Chrysanthemums

Throughout the story you can see that Elisa's self-worth slowly dies away as she believes to see her self as less and less strong and beautiful. In the very beginning of the story you can already see that see if below her husband as she was bent down on the ground when her husband came up behind leaning over the fence. We also see that Elisa is described to be working with much equipment on, one of those being gloves which protected her hands. "Elisa started at the sound of her husband's voice. He had come near quietly, and he leaned over the wire fence that protected her flower garden from cattle and dogs and chickens." This, symbolizes how he is over her and in control. This starts the beginning of her questioning of her strength and ability.

As the story continues, when the old man described in the story approaches Elisa, we see here is where she begins to realize her self-worth. At the beginning of their meeting she tells him she has nothing to offer him, but within minutes she is giving him some of her precious flowers and after, giving him things to fix. "And she returned carrying a big red flower pot. The gloves were forgotten now." When Elisa returns, she returns with no gloves, the pieces of clothing that "protected her", we also see that she gives in to what the man wants, and allows him to fix her pots, this showing she has released her wall of strength and gave in to him.

At the closing of the story, as the couple is on there way to dinner, we see that Elisa has completely broken. As the couple sat in the front porch, she questions is she really does look 'nice' and 'strong'. "Nice? You think i look nice? What do you mean by 'nice'?... I am strong? Yes, strong. What do you mean by 'strong'?" Elisa has completely lose of sense of self-worth, completely confused of who she is. But, as the story continues, we see that Elisa completely breaks on their way to dinner. As their driving down the road, Elisa finds her flowers duped on the side of the road, the flowers, symbolizing Elisa who has been through away and left on the road to die. This is where Elisa has been killed emotionally, crying in secret so her husband cannot see.