Women have always loved and always will love to receive attention; especially when this attention comes from a man, because above all, girls like to feel special. In The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck, Elisa Allen also likes this recognition. However, her husband Henry is selfish and too busy to take care of Elisa, making her feel unimportant. Later, when the man on the wagon arrives at the ranch, Elisa and her chrysanthemums find the respect every woman hopes to achieve. However, this respect granted to Elisa was short-lived since the man abandoned his confidence and his chrysanthemums on the road. Therefore, it is clearly evident that the amount of attention given to Elisa and her chrysanthemums hints at her confidence level. Throughout the story, Henry Allen's selfishness and mixed priorities result in Elisa's neglect, making her feel unappreciated and unloved. Elisa is not very comfortable with her husband Henry, this fact is illustrated when “he leaned over the fence that protected her flower garden from cattle, dogs and chickens” (Steinbeck 270). By keeping Henry outside the garden, on the other side of the fence, it is shown that Elisa does not trust him to go near her chrysanthemums. Chrysanthemums are very symbolic in the story because they symbolize Elisa Allen herself and her only source of joy in the world. Henry is not welcomed into the garden for fear that his confidence, joy, and beauty will be destroyed. Henry objects to Elisa and the hard work the protagonist put into her chrysanthemums. Henry tells her that “[he wants her] to work in the orchard and grow apples [as big as his chrysanthemums]” (Steinbeck 270). In doing so, Elisa's efforts end up in the middle of paper...... cries because her dignity is gone, and she realizes that she will never get the attention she seeks, the one that will give her give her the confidence she needs. It seems that hope is non-existent for Elisa Allen and that is why the protagonist is described as "crying like an old woman". In conclusion, Elisa's level of confidence is directly proportional to the attention paid to herself and her chrysanthemums. Henry's selfishness causes Elisa to feel neglected. The bearded man's interest in Elisa gives the protagonist great confidence in herself as a woman. Eventually, this same man makes Elisa understand that her expectations of men were too high because the man threw his only source of joy into the world. When you receive unexpected extra attention, be careful as it may be for reasons other than what was initially expected..