June 24, Chrysanthemums

Discussion Questions for "Chrysanthemums"

• Why does the pot fixer man throw away the flower after he leaves, and is his character trustworthy? because he only wanted the containers that she put them in. No
• Is Elisa flirting with the strange man, and if so why? It seems she is. I think she just wants to be sen as pretty. She wants to be understood deeply. I don't know.
• In certain parts of the world chrysanthemums are a symbol of death and mourning, but usually in our country they are cheerful and positive, relate this to the story. she was growing her own happiness with the skill of her intuitive fingers and hands.
• Why does Elisa bring up the fights again at the end of the story? I think she's angry and wants to express her rage.
  
• The description of the setting at the beginning foreshadows the stranger’s visit, what else do you notice about it? The detail. The author puts a lot into the detail, which brings the geography into the stroy almost as a charachter itself.
• Henry is a quiet character, but still significant. What is he representative of? I'm not really sure.
• Why is Elisa so enthralled with the flowers, what are they symbolic/representative of? I think I already answered that in the question about the flowers, above.
• How and why does the man use Elisa’s vulnerability to his advantage? because he could. that's really his racket..
  
• What was the impact of finding the seeds on the road to Elisa? She felt weak, as if she had been takenadvantage of because fo her kindness. She imediately wanted to wash away her weakness, maybe even go to a fight. She wants to be strong.
  
• What is the universal message in The Chrysanthemums? A woman may be as strong and able as a man, if only alowed to express herself freely, but still she has the sensitive heart of a woman.
• At the beginning of the short story Elisa was a portrayed as strong, what can you draw from the end of the story when she was “crying weakly”? That's the irony, the paradox of a woman. They are strong, and ther are sensetive all at the same time.
• What are the major conflicts in the story? Elise with the pot fixer, her husband, herself, and society.