John Steinbeck uses his unique literary style to write the short story "The Chrysanthemums", where he takes his readers into a society of gender inequality. “The Chrysanthemums” describes the challenges of Elisa Allen, a thirty-five-year-old woman who is expected to become a traditional housewife. Her continuous transformation throughout the story portrays the life of a woman trying to give meaning to her boring life in the 1930s. “The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck shows the true feelings of the protagonist, Elisa Allen, through the use of femininity, self-awareness, and weakness. The character of Elisa undergoes a complete transformation of femininity, due to her conversation with the plumber. The story initially describes Elisa's appearance using words associated with virility, as Steinbeck states, her face is "strong, eager, and handsome" and her figure is "stuck and heavy" (228). Additionally, she wears a man's hat, heavy leather gloves, and a large apron that hides her printed dress (228). As a result, she is depicted as a woman with more masculine qualities than feminine ones. However, as soon as she meets the tinker and notices his interest in chrysanthemums, “the irritation melts from Elisa's face” (232), and she finally reveals her feminine side. After the tinker left, she “rubbed herself with a small block of pumice, her legs and thighs, her loins, her chest, and her arms, until her skin was scratched and red” (236). Then she washes herself and puts on a dress to look more feminine (237). For the first time Elisa feels appreciated and special by the tinker. As a result, she puts more effort into beautifying herself than she does about her house or garden. We therefore see that although Elisa is... middle of paper... fragile and insignificant wives and mothers. Instead, he must remain in a “closed vessel” (228), just as he is expected to do. As a result, she cries for the truth she will always be reminded of, that she is a “weak” and “useless” woman, which only adds to her frustrations and dissatisfaction with her marriage (238). In conclusion, Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums" illustrates the life of Elisa Allen, who struggles with femininity, self-recognition and powerlessness. Although she is described as a modern 1930s housewife, it is clear that she is far from the average traditional spouse. Rather, she wants to be represented in the male world. However, through Elisa's tribulations and limitations, she has unfortunately learned her stature. Therefore, we should learn to make the best use of our current equality rights.