Miss Lottie is very upset by the destruction of her garden and it causes, Elizabeth (the main character) to loss her innocence and gain compassion. She realizes that the flowers are all the hope Miss. Lottie had left and she can now empathize with her.
The children messed with Miss Lottie's beautiful marigolds.
Lizabeth, her brother, and their friends annoy Miss Lottie by teasing her and her garden, which they see as a target for their mischief. They often mock her for her eccentricities and make fun of her flowers, showing a lack of respect for her passion. Their antics escalate to the point where they destroy her prized possessions, causing significant distress to Miss Lottie. This behavior reflects their youthful ignorance and the tensions between childhood innocence and the harsh realities of adulthood.
The climax is when Lizabeth returns to Miss Lottie's garden in the night and destroys her marigolds. She then realizes what she had done was wrong and begins to think more women-like rather than child-like.
She is able to feel compassion for Miss Lottie.
Eugenia Collier describes the setting of Marigolds and dusty and run down. Miss Lottie took great pride in her marigolds because they added a small amount of beauty to an otherwise ugly and dismal place.
She lost hope
The children are motivated to bother Miss Lottie because they cannot understand her seemingly purposeless act of tending to marigolds, which stand out as the only bright spot in an otherwise bleak and poverty-stricken environment. Their frustration at their own lack of control over their circumstances comes out in their actions towards Miss Lottie and her flowers.
Miss Lottie, a character from the short story "Miss Lottie" by Langston Hughes, responds to poverty with resilience and determination. Despite her difficult circumstances, she maintains her dignity and takes pride in her work as a gardener, using her creativity to beautify her surroundings. Her efforts reflect her refusal to be defined by her economic status, showcasing her strength and hope in the face of adversity.
At the beginning of the story, the narrator views Miss Lottie as eccentric and perhaps a bit of a nuisance with her obsession for planting marigolds. However, by the end of the story, the narrator comes to understand the deeper meaning behind Miss Lottie's actions and sees her as a symbol of hope and resilience in the face of adversity.
In the story "Marigolds" by Eugenia W. Collier, Lizabeth reflects on Miss Lottie’s marigolds with a newfound understanding and appreciation. Initially, she saw them as a symbol of beauty in a harsh environment, but after her emotional turmoil and the destruction of the marigolds, she realizes they represent hope and resilience. Lizabeth comes to recognize that Miss Lottie's marigolds are a testament to the strength of the human spirit, embodying the ability to create beauty even in difficult circumstances. This realization marks a significant moment in Lizabeth's transition from childhood to adulthood.
Her motivation for the destructive act may have stemmed from a deep-rooted anger or frustration, while her motivation for taunting Miss Lottie earlier may have been more light-hearted or intended to amuse herself at the expense of someone else. The destructive act could be a manifestation of darker emotions compared to the more casual teasing of Miss Lottie.
Lizabeth, her parents, Joey, Miss Lottie, John Burke