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The simple word, mask, derives from the Latin term persona meaning personality. In the
eyes of psychology, personality is the trait of an individual that remains constant
throughout a lifetime and is recognized in the very early stages of life. This can be
confused with the word “mood”, which can be defined as a momentary emotional state
during any given instant. Personality is an important aspect in short fiction literature,
because it denotes a character’s qualities, one of the most significant being stasis. This
ideology of character stasis can be specifically demonstrated in the literary pieces, “The
Chrysanthemums” written by John Steinbeck and “A Good Man Is Hard To Find” by
Flannery O’Connor. The concept of stasis and personality denote that characters in short
fiction never truly change in the time span of a narrative, only their mood; this can be
further elucidated through the use of symbolism and narrative structure in order to
embellish how a character’s persona remains constant.
Through the use of symbol in “The Chrysanthemums”, the reader is presented with the
concept of personality remaining constant and how it pertains to short fiction. A repetitive
symbol used throughout the narrative can be identified as the chrysanthemum itself. This
floral piece is the epitome of the protagonist’s ongoing internal conflicts as exhibited when
Steinbeck states, “she took off a glove and put her strong fingers down into the forest of
new green chrysanthemum sprouts that were growing around the old roots” (2). These
efflorescing seedlings illustrate the ongoing cycle of entrapment and constant regrowth in
the same area. This in turn exemplifies the protagonist, Elisa, as a flower; one who is
rooted to the soil and is unable to flourish elsewhere for new experiences. However, when
an opportunity to escape the conviction of her current lifestyle emanates, the moment is
abridged. The introduction of a voyaging man whose profession involves fixing household
items changes the mood of the protagonist. Elisa’s desire for escapement can be seen when
she states, “’It must be nice. It must be very nice. I wish women could do such things’”
(8). This implication of wanting to leave behind such a desolate lifestyle demonstrates the
ideology of temporary mood change. Elisa’s cognition processed all the possibilities of a
new life and all the beneficiaries of leaving essentially nothing behind. This spontaneous
alteration in her emotional state is once again abridged with the symbol of the
chrysanthemum. This is illustrated when, “far ahead on the road Elisa saw a dark speck.
