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“An image of a strong female in John Steinbeck’s The Chrysanthemums.” Studies in English Language & Literature 38.3 (2012): 125-144. The purpose of this paper is to examine a woman trapped in a man’s world in John Steinbeck's short novel “The Chrysanthemums.” Like his other novels, Steinbeck’s short stories feature realistic dialogue, nerve-racking dramas, and sympathetic examinations of characters trying to find happiness in the face of poverty and oppression. In “The Chrysanthemums,” these struggles are portrayed through Steinbeck's character Elisa Allen. Therefore, through the protagonist, Elisa Allen, I studied a strong, capable woman kept from personal, social, and sexual fulfillment by the prevailing conception of a woman's role in a world dominated by men. In fact, Elisa's appearance, actions, and speech depict the frustrated women felt in Steinbeck's masculine world of the 1930's. Her frustration with the male-dominated society causes her to let go of her dreams for liberation and to become what society expects her to be--a passive woman. By studying this paper, I can conclude how Steinbeck portrayed women according to his time period. Namely, Elisa has become the representative of the feminine ideal of equality and its inevitable defeat. (Jeonju University)