Tony Thomas Symbolism Paper 5 May 2002 Symbolism in "The Chrysanthemums" In his story "The Chrysanthemums", written in 1938, Steinbeck introduces us with a woman, named Elisa, who is trying to obtain authority and control in a man's world. Elisa Allen struggles to characterize her position as a woman in a very close society. Her environment portrays the social depression, while the garden shows her power and masculine. Elisa has trouble extending this power outside the fence that …showed first 75 words of 1168 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1168 total…Elisa's tears will not rid the valley of the fog, for as author tells us in the beginning, "fog and rain do not go together"(1-5). Elisa will probably dominate her surrounding inside the fence, but she will never achieve the power outside of it, in a man's world. Steinbeck's use of simple symbols and his concern for common human values, stir the reader's thoughts and emotions, and leave them with an awareness of life.