The story certainly begins on a note of the limitations of Elisa's life, but that is not the entire theme. Steinbeck had a talent for creating real people, and we are all limited by many things in our lives: culture, status, education, gender, culture and mostly by our own choices. Even the setting in a fogged in valley contributes to that theme. All the people in the valley are hemmed in by the geography and the fog. Elisa realizes this at the end when she understands why the flowers landed in the road, because, "of course he had to keep the pot". He, too, is limited. She will never have to go to sleep hungry. She then confirms that she can go to the fight if she likes, but chooses to have wine with dinner instead,
