Viewpoints

871 Words2 Pages

Viewpoints An immigrant from Mexico who lives on Mango Street appears to be timid and anxious about this new land and all the people in it. The title of the book, The House on Mango Street, includes vignettes written by Sandra Cisneros. The vignettes cover the story of Esperanza, the immigrant, in which the young girl offers insight on many of the events that occur around her neighborhood. Deducted from her actions, Esperanza is a person who is a bad role model. Because she is afraid, ashamed, and inconsistent that makes her a poor choice for a role model. Bad roles models show they are afraid, as Esperanza demonstrates. In the vignette, “Those Who Don’t,” she discusses how Mexicans feel safe in their own communities, but scared in white communities. Esperanza states, “All brown all around, we are safe. But watch us drive into a neighborhood of another color and knees go shakity-shake and our car windows get rolled up tight and our eyes look straight” (Cisneros 28). She shows that everyone, including herself, becomes fearful when people of her ethnicity enter a neighborhood that is not Mexican. Then, Esperanza tells the story of her grandmother being abducted by her grandfather and forced to live the subdued life of a wife. As Esperanza laments, “I inherited her name, but I don’t want to inherit her place by the window” (Cisneros 11). The passage shows that she fears her future will be as gloomy as her grandmother’s life. Role models are expected to be bold and courageous through their actions. By being afraid, Esperanza paints the wrong picture and promotes acting like a “scaredy cat.” Other people should not revere her. Esperanza feels ashamed of her position in life, which indicates she is bad role model. She and her fa... ... middle of paper ... ... fantasizes about owning that same dream house for herself. A good role model must be consistent with portraying her values. She cannot be hypocritical and change her conduct. A good role model must be steady in her life so that the people looking up to her will be firm in their values. Esperanza illustrates that she is a bad role model through her actions and words. She is afraid of white communities and of her future. Whenever she looks at things she cannot have or people mock her lifestyle, she feels ashamed. Her inconsistency in decisions also makes her a bad role model. The immigrant from Mexico appears shy and terrified because inside she truly has reasons to feel that way. Esperanza must learn to overcome her fears, past prejudices, and low expectations to become successful in all aspects of her life. Only then, will she become a positive role model.

Show More
Related

  • Symbols In The House On Mango Street

    1385 Words  | 3 Pages

    Symbolism is the key to understanding Sandra Cisneros’ novel, “The House on Mango Street”. By unraveling the symbolism, the reader truly exposes the role of not only Latina women but women of any background. Esperanza, a girl from a Mexican background living in Chicago, writes down what she witnesses while growing up. As a result of her sheltered upbringing, Esperanza hardly comprehends the actions that take place around her, but what she did understand she wrote in her journal. Cisneros used this technique of the point of view of a child, to her advantage by giving the readers enough information of what is taking place on Mango Street so that they can gather the pieces of the puzzle a get the big picture.

    Read More

  • So Far from God by Ana Castillo

    1087 Words  | 3 Pages

    Esperanza, the most liberated of the sisters, devoted her life to make other people’s lives better. She became a reporter and later on died while covering the Gulf Crisis. She returned home, to her family as a spirit. At first, she spoke through La Llorona, a messenger who informed La Loca that her sister has died. All her family members saw her. She appeared to her mother as a little girl who had a nightmare and went near to her mother for comfort. Caridad had conversations with her about politics and La Loca talked to her by the river behind their home.

    Read More

  • DCF Valuation'

    1138 Words  | 3 Pages

    Latin American women in media are usually assigned the typical stereotypes. The stereotypes that are commonly associated with Latinas are thugs, gangbangers, laborers, servants, or seductress. In this novel we observe the experiences that many Latin American women have to endure due to the male-dominated society. The House on Mango Street is about a young Mexican-American girl, Esperanza, who dreams of a better life. Esperanza's family moves to a new house on Mango Street, but it doesn't meet the expectation of Esperanza's "dream house." The house is located in a crowded Latino neighborhood that consists of the lower income families. This book gives insight to the living conditions that many poor Latin-Americans live in.

    Read More

  • The House on Mango Street Cultural Values

    415 Words  | 1 Pages

    Sandra Cisneros' strong cultural values greatly influence The House on Mango Street. Esperanza's life is the medium that Cisneros uses to bring the Latin community to her audience. The novel deals with the Catholic Church and its position in the Latin community. The deep family connection within the barrio also plays an important role in the novel. Esperanza's struggle to become a part of the world outside of Mango Street represents the desire many Chicanos have to grow beyond their neighborhoods.

    Read More

  • Comparison Of House On Mango Street And Finding Forester

    564 Words  | 2 Pages

    Esperanza is a Latino young teenager who lives on Mango Street, a low income neighborhood. Esperanza goes to a catholic school who has to take care of her family. Esperanza has many family and friends around her but she makes bad decisions in life. When Esperanza is at home she helps her mother and father out with her younger brothers and sister. When she is not helping with her family she goes to her

    Read More

  • House On Mango Street Belonging

    530 Words  | 2 Pages

    The House on Mango Street, a fictional book written by Sandra Cisneros is a book filled with many hidden messages. The book revolves around a young girl named Esperanza who feels out of place with the life she has. She sees that the things around her don’t really add up. The story is told from Esperanza’s perspective and the events she goes through to find herself. Through the strategy of fragmenting sentences, Cisneros establishes that the sense of not belonging, creates a person’s individuality that makes them who they are.

    Read More

  • Diversity In The House On Mango Street

    573 Words  | 2 Pages

    In The House on Mango Street, Cisneroz agitates the theme of diversity through her use of characters and setting. Cisneroz paints a multitude of events that follow a young girl named Esperanza growing up in the diverse section of Chicago. She is dealing with searching for a release from the low expectations that the Latino communities often put women whether young or old are put against. Cisneroz often draws from her life growing up that she was able to base Esperanza's life experiences on and portray an accurate view on Latino societies today. Cisneroz used the chapter “Boys and Girls” and “Beautiful and cruel” to portray Esperanzas growth from a young curious girl to a wise woman. She came into her own personal awareness and her actions that she has to now be held accountable for.

    Read More

  • Character Analysis of Esperanza in The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

    1201 Words  | 3 Pages

    Esperanza, a strong- willed girl who dreams big despite her surroundings and restrictions, is the main character in The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. Esperanza represents the females of her poor and impoverished neighborhood who wish to change and better themselves. She desires both sexuality and autonomy of marriage, hoping to break the typical life cycle of woman in her family and neighborhood. Throughout the novel, she goes through many different changes in search of identity and maturity, seeking self-reliance and interdependence, through insecure ideas such as owning her own house, instead of seeking comfort and in one’s self. Esperanza matures as she begins to see the difference. She evolves from an insecure girl to a mature young lady through her difficult life experiences and the people she comes across. It is through personal encounters and experiences that Esperanza begins to become sexually aware and acceptance her place and self-definition in her community.

    Read More

  • Comparing the Women of House on Mango Street and Bread Givers

    1701 Words  | 4 Pages

    Esperanza, a Chicano with three sisters and one brother, has had a dream of having her own things since she was ten years old. She lived in a one story flat that Esperanza thought was finally a "real house". Esperanza’s family was poor. Her father barely made enough money to make ends meet. Her mother, a homemaker, had no formal education because she had lacked the courage to rise above the shame of her poverty, and her escape was to quit school. Esperanza felt that she had the desire and courage to invent what she would become.

    Read More

  • Role Models In The House On Mango Street By Sandra Cisneros

    809 Words  | 2 Pages

    A role model an influential person whom one imitates. Role models contribute key life lessons to anyone looking up to them. Role models provide basic structure both to achieve greatness and to learn from the mistakes that they have made in their lifetimes. Role models provide many benefits to those who look up to them, making life decisions easier because of the examples they have set. The book The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros reveals many role models for the young, female Latina protagonist, Esperanza. As expected, the women in the Mango Street neighborhood significantly influence Esperanza. She has a variety of female role models. Many are trapped in abusive relationships, waiting for others to change their lives. Some are actively trying to create change on their own. Through these women and Esperanza’s reactions to them, Cisneros not only shows the hardships women face, but also explores their power to

    Read More

  • Gender Norms in The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

    969 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout The House on Mango Street Esperanza learns to resist the gender norms that are deeply imbedded in her community. The majority of the other female characters in the novel have internalized the male viewpoint and they believe that it is their husbands or fathers responsibility to care for them and make any crucial decisions for them. However, despite the influence of other female characters that are “immasculated”, according to Judith Fetterley, Esperanza’s experiences lead her to become a “resisting reader” in Fettereley’s terminology because she does not want to become like the women that she observes, stuck under a man’s authority. She desires to leave Mango Street and have a “home of her own” so that she will never be forced to depend on a man (Cisneros 108). During the course of the novel Esperanza eventually realizes that it is also her duty to go back to Mango Street “For the ones that cannot out”, or the women who do not challenge the norms (110). Esperanza eventually turns to her writing as a way to escape from her situation without having to marry a man that she would be forced to rely on like some of her friends do.

    Read More

  • Gender Roles In The House On Mango Street

    580 Words  | 2 Pages

    Esperanza’s rebel role model, Marin, is a clear example of a woman accepting their role in society, depending on a man. Marin teaches Esperanza things so Esperanza sees Marin as a source for her everyday needs: “I like Marin. She is older and knows lots of things. She is the one who told us how Davey the Baby’s sister got pregnant and what cream

    Read More

  • The House on Mango Street Feminist Elements

    473 Words  | 1 Pages

    The idea of the alienated artist is very common in feminist works. Esperanza, the protagonist, is alienated from the rest of society in many ways. Her Latino neighborhood seems to be excluded from the rest of the world, while Esperanza is also separated from the other members of her community. Members of other cultures are afraid to enter the neighborhood because they believe it is dangerous. Esperanza seems to be the only one who refuses to just accept Mango Street, and she dreams of someday leaving it behind. She is considered an artist because she has an extremely creative imagination which creates a conflict with the type of liberal individuality she seeks. This creative "genius survives even under the most adverse conditions..." (Gagnier 137). To escape the pain of this division, Esperanza turns to writing. She says, "I put it down on paper and then the ghost does not ache so much" (Cisneros 110). Gagnier sees a "distinction of the writer who nonetheless sees herself as somehow different, separate..." (137).

    Read More

  • Esperanza

    467 Words  | 1 Pages

    Although, many of Esperanzas challenges were difficult, the first challenge Esperanza faced as a immigrant was her moma was sick with valley fever. On page 157 Esperanza heard the doctor say ¨ If she survives¨ and ¨all the blood will drain to her face.¨ THis quote shows that Esperanza is very scared that her momma might die. Esperanza already lost her papa and she cant bare to think about if moma died. She decides to come ¨la patrona¨ which means head of the household (pg 172) and go to work in the fields while mom is in the hospital. This shows that Esperanza is becoming a stronger person and cares about taking care of family.This was a immigrant challenge that Esperanza face as an immigrant.

    Read More

  • An Analysis of The House on Mango Street

    1519 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the Book women are looked upon as objects by men whether they are boyfriends, friends fathers or husbands. The girls in the novel grow up with the mentality that looks and appearance are the most important things to a woman. Cisneros also shows how Latino women are expected to be loyal to their husbands, and that a husband should have complete control of the relationship. Yet on the other hand, Cisneros describes the character Esperanza as being different. Even though she is born and raised in the same culture as the women around her, she is not happy with it, and knows that someday she will break free from its ties, because she is mentally strong and has a talent for telling stories. She comes back through her stories by showing the women that they can be independent and live their own lives. In a way this is Cinceros' way of coming back and giving back to the women in her community.

    Read More

More about Viewpoints

Open Document