Separated from the outside world, Elisa has few human connections.
Explanation:
The short story of "The Chrysanthemums" by John Steinbeck tells the story of a couple who are living in a rural ranch in the foothills of the Salinas valley. They hardly have any human interaction, especially the protagonist of our story, Elisa. She is depicted as being happy to be working in her own garden, but this was not entirely true for we see her eagerness to be involved in a conversation with strangers who come through the place.
John Steinbeck introduces the Salinas Valley as being like a <em>"closed pot"</em> which will also be symbolic for Elisa's character. It denotes the secluded nature of the place, just like her character's seclusion from the outside world. This is also evident when Elisa expresses her desire to be able to travel like the stranger, free and wherever she wants to instead of being stuck in a particular place. She is also aloof, with few human connections.
