o feel alive with a person other than your spouse, for a woman at least, is an unforgivable sin.Fences in “The Chrysanthemums” are the barriers that separate Elisa from the rest of the world, including her husband Henry. Her fences protect “flower garden from cattle, dogs, and chickens (Steinbeck 1463)” while isolating Elisa and keeping her from realizing what she is missing out on in life (Lee 1). The cattle, dogs, and chickens represent her husband’s world while her flower garden represents Elisa’s world. The fence is separating Elisa from her husband. “He had come near quietly, and leaned over the wire fence (Steinbeck 1463).” This shows that Henry is always treading softly around Elisa, courteous but always leaning over careful not to intrude into the woman’s world (Lee 1). The Tinker’s caravan pulls “up to Elisa’s wire fence and stop[s] (Steinbeck 1464).” The Tinker, bearer of outside influences begins by resting his hands on the wire fence “and made it sing (Steinbeck 1465). As the meeting progresses and Elisa’s sexuality is awakening the Tinker begins to “lean confidently over the fence (Steinbeck 1466)” and eventually penetrates Elisa’s barrier to come “through the gate (Steinbeck 1466).” The Tinker’s entrance into the gate represents Elisa’s passions fully released and she is no longer completely isolated. Elisa’s fence helped to divide her from the outside world full of influences and from a husband who was not completely aware of her. There are two major symbols of Elisa failing marriage. One is her husband’s mannerism towards her. The other is her approach to tending and protecting the flowers. When observing the flowers, the only thing Henry can come up with is “I wish you’d work out in the orchard and raise some apples that big (Steinbeck 1463).” Henrys inabilit...
