What is the use and importance of irony in "The Chrysanthemums"?John Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums"

Irony, a contrast between what is expected and what
actually occurs, serves to increase the impact of the story as well as its tone, the air
of mystery that exists in "The Chrysanthemums."  In fact, John Steinbeck wrote of his
story to a friend,

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''I shall be interested to know what you think of
the story, 'The Chrysanthemums.' It is entirely different and is designed to strike
without the reader's knowledge. I mean he reads it casually and after it is finished
feels that something profound has happened to him although he does not know what or how.
It has had that effect on several people
here.''

Because of the use of
the limited third person narrator, the reader must infer along with the characters of
the narrative what has been said between Elisa and the tinker, and Elisa and Henry.  By
accompanying this ambiguity in narration and mystery of tone, the irony has a great
impact at the end of the narration.  For, throughout the narrative, Elisa seeks to free
her spirit from the male-dominated world, "the closed pot," in which she lives.  When
the tinker comes, he manipulates Elisa, drawing out her passion and desire for
self-expression.  By pretending interest in her chrysanthemums, the tinker causes Elisa
to release some of her womanly passions and to think that she can be part of a larger
world than the Salinas Valley.  For, as the tinker drives away with a red pot of
chrysanthemums, she whispers, "That's a bright direction.  There's a glowing
there."

But, when she excitedly rides with her husband to
town for dinner, Elisa sees far ahead on the road "a dark speck.  She knew."  Hurt by
the tinker's deception, she realizes the terrible irony of his taking her flowers. 
Rather than giving her art expression elsewhere, he has destroyed it by merely casting
it off the wagon as he drives down the road.  Elisa says to
herself,

"He
might have thrown them off the road.  That wouldn't have been much trouble, not very
much.  But he kept the
pot."

Elisa feels especially
hurt that he has not even troubled to conceal his deceit because he wishes to keep the
pot. The moments of passion, beauty, and artistry have all been shattered for Elisa. 
The irony is that what had previously made her so happy and hopeful has now caused her
to weep for her loss of feminine fulfillment: "she was crying weakly--like an old
woman."