Odour of Chrysanthemums

What is the significance of light and dark in the story, and how do they contribute to the themes symbolically? Consider the natural cycle of day and light and human-made light, citing textual examples to support your answer.

How does Lawrence portray gender roles in their historical context? Why might he have decided to write in the third person but mostly from a female protagonist’s point of view, as he did in a number of his other stories and novels?

What role does nature play in “Odour of Chrysanthemums” in relation to industry and human beings? What natural imagery does Lawrence include and why? Support your answer with references to the text.

Are there any ways “Odour of Chrysanthemums” is optimistic or hopeful? Consider the colliery community, the character of Annie, and the cyclical nature of the natural world.

Lawrence later became known for his vivid writing on human sexuality and vitality. How are sensory experiences in a broader sense presented in this story? Explore how different characters relate to their physicality and their physical experiences of the world around them.

What role do different generations play in “Odour of Chrysanthemums,” and how do they contribute to the main themes? Think about Elizabeth’s children, the Bates, the Rigleys, Elizabeth’s father, and Walter’s mother.

Is there an antagonist in “Odour of Chrysanthemums”? Who or what could this be and why?

In what ways does Lawrence connect intimacy and self-expression in the story? How do the ways Elizabeth and other characters relate to their feelings impact how they relate to other people?