The House On Mango Street By Sandra Cisneros

The importance of one’s education is often stressed throughout one’s early childhood and teenage years. The main point sometimes misses with many students, however. In The House on Mango Street, a novella by Sandra Cisneros, the main point- the beauty of education- sticks with young Esperanza all her life. The story follows this girl, a small and confused child, who lives in a very poor neighborhood. As the story progresses, Esperanza ages with the pages and is taught valuable life lessons. Both Alicia and Esperanza view education and writing as a way to a better life. Through these and other characters, Cisneros suggests that education offers a path of freedom. Esperanza finds out at a very young age the magic of writing. Specifically, while reading to her dying aunt , the vignette “Born Bad.” While citing poetry to her aunt, without realizing it, she sets herself free with words. This is evident in her poem, where she jumps out of her skin as she writes, “One day I’ll jump out of my skin. I’ll shake the sky like a hundred violins” (Cisneros 61). This quote shows Esperanza being freed from her miserable life through writing. Even though she does

The unforgettable line is as follows: “Esperanza, you go to school. Study hard” (Cisneros 91). She then goes on to say how she regrets not staying in school and how miserable she in now. These simple, yet powerful words stick with Esperanza. She has been told time and time again the value of education. This is when she truly realizes the escape one can have through writing. When she hears it from her mother, who has led a bad life, she realizes her true talents and finds an escape. Everything Esperanza has heard about writing and education finally come together to help her realize the alternate world she can live