or his attention and acceptance throughout the story. This makes her turn weaker and weaker until the point where she does not care anymore and accepts the fact that she is a woman and consequently, inferior. On every side it sat like a lid on the mountains and made the great valley a closed pot. Steinbeck is showing how isolated Elisa feels and how hard it would be to escape the pressure of the closed pot. In many parts of the story she seems very frustrated and trapped with her life and has a need to let go. She envies the freedom of the visitor, you sleep right in the wagonit must be nice. However, he reminds her of her sexuality by saying it aint the right kind of a life for a woman. Elisa becomes very defensive by this remark, the feeling of hopelessness comes over her and she realizes that she is indeed inferior to men. Elisa tends her garden with care and finds happiness and strength in it. Figuratively speaking, it takes the place of the children she does not have; it defines her sexuality and femininity. She cares for her flowers so delicately and motherly, placing a wire fence that protected her flower garden. This wire fence symbolizes her isolation from the rest of the world as well as her closed off heart towards her husband. Elisa waits for the time when she will be appreciated and desired by her husband. She hungers for a man to accept her femininity and instill an acceptance in her sexuality. The man looking for work tests her sexuality and begins to weaken her masculine character. He acknowledges her chrysanthemums, it looks like a quick puff of colored smoke, he remarks, touching her feminine side. This makes her feel comfortable about being a woman. Elisa allows her feminine nature to take over as she gives the man some seeds and explains how to care for them; these will take root in about a monthnow you remember this. This is unquestionably a woman-like characteristic, being so sensitive during a bu...
