Elisa is a 35-year-old housewife living on a ranch in the Salinas Valley. She is an intelligent, energetic, and highly capable woman whose primary outlet for her passion is growing chrysanthemums in her enclosed garden. Feeling unfulfilled by the limitations placed upon her in a male-dominated society, she yearns for a larger, more active role in the world beyond her domestic sphere.

The Tinker is a large, traveling tradesman with calloused hands and dark, brooding eyes. He makes his living driving his wagon along the California coastline, repairing household items for money. He relies on his wit, banter, and ability to read people to secure work from the locals he encounters on his route.

Henry is a successful farmer who runs his ranch in the Salinas Valley and provides a comfortable life for his household. He is a practical and good-natured man who adheres to the traditional gender expectations of the 1930s. While he appreciates his wife's gardening abilities, he completely misunderstands her deeper ambitions and emotional complexities.