Feminism In The House On Mango Street

For many years woman have been subordinated to men, The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros a 1984 coming of age novel in which Esperanza is represented as the determination and hope for the woman in her poems but also the quest for a better life, and a promise to help those left behind under the suffering of the new traditions, crime, violence and sex. Cisneros' novel opened the doors to new ideas a new focus of the Chicano novel, In Mañana Means Heaven published in 2010 we begin to see a passive woman, Cisneros introduces the problems a woman faces while Hernandez sets the woman free of these injustices. Bea Franco represents the hope for woman, left behind in Cisneros' novel. Bea represents the emergence of willpower and self motivation to get out of the abusive relationship and find what she really deserves. Both these novels utilize different narratives, but both have a very earnest, hopeful, intimate tone. They both also share themes of struggle of self definition, sexuality and autonomy that through a life journey these woman are able to progress in a constrained society.

The House on Mango Street depicts the role of woman as she grows up. Her poems demonstrate the role of woman in an unjust society. All together the stories of poverty, crime, sex, rape marriage all dealing with woman become the reason why she decides to stay connected with her cultural traditions, but also give her motivation to find a better life. She feels like she has a responsibility to return, because no one else will help these women. Esperanza dedicates this book to the woman, she addresses her book to larger community of woman. She wants them to find their place,their identity. As Esperanza accepts her past, she knows that she wil...

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...We were first left hopeless with all the stories told about the woman left behind but in reading about Beas story we can rejoice that there was hope and there continues to be hope, Bea is a representation of a woman in Cisnero's poems, she was able to set herself free from traditions from a cruel society, a manipulated cycle of life. Growing from one novel to the other, we begin to focus more on other things other than a suppressed woman, controlled by a possessive and jealous man. Themes like sexuality, autonomy, and gender are explored in both novels and really help us build a new perspective of woman because she is able to progress from these injustices. As I read these novels I felt anger love, and really connected with the protagonists, it was interesting to see a different approach to chicano literature and other factor that lead them to find their identity.