he is entering middle age, and when the valley is compared to a closed pot with no sunshine in December. There is a close parallel to the condition of her life, a sealed vessel with little light available. Steinbeck referred to it as a time of quiet and waiting, and the land, Elisas only field of action, is dormant, with little work to be done. Elisa Allen is beginning to sense that not everybody can be satisfied by bread alone. Henrys concentration on his role as provider and decision-maker have blinded him from Elisas need for someone to understand the essential nature of her yearning. The question Steinbeck poses is whether one should settle for security and comfort, or risk ones dreams in an attempt to live more completely and intensely. The retreat from action at the conclusion suggests that the risks are great, but there is a possibility that Elisa might not be permanently beaten by her pain. In this story Steinbeck focuses more closely on character than on surroundings, though that is not to say that the naturalistic setting has a non-existing role in the story. The story develops from a dramatic point of view, as Steinbeck first describes the entire valley in a panoramic view, then moves closer to focus Elisa working in her garden. Throughout the story, the perspective shifts from Elisas narrow and cramped domain, to the entire ranch, and to the world beyond. In a final transformation, Elisas shock is thrown back by an image of multiple confinement, as she is enclosed by a wagon, surrounded by her seat and hidden within a coat that covers her face. It is not an image designed to create confidence in Elisas prospects. Elisa is also seen alternately as a part of a larger landscape and as a small figure in an enclosed area. Her warm, three-dimensional character serves to show the human beauty beneath her rough and somewhat masculine exterior. Elisa has certain needs of the spirit, the abstract nature of which keeps happines...
