Question

over the course of Elisa's interaction with the stranger, how do her feelings and the actions toward him change? for the story The Chrysanthemums" by John Steinbeck

Answer 1

The excerpt has been taken from the story "The Chrysanthemums" written by John Steinbeck.

The stranger is described as 'Big man' with a stubble beard who talks to Elisa about her chrysanthemums. Elisa, who has a love for the flowers has her womanly feelings for the stranger and she starts feeling aware that she was a woman.

The man talks in an undertone and feigns being good to her by talking about the flowers. Elisa's eyes shine and she becomes more eager and alert to him. Her emotions are awakened and her sentiments are touched with a sympathy towards the stranger.

Answer 2

Metaphorically linking Elisa with the "closed pot" of the fertile Salinas Valley, Steinbeck has both the land and Elisa existing in "a time of quiet and of waiting." After the stranger, who is "a big man," arrives with his dark and brooding eyes, he talks with Elisa about her chrysanthemums and draws her out by touching upon her passion for the flowers, causing womanly feelingsin her that have been dormant to surface and become strongly aroused as she attains a new awareness of herself.