The Chrysanthemums: The Failure of Communication

To begin with, the main protagonist, Elisa Allen is quite interested in growing chrysanthemums. Given that it is hard to grow the sensitive plant, Elisa's interest seems unusual. Yet unfortunately her husband, Henry Allen does not understand her mind; his interest is focused not on the point that she likes to grow it but on the possibility of making money with the help of her great inborn skill. Meanwhile, Elisa confronts a puzzling situation in …showed first 75 words of 508 total…

…showed last 75 words of 508 total…of time. In the opening of the story Elisa is emasculated by the description of her clothing. She wears "a man’s black hat pulled low down over her eyes, clodhopper shoes, a figured print dress almost completely covered by a big corduroy apron…" (paragraph 5). When Elisa’s husband Henry comes over and compliments her garden and ability to grow things Elisa is smug with him and very proud of her skill with the flowers. ...