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.

Image result for sandra cisneros the house on mango street

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

"Mexican" Is Not a Noun

"Mexican" Is Not a Noun By Francisco X. Alarcón I liked this poem, from my perception it presents to the reader how it is to be Mexican, their reality. In the poem, the writer says that being Mexican is not a noun nor an adjective, it is a verb. Verbs are actions, the author is saying to the reader that being a Mexican is about actions; however, for them, their actions are seen with a negative perspective because of people opinion, normally a negative one. Francisco X. Alarcón presents a part of the reality of Mexicans in terms of jobs. He says that a Mexican life is a long low-paying job. This gives the reader the idea that they cannot get good jobs, jobs that can give them more opportunities, more incomes. They cannot have this opportunity probably because of discrimination, lack of opportunities. Also, in many parts of the poem, he uses negative words. He gives a negative connotation of being Mexican; for example, it is possible to see this when he

He Comes For The Jewish Family, 1942

HE COMES FOR THE JEWISH FAMILY, 1942 By Sharon Olds During World War II, Jewish were chased by Germans, taken to concentration camps. Adults, children, men, and women, they were all taken no matter what. Jewish knew that when Nazis arrived their final destination was going to be a camp or death. In this poem the family knew what to expect, they knew the German hated them, that he was going to take them to the camps, and their daughter was going to be taken with them, they had no consideration for children. What they did not know was how easy was for a German to destroy a beautiful instrument like the cello. It is well known that musical instruments as the guitar or in this case, the cello are somehow the representation of a woman's body. "What they did not know was the way he would pick her cello up by the scroll neck and take its dark lovely body shape and break it against the fireplace. The brickwork crushed the amber satin

How to Write the Great American Indian Novel

Title: How to Write the Great American Indian Novel Author: Sherman Alexie From: The Summer of Black Widows Date: 1996 Characters: Indian Men, Indian Women, and White people. Sherman Alexie wr ote this poem making a contrast between the Indians and white people. He used negative vocabulary in the poem, for example, he used the word "tragic" at the beginning of the poem. this referring to the Indians. Also, he described Indians' life as a tragic one: "There must be one murder, one suicide, one attempted rape. Alcohol should be consumed. Cars must be driven at high speeds." Additionally, this part of the poem is a reference to one of the short stories he published "Indian Education," where he mentioned all those tragedies. For me, this poem is very stereotyped, he said that for example, Indian men should not cry in public and he should be a warrior, and they are described as savages. I really enjoy reading this poem. I think

Reflection Journal

Search This Blog