The House on Mango Street

By Sandra Cisneros

Characters:

Esperanza, Nenny, Carlos, Keeky, Mama and Papa, Lucy, Rachel, Aunt Lupe, Sally.

Esperanza is the main character of the story, she's ashamed of who she is. She wants to be different, she wants a different name, a different hair, she wants to be older and have all those things her family cannot give to her.

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I really enjoyed this reading, to see how innocence is represented in Esperanza, she thinks she is a grown-up; however, Esperanza has a lot to learn about life, about responsibilities, about adulthood. I think I understand the way she feels, how she wants to be older, to have friends of your age, something she cannot find on her sister Nenny, because she is younger.

She wants to change who she is, that is what I perceive. I can say she is not happy about the place where she lives, about some aspects of her family and she just wants to fit in. Esperanza is still a child; however, she thinks she is older enough to act like an adult, to use heels, to have a job, etc. Notwithstanding, if we go back to the reading, it is possible for us to observe her childish way to solve problems, crying.

Also, in the book it is presented, women role. Women are supposed to serve men, they have to cook, do laundry, they had to be submissive. Men are in charge, they are the head of the family, they had to be strong all the time; the typical saying "men not cry," this is how men are represented. Esperanza was amazed when she saw her father crying for the first time.

I enjoyed this reading, I can feel identified with Esperanza somehow because of the desire she has of being older, and also like the way the writer presents the Latin culture, and how as she grows she learns about life.

Comments

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