The Chrysanthemums

Reading Check

1. Chrysanthemums (Paragraph 6)

2. Selling the 30 steers (Paragraph 16)

3. Salinas Valley, California (Paragraph 1)

4. Wine (Paragraph 112)

5. 35 (Paragraph 5)

Short Answer

1. Henry praises Elisa’s green thumb, or her ability to grow things. He tells her she has “a gift with things” and even suggests that she “work in the orchard and raise some [big] apples […].” (Paragraph 12)

2. The Tinker manipulates Elisa by showing false interest in her chrysanthemums. By flattering her ability and showing interest in her passion, he softens her to eventually give him some pots to work on. (Various paragraphs)

3. On the way to town, Elisa sees the chrysanthemums she had given the Tinker tossed out in the middle of the road. She realizes that he was feigning interest in her flowers to get her to give him a job for some money. (Paragraph 106)

4. Elisa envies the Tinker’s ability to live so freely out on the road. As he leaves, she whispers, “That’s a bright direction. There’s a glowing there,” which suggests that she would like to live a similar life but cannot because she is a woman. (Paragraph 90)

5. Elisa is described as wearing “a man’s black hat pulled low down over her eyes, clod-hopper shoes, a figured print dress almost completely covered by a big corduroy apron with four big pockets to hold the snips, the trowel and scratcher, the seeds, and the knife she worked with.