So, I've been a little slow on the uptake here but I've come around to realising that the six non-Flowery flowers all seem to relate to Kris in one way or another. For a lot of them it's pretty obvious -
Aqua is a reflection of them as a very young child who doesn't quite understand how playing with knives can be dangerous;
Yellow parallels their absolutism when it comes to the mistakes they've made, and the sheer suicidal lengths they will go to in an attempt to "atone" for those perceived mistakes;
Orange reflects their tendency to project and make themself seem tougher and more self-sufficient than they really are;
Blue emphasises their artistic talent and flair for the dramatic, as well as offering a clue about the way they express their love for others;
and Seth reflects their need to feel "special" and their deeply-suppressed pride in their own intelligence and skills.
But I was stumped on Green for a good while, because they didn't really embody much beyond being a good cook and very chill person who everyone loves instantly. And it wasn't until I really thought about what ties these two characters together that it clicked into place for me.
Because Green is utterly mute throughout the entire chapter, never once speaking a single word of dialogue, and everything they do serves some other person that isn't themself, whether it be their fellow flowers or their supposed enemies. And it made me think - is that how Kris sees themself in relation to others? Is that what Kris feels like they need to be in order to be loved and accepted by others? Being quiet no matter who is speaking to you? Being helpful no matter who asks for it? Even if someone is being hurtful to you, or trying to take advantage of you?
And I thought, once again, about Bratty's dialogue about how the older kids would tell Kris to get them fast food, and then act surprised when they actually did it... I thought about the Promise they've become entangled with, and whatever strangeness is going on between them and Carol, and how they'll never really speak up for or assert themself when they dislike something. And it seems to me like Green is the ultimate projection of that, the ultimate "good" child who helps everyone and keeps quiet and gives people exactly what they want, and is universally loved for it. Green wins everyone over doing this, in a way that Kris has never quite been able to do.
And when you consider the heightened cost to Kris the longer they go along with this plan, the longer they keep Susie in the dark, the longer they go without properly articulating themself... in some ways, Green becomes the saddest and truest reflection of Kris out of all the flowers, because at least those other reflections can actually communicate and draw attention to their own suffering.
tangentwithtanner
romaincrisis
theartofmadeline
titsay
turnnoffyourmind
