The story “The Chrysanthemums,” written by John Steinbeck, is a story about a couple living in the Sinas Valley. It follows Elisa Allen's experience on a winter's day and describes her life as a farmer's wife. The setting is set in the past, after the invention of automobiles, but still when caravans were not uncommon. She becomes interested in the thought of living an independent life after talking to a man about her life traveling in a caravan. Although she is intrigued by the thought of living in a trailer, she is held back by the thought that it is no life for a woman (851). This story illustrates how society assigns value to people based on their gender roles and how people can be held back from discovering their true potential due to the limitations society places on them. This theme is illustrated in this story right from the beginning when the author describes Elisa Allen. His strength and ambition are shown in his facial features and abilities when Steinbeck explains: “His face was eager and beautiful; even his scissor work was excessive, oppressive. The stems of the chrysanthemum seemed too small and easy for its energy” (847). His face was eager for work and challenge, and the small task of cutting chrysanthemum stems was too simple for his ambition. Since her work was excessive and overbearing, it is evident that she was full of energy for stronger things. However, she was forced to do simple things like gardening because she was a woman. She could not run the farm like her husband because she was considered fragile. Later in the piece she speaks indirectly about what is acceptable for her, as a woman, to be interested in when her husband jokingly suggests... middle of paper... him, saying it's a good way to describe chrysanthemums (849), demonstrating who knows what place he occupies in society. From the tinker's interest and praise for her chrysanthemums, she feels that she too is being praised and appreciated for once. This gives her a boost of self-confidence after their meeting, allowing her to put a lot of effort into looking beautiful for the movie with her husband (851-852). Consequently, when he sees the chrysanthemum he gave to the tinker carelessly thrown by the side of the road, he cries, knowing that his view of women has not changed and he remains as ignorant as before (852). For once, she thought she was understood by a man and that he could see the magnificence of what she was capable of doing. However, she was crushed when she saw herself thrown on the side of the road, insignificant as ever.