Self-Identity Through Symbolism in John Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums"

"The Chrysanthemums" by John Steinbeck illustrates through subtle symbolism a woman's struggle for sexual identity. Elisa Allen, the protagonist of the story, cultivates a likeness of herself through her chrysanthemum garden, but fragments of her are also depicted by key objects encountered during the story. Elisa tries hard to project a tough, masculine image of herself rather than the feminine alternative, but the effort results in nothing but a façade. "The …

…was no longer hers. Not unlike her heart, Elisa's flowers require constant care and would never survive a rough life on the road, which confirms that Elisa is not as tough and rugged as she would like to believe- Elisa will always be female at heart. Works Cited Steinbeck, John. "The Chrysanthemums." Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs. 2nd Compact ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2003. 359-366.