Feminism in John Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums" at first glance seems to be a story about a woman whose hobby is working in the garden. Upon deeper inspection the story has strong notes of feminism in the main character Elisa Allen. Elisa's actions and feelings reflect her struggle as a woman trying and failing to castrate herself in a male dominated society. Steinbeck smartly narrates this woman's frequent shifts between femininity and masculinity over a short period of time.
             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 with the flowers. Her "green thumb" makes her an equal in her own eyes. When Elisa's husband asks her if she would like to go to dinner her feminine side comes out. She is excited to go eat at a restaurant and states that she would much rather go to the movies than go see the fights, she "wouldn't like the fight's" at all (296).
             When the drifter comes and asks Elisa for work to do she is stern with him and refuses him a job. She becomes very irritated. When he persists in asking her she reply's "I tell you I have nothing like that for you to do" (297). The drifter mentions Elisa's chrysanthemums and she immediately loosens up as "the irritation and resistance melted from her face" (297). The drifter feigns great interest in Elisa's chrysanthemums and asks her many questions about them. He tells her he knows a lady who said to him "if you ever come across some nice chrysanthemums I wish you'd try to get me a few seeds" (298). Elis...