In the opening of the story Elisa is unnerved by the description of her clothing. She wears "a man's black hat pulled low down over her eyes, clodhopper shoes, a figured print dress almost completely covered by a big corduroy apron..." (295). When Elisa's husband, Henry, comes over and compliments her garden and ability to grow things Elisa is complacent with him and very proud of her skill

When Elisa goes inside to get ready to go out with her husband she boasts that she is stronger than she ever knew she was. As Elisa and Henry drive down the road her strength is quickly abolished. "Far ahead on the road Elisa saw a dark speck. She knew" (301). Seeing the chrysanthemums lying on the side of the road is a hard slap in the face for Elisa. She feels weak, betrayed and feminine. She has no desire to try and be strong. Elisa's desperation to be a person that she can not be is touching. Steinbeck makes it very easy to relate to this woman's struggle for strength and contentment in a life that does not meet her expectations. Elisa wants to be not only an equal to her male peers but to be dominant. She sadly realizes that she can never live up to the expectations she places on herself.

When the drifter leaves Elisa seems like a transformed woman. She is

Some common words found in the essay are:
Allen Elisa's, Elisa Henry, Steinbeck's Chrysanthemums, 297 drifter, elisa's husband, elisa's chrysanthemums,
Approximate Word count = 589
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)