During the history of mankind, women have been often regarded as inferior to men. Consequently, many women have audaciously strived to liberate themselves from this long-standing prejudice, and highlighted the female ideal of independence. John Steinbeck's short story, "The Chrysanthemums" reflects the struggles of a stereotyped woman of the time, Elisa Allen to find her own identity in the oppressive world of men.
First, Elisa is isolated and constrained in a masculine world. The description of the Salinas Valley has close relation with the lonely thirty-five-year-old woman's life. Despi…