In the 1930's, John Steinbeck wrote the short story "The Chrysanthemums." Steinbeck was given credit in his time for his stories and even won the Nobel and Pulitzer Prize. He seemed to be ahead of his time in his writings about women and how they longed to be able to do other things then just be a housewife. In "The Chrysanthemums," main character Elisa Allen has the intention to go farther in life, but realizes in the end that she has already reached her high point. Steinbeck wrote about how a lot of women probably felt in the 1930's; restricted and almost unhappy with the role they were given to play. Throughout the story, he presents Elisa's question of her role in society by dividing the story into three sections.
             John Steinbeck portrays Elisa Allen as a woman who seems to have been content in her role as a gardener and housewife. However, the opening section contains language in describing Elisa that hints that she is restricted and under challenged by that role. Her brief encounter with the Tinker uncovers both her loneliness and her secret aspirations for something more, but the tinker is unsympathetic to her feelings. Finally, a more confident Elisa confronts her husband Henry as both an attractive, feminine wife but also a woman who has just discovered her own strength. However, the trip into town reveals that Elisa, and the women of the 1930's, still had a rough road to equality.
             Elisa is an energetic, mature, and handsome woman. In the beginning of the story Elisa is in her garden and Steinbeck describes how "her world" is like a closed pot. Her garden is fenced in, the house is fenced in, and the fog over the valley was like the top of a pot. He shows how Elisa's world only consists of her garden and the house. And although she seems to be content with her life she is not challenged enough. She over performs in all that she does and even though she enjoys garden...