Jessica Ching 10K
Write a study of the opening of D.H. Lawrence’s short story ‘Odour of Chrysanthemums’. Comment in detail on the way in which Lawrence’s use of language creates a particular atmosphere and raises certain expectations.
The opening of ‘Odour of Chrysanthemums’ tells us about the domination of industry over nature. It presents nature at its worst and the dominance of technology, symbolized by the engine. The focus of the story is on the engine, the people, nature and its description and the mood of the story is gloomy, despondent. The struggle of the people parallels that of nature, which highlights the story. The themes revolving around the story are tension, struggles, dominance, disappointment and loss.
At first glance, the title captures the attention of the reader with a sense of irony. D.H. Lawrence used the title ‘Odour of Chrysanthemums’ to set the tone of the story and provides a sense of forewarning. The word ‘odour’ suggests a strong, bad smell but chrysanthemums are not scented. Only when chrysanthemums are dead do they give off a smell which is strong and pungent. This implies to the reader that something terrible will arise soon after. And the story starts with the locomotive ‘clanking, stumbling’, and moving clumsily and noisily. It sets the basis of the story (industry, machinery) which is antithesis with the title. This engine is shown as something negative and imposing since it is destroying the tranquillity of nature and taking over it. However, nature is stronger and this is symbolized by the colt which ‘outdistanced it at a canter’. The noisy engine which represents the industrial figure and man-made is slower than the running colt which is created by nature. The story also ends with the engine with the engine which suggests that the lives of these people in the story are surrounded by the engine.
