The transformation Elisa's husband noticed was brought on by the interaction she had with the handy man. At first she was cold and sharp with him, firm in not wanting to pay for any of his services. The handy man realized he could persuade her to give him work by encouraging conversation about her beloved chrysanthemums. This drew out her passion for flowers and other aspects of her life that she had longed for and for a moment, she was able to express herself in a way that she could not with her own husband. Its seems as though she found a piece of inner strength after talking with him and also felt the need to be attractive again. Her husband recognized her spark and was happy to see her put together despite his poor ability to complement
