The Joy of Young Love is central to “The Man Who Loved Flowers,” and the text initially appears to be a classic love story. King captures the innocence and emotional intensity of falling in love for the first time. The author also emphasizes the power of love to transform an individual’s perception of the world.

The story’s depiction of a beautiful spring day symbolizes both the joy and promise of young love. This connection is emphasized by one character’s observation “that if there was anything more beautiful than springtime, it was young love” (Paragraph 54). The uplifting effect of spring’s “soft and beautiful” air is underlined by the fact that, at the opening of the story, “everyone seemed to be smiling” (Paragraph 1). The season’s associations with new life and blossoming potential echo young love’s seemingly unlimited potential.

The Joy of Young Love is epitomized in the protagonist. The depiction of the young man’s thoughts and actions highlight love as a transformative force. Largely oblivious to the rest of the world, he is consumed by thoughts of his fiancée, Norma. The object of his affection is elevated to an almost mythical status in his mind.