Alienation from Normality In “The Chrysanthemums”, by John Steinbeck, although Elisa lives with her husband who is always busy, she has no pets, no kids, and no neighbors. One day a traveling tinker comes by and after taking to him, Elisa realizes how much more of the world there is to be explored outside of the fenced in life she’s currently living. The story revolves around limitations under which a married woman lives. The idea of limitation or alienation is apparent as soon as the story begins: “The high gray-flannel fog of winter closed off the Salinas Valley from the sky and from all the rest of the world. On every side it sat like a lid on the mountains and made of the great valley a closed pot.” Elisa lives in isolation on a farm with her husband Henry. She is even further confined to a garden surrounded by a wire fence. During the story Elisa never seems to regret her position on the farm while the men are free to do as they please. This is true until the tinker comes along and describes his annual journey “from Seattle to San Diego and back every year” and she replies, “That sounds like a nice way to live.” After she talks with the man and gives him some chrysanthemum cuttings, Elisa continues to ask him about his life on the road and his living conditions in the wagon. Enthralled with his lifestyle she replies, “It must be very nice. I wish women could do such things.” Although she knows women are not allowed to take part in such activities due to social regulation, the thought of it gives her courage and strength. One thing I found to be ironic about her infatuation with his life was that the tinker lived an even lonelier life than she did. This led to questioning whether she chose to live in such isolation or if it was forced upon her. Toward the end of the story Elisa and the tinker share an intense moment appreciating the chrysanthemums and the wandering life. The feeling gives her strength to break away from her confined self, but when she...