The Odour of Chrysanthemums is the story of Elizabeth, a young woman whose alcoholic and abusive husband, Walter, dies in a Nottinghamshire coal mining pit. The story follows Elizabeth as she prepares the body for burial. Her calmness and her ability to help her children through the tragedy are contrasted with her mother-in-law's anguish and hysterical discomposure. The story deals with themes of marriage, abuse, unhappiness, emotional connection, and bravery in the face of death.
First the chrysanthemums symbolize Elisas children She tends her garden and handles the chrysanthemums with love and care just as she would handle her own children Elisa is very protective of her flowers and places a wire fence around them she makes sure The pests represent natural harm to the flowers and just as any good mother she removes them before they can harm her children The chrysanthemums are symbolic of her children and she is very proud of them When Elisas husband compliments her on
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said Is not marriage an open question when it is alleged from the beginning of the world that such as are in the institution wish to get out and such as are out wish to get in Brainy Quote Emersons expressions are all too true for many married people as well as those in serious relationships It seems that engaging in marriage is a step that many take only to find out it was a mistake Nothing is ever perfect in relationships as well as in life and in death D H Lawrence s