Women have always and will always love receiving attention; especially when that attention comes from a male because girls like to feel special above all else. In John Steinbeck's The Chrysanthemums, Elisa Allen also likes this recognition. However, her husband Henry is selfish and too busy to deal with Elisa and this makes her feel unimportant. Later, when the man in the wagon arrives at the ranch, Elisa and her chrysanthemums regain the respect that every woman hopes to gain. However, the respect shown towards Elisa was short-lived as the man discarded his trust and his chrysanthemums on the street. Therefore, it is clearly evident that the amount of attention given to Elisa and her chrysanthemums hints at her level of trust. Throughout the story, Henry Allen's selfishness and conflicting priorities lead to Elisa's neglect which leaves her feeling unappreciated and unloved. Elisa is not very comfortable with her husband Henry, this fact is illustrated when she "leaned over the wire fence that protected her flower garden from cattle, dogs, and chickens" (Steinbeck 270). By keeping Henry out of the garden, the other side of the fence shows that Elisa does not trust him to come near her chrysanthemums. Chrysanthemums are very symbolic in the story as 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 may be destroyed. Henry opposes Elisa and the hard work that the protagonist has dedicated to her chrysanthemums. Henry tells her that he "[wishes for her] to work out in the orchard and grow some apples [as big as his chrysanthemums]" (Steinbeck 270). In doing so, Elisa's efforts go to... middle of paper... she cries because her dignity is gone, and she realizes that she will never get the attention she seeks, the one that will give her the confidence that he needs. It seems that hope does not exist 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 amount of attention she gives to herself and her chrysanthemums. Henry's selfishness causes Elisa to experience feelings of abandonment. The bearded man's interest in Elisa makes the protagonist feel very confident as a woman. Ultimately, this same man makes Elisa realize that her expectations of men were too high since the man threw away her only source of joy in the world. When you receive unexpected extra attention, be cautious as it may be for different reasons than you initially thought.