Chrysanthemums: A woman's own Confusion
... male while savoring those of a woman. This is one of them, when first perceiving the image, “Elisa continuously glances at her husband, who is speaking with two men, almost adoringly”, the reader may pass it off as useless information, but after studying Elisa’s character it is evident Elisa is envious of this male type of interaction. She asks her husband, curiously who the men were, and he answers her as short as possible. Henry avoids speaking about masculine business with Elisa for very long. For instance, when Henry comments about Elisa’s chrysanthemums, he first uses the word “strong” which implies masculinity. Elisa then speaks about how she would be good at working in the orchards. Henry apparently feels Elisa has spoken too much about masculine subjects because he resorts back to calling the chrysanthemums simply “flowers”. This first scene between husband and wife sets the mood of the entire story. Elisa’s gestures and actions change as different words and topics are mentioned to her as though she feel’s unimportant and inferior as a woman and strong enough to be a man. Soon after Henry leaves to finish his work, the tinker is introduced into the story. Here is where Elisa’s sexuality is tested. Elisa’s first reaction to the tinker is similar to that of a man’s, by showing strong qualities as she tells the tinker she as no work for him. The tinker begins to weaken Elisa, though, and eventually breaks her masculine stance by using her pride and joy - her chrysanthemums. The tinker captures the beauty of the chrysanthemums in a poetic, feminine nature. He describes them as a “quick puff of colored smoke,” which appeals to Elisa’s feminine side. Suddenly, Elisa begins to expose her womanliness. Immediately following she tears off her hat and shakes out her “dark pretty hair”. By being interested in Elisa’s feminine flowers, the tinker makes Elisa comfortable with her sexuality. Allowing her feminine nature to appear, Elisa becomes emotionally vulnerable during the business transaction involving her chrysanthemums. This is believed to be feminine nature because men tend to be unemotional during business related activities. After the tinker leaves, Elisa finally appears content with her sexuality. As she gets ready for her outing with Henry, Elisa shows complete femininity. If you peer deeply into the story you can perceive her scrubbing her body until her skin turns red, as if to rinse away the masculine way about her. Elisa then dries herself off and studies her body in the mirror as she has become comfortable with being a woman just by receiving attention from a male who is interested in her life. After studying herself, Elisa applies her makeup and puts on her newest under-garments. Henry then comes home and they leave to go to town. As the Allen’s are on their way to town, Elisa spots a dark speck on the road. She knows this speck is her prize chrysanthemums and as they pass the chrysanthemums lying in the road, Elisa cannot bear to look. The tinker appears next a bit further down the road; Elisa has t...