrysanthemums” is a short story by Steinbeck about Elisa Allen, who lives on her foothills ranch with her husband, Henry Allen. The story begins with Elisa pruning last year’s chrysanthemums and notices Henry talking to two men in business suits. Elisa, described as lean and strong, is complimented on her “gift with things” and produces an impressive crop of chrysanthemums.

Henry offers to take Elisa to Salinas for dinner and a movie, but she refuses. Later, a man in a worn black suit appears and casually asks if he can sharpen her scissors or mend any pots or pans. Elisa refuses, but the man notices her work in the garden and asks about her chrysanthemums. She passionately explains how to plant and cut them and gives him a flower pot containing some sprouts to take to a woman down the road whose garden would be greatly enhanced by them.

Eliza tells the man what it feels like to have “planting hands”, and she pays him fifty cents to mend a few saucepans so he can be on his way. After the man leaves, Elisa bathes vigorously, scrubbing her entire body with a block of pumice.

Henry notices something different about Elisa, and in a blundering attempt to compliment her, he tells her that she looks strong enough to break a calf over her knee and happy enough to eat it like a watermelon.

What did the man on the wagon offered to The Chrysanthemums?

In John Steinbeck’s short story “The Chrysanthemums,” the man on the wagon proffered assistance in sharpening her scissors.

What is the central idea of The Chrysanthemums?

The tinker in “The Chrysanthemums” represents a prominent theme of feminine sexual repression, as he encounters a customer seeking “mum starters” for her garden, which leads Elisa to become engrossed in the process.

What did the wagon man keep in The Chrysanthemums?
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What did the wagon man keep in The Chrysanthemums?

Elisa Allen, a 35-year-old woman living on a ranch with her husband Henry, is described as having a “lean and strong” face and clear eyes. She is known for her passion for gardening and tending to her chrysanthemums. When they drive into town, Elisa sees a dark speck on the road, who throws her chrysanthemum shoots out of his wagon but keeps the pot in her pot. She feels hurt and doesn’t mention it to Henry.

Elisa brings up her interest in the fights that night, but Henry doesn’t notice. She agrees to go alone, turning her head so he doesn’t see her crying. She also feels like an old woman. Elisa’s husband, Henry, loves her passion for the garden but doesn’t understand why she doesn’t use her gift for anything else besides the chrysanthemums.

In summary, Elisa Allen is a woman who is known for her beauty and strength, but her husband, Henry, is confused by her lack of use for her gift.

What is the secret meaning of chrysanthemums?
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What is the secret meaning of chrysanthemums?

In Asian culture, chrysanthemum flowers are a symbol of longevity and rebirth. They are often included in celebrations such as birthday parties and baby showers as gifts to mark auspicious occasions. The vibrant colors and symbolic meaning of these flowers contribute to their cultural significance.


📹 The Chrysanthemums John Steinbeck Audiobook

A reading of The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck Audiobook. If this video helped you, please consider donating to my …


Henry Recently Made A Business Agreement Involving Chrysanthemums.
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