Many times, in romantic context, a woman is often said to be as beautiful as the flower. In John Steinbeck's short story "The Chrysanthemums", Elisa Allen never gets this recognition all thought she is in many ways the flowers in the story. She is a strong woman and she is frustrated because her husband will not admire her romantically in any way. She discovers an outlet for her frustration in a flower garden where she cultivates beautiful chrysanthemums. Steinbeck uses these elegant flowers as a symbol to represent the caring, inner-self of Elisa.
Elisa Allen is an isolated woman whose only joy in life comes from growing and caring for her chrysanthemums. Her husband is always working the cattle at the farm; she never has enough attention or affection from him. Steinbeck describes Elisa as follows, "Her face lean and strong Her figure looked blocked and heavy in her gardening costume, a man's black hat pulled low clod-hopper shoes completely covered by a big corduroy apron- This abandonment by her husband causes her to turn to her chrysanthemums to try to find something to care for. Her husband's statement, "I wish you"d work out in the orchard and raise some apples that big." shows the little interest he has for her and also her chrysanthemums. In the beginning in the story, Steinbeck uses small symbolic phrases to let the reader know that the chrysanthemums are representation of Elisa. .
She gardened to create her own world that she could live in, to protect herself from anything harmful that may be out there in the real world. Knowing that her husband does not take any interest in her gardening, she gets the idea in her head that he does not have interest in her. When her husband leaves with one of the cattle buyers, a strange man on an old wagon approaches her. Though the outer surface is not the best, she is interested in him. Why? Because he shows interest in her chrysanthemums.