How Does Steinbeck Present The Theme Of Isolation In The Chrysanthemums
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Isolation in “The Chrysanthemums” What does it mean to be isolated from the world? Paul Cezanne said “If isolation tempers the strong, it is the stumbling block of the uncertain.” Elisa has a passion for chrysanthemums from nurturing and caring for the chrysanthemums as her own child. Could the nurture of these flowers can fill the space of emptiness? In the story there are many things that can represent isolation. John Steinbeck portrays many things in the “The Chrysanthemums” that represent the theme of isolation. There are some ways that the setting of the story is an example of loneliness. The farm is located in a valley where there is no one to be seen for miles, and there is a mountain on each side. Above the farm is a fog covering…show more content… The chrysanthemums represent the passion and the lonely ache Elisa feels, because the flowers are not a common variety everyone is familiar with. The sales man’s wagon portrays Elisa’s dream of traveling the country. The wagon represents that it is mobile and can go anywhere she wants to go, instead of living on a farm in a valley, where it is immobile. In the beginning of the story Elisa wore clothing that covers her whole skin and her hands are dirty and rough from attending to her garden. However, when the sales man left Elisa went to the house, started to bathe and put on her finest clothes. She did not want the sense of being excluded and see what her husband sees of her all nice and clean. One of the other symbols of isolation in the story are the chrysanthemums seeds, they were important to Elisa, because she cares for them and they were unique. Elisa gives the sales man some chrysanthemums seeds and tell him how to take care of them. Steinbeck states “Far ahead on the road Elisa saw a dark speck. She knew” (243). The reader can see expecting turn on Elisa mood when she sees the black speck on the side of the road. Elisa knows at that point that the sales man thrown out the seeds and kept the pot. Once again, she feels all