Lisa Was Crying In The Chrysanthemums; Why Was That?

“The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck is a story about a middle-aged woman named Elisa who is destined to be rejected by a dark stranger through her flowers. The story symbolizes her desire to broaden her horizons beyond home and submission to men. Elisa’s cry, like an old woman, is a reflection of her frustration, rejection, and loneliness at the time the story was written.

The tinker throws away her cherished chrysanthemums symbolically rejecting Elisa and her femininity/sexuality. Just as the flowerpot is empty, Elisa feels empty. Her frustration stems from not having a child and her husband’s failure to admire her romantically as a woman. The only outlet for her frustration is her own tears.

Elisa cries silently on the road into town with her husband because she is faced with the constrictions of her role as a woman and the circumstances of her life. She is crushed because she realizes that she has been duped by the tinker and that he was not interested in her chrysanthemums. For many, the crying represents her tacit understanding of her defeat, the sense that she will never rise above the oppressive circumstances.

The story ends with Elisa crying silently in the car, feeling a sense of defeat and hopelessness about her future. The tinker’s actions symbolize the rejection of Elisa and her femininity/sexuality.

The fear in the story is evident when Elisa reacts to a bad comment about her flowers, demonstrating her potential to deal with him. However, she is unable to fulfill her needs and ends the story with a sense of despair and hopelessness.

In conclusion, “The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck is a powerful exploration of themes of rejection, loneliness, and the struggle for identity.

What makes Elisa sad at the end?

Elisa expressed regret that her flowers were discarded on the roadside rather than in a ditch or off the road. She believed that disposing of the flowers in a different location would have been a less distressing alternative.

Why does Elisa cry at the end?

Eliza’s story is finally being told, as she realizes her own part in the story is being told. She spent half a century telling others’ stories, which laid the groundwork for the show to exist. Now she has a legacy of her own, as valuable as her husband’s in its own right. Phillipa Soo and Lin-Manuel Miranda have different opinions on the matter, with Soo believing there isn’t one answer to the fan theories.

Why is Elisa upset at then end of the story?

Elisa, after the tinker leaves, bathes and scrubs herself to bring new life and change. She prepares for her night out with her husband, hoping that Henry will recognize her needs as a woman and provide her with the romance and excitement she longs for. However, her hope is dashed when she sees the flowers on the road, which symbolize her rejection of her soul by the tinker. She realizes that her femininity and sexuality are not going to be fully appreciated or understood by Henry, and she must learn to be content with an unexciting husband and her less-than-romantic marriage.

The chrysanthemums symbolize Elisa’s role as a woman, first representing her children and later her femininity and sexuality. Elisa feels frustrated with her life because children and romance are missing in her marriage with Henry, and her husband fails to appreciate her womanly qualities and emotional needs. The encounter with the tinker reawakens her sexuality and brings hope for a more exciting and romantic marriage.

However, her realization that her life is not going to change is crystallized when she sees the flowers thrown on the road, leaving her completely devastated to have to settle for such an unfulfilling life.

Why is Elisa attracted to the Tinker?

In the text, Elisa is portrayed as a woman who resists giving work to a tinker, a man who represents adventure and freedom. She begins to embrace her feminine side by taking off her masculine gloves and hat, allowing her emotions to control her and freeing her central feminine sexuality. However, when she realizes her feminine emotions, her hopes for equality are betrayed by her basic nature and men.

Elisa gives the tinker the seedling and retreats indoors to find him some pots to mend. After the tinker leaves, she goes to bathe, scrubs herself until her skin is scratched and red, and unconsciously withdraws back to her feminine side. She dresses in her best underwear and applies makeup to accentuate her role as a woman. Henry notices this transformation and compliments her with the feminine “nice” instead of “strong”, which Elisa prefers.

As they drive to town, Elisa spots the flowers she gave the tinker beside the road, signaling her final retreat back to femininity. Her dreams of feminine equality are broken, and she cannot go back to being what she once was. Her only goal is to become “an old woman”, and as a result, she remains a pitiable victim of male domination and female disadvantage.

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.

What do The Chrysanthemums symbolize for Elisa?

The narrative employs the chrysanthemum as a symbol of womanhood, the inner self, and children. Elisa’s care for these flowers evokes sentiments of femininity and sexuality.

Why do you think Elisa is crying in the end?

In “The Chrysanthemums,” Elisa’s tears following the tinker’s disposal of the chrysanthemums symbolize her rejection of her femininity and sexuality, not merely the act itself.

What do chrysanthemums symbolize in the story?

The narrative employs the chrysanthemum as a symbol of womanhood, the inner self, and children. Elisa’s care for these flowers evokes sentiments of femininity and sexuality.

Why does Elisa almost touch the tinker’s leg?

The tinker becomes uncomfortable and reveals that his “planters’ hands” are similar to his nightly experiences in his wagon. Elisa interrupts, insisting she knows how he feels and describes the quiet night sky and stars. She nearly touches the tinker but drops her hands to the ground, crouching low like a fawning dog. Elisa’s sexual attraction to the tinker reflects her loneliness and isolation, and her knowledge of the chrysanthemums and her “planters’ hands” makes her a type of authority. Her description of the night sky becomes an orgasm, and she nearly touches the tinker before dropping her hands.

The tinker explains that the night sky is difficult to enjoy on an empty stomach. Elisa hands him a pot of chrysanthemum sprouts and offers him a broken saucepan. As the tinker is not interested in Elisa or her chrysanthemums, he interrupts her sexual display to remind her that he is hungry and is in search of work to buy dinner.

Why is Elisa lonely in The Chrysanthemums?

In John Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums,” Elisa experiences feelings of solitude and disconnection from the world due to her husband’s frequent business travel. This leaves her with her garden and chrysanthemums, which serve as her primary sources of pleasure and solace.

Why is Elisa sad at the beginning of the story?

The narrative commences with Elisa in a state of matrimonial discontent, wherein her spouse fails to demonstrate the requisite degree of esteem and appreciation commensurate with her expectations. For example, when Elisa attempts to offer her perspective on business matters, her input is disregarded.