The story titled The Chrysanthemums is set in the Salinas Valley of California and focuses on the protagonist, Elisa Allen.
Elisa, a character in the story, is 35 years old and experiences various developments and transformations. Initially, she is depicted as strong and enthusiastic as she works in her garden. Her husband, Henry, approaches her and invites her to join him for a meal and a movie in town.
Elisa’s mood brightens upon Henry’s request for her to accompany him to town. She expresses her desire to spend more time with him, indicating her eagerness to go. However, her mental state shifts once more upon hearing the man’s intention to gift the chrysanthemum seeds to another woman he encounters during his journey.
When Elisa heard what the man intended to do, she rushed enthusiastically along the path lined with geraniums to the rear of the house. She hurried to retrieve a flower pot so she could plant the chrysanthemum seeds. The man departed with the flower pot, leaving Elisa feeling incredibly joyful. Elisa’s happiness persisted as she accompanied her husband on their trip to town but it was short-lived. Her entire outlook shifted once she witnessed the man’s actions involving the chrysanthemum seeds.
They had all been discarded by the side of the road, leaving only the man taking the flower pot. Witnessing the seeds being abandoned saddened Elisa deeply, as the chrysanthemums were a lifelong endeavor of hers.
When she saw them on the ground, she felt as though her Fe had been discarded. In the story, Elsia also experiences physical transformations. At only thirty-five years old, Elisa had a slender and robust face due to her constant work in the garden. Her body was sturdy and weighty.
While working in the garden, Elisa was wearing a heavy gardening costume, a man’s black hat, clod-hopper shoes, and a big corduroy apron. However, she changes her outfit later on…
