The battle between Beowulf and Grendal was aggressive. It was violent and displayed the strength between the masculine figures. It was the force between good and evil. The narrator has Christian views that is clearly demonstrated through this battle. It is stated that Beowulf received his strength that defeated Grendal by God.
Chrysanthemums are the central symbol of life, vital energies, sexuality in the story. Just like Elisa herself, they need nurturing and attendance. She lives a boring and unfulfilled life in a dull, loveless marriage, and she has never had a chance of finding her true self, except in the garden. That is why she commits to gardening so eagerly: because she couldn't bear to see those flowers withered. At the end of the story, she sees her chrysanthemums on the road, thrown away, "a dark speck" as Steinbeck says. They are wasted, just like Elisa's life, love, and happiness.
