From the perspective of a young Mexican girl growing up in her despised neighborhood in Chicago, Esperanza yearns for a place to call home, other than a rundown urban community which is her fourth “home,” and the one her family expects her to appreciate. Told in a series of poems and short stories, The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros explores the emotions surrounding a young teenager’s living situation and her desire to escape her childhood life forever. Esperanza perceives her home on Mango Street to be an oppressive force and a constant reminder that she has never experienced the happiness of discovering where she belongs. While Esperanza encounters numerous people in her new community, she regrets her inability to change her current circumstances and the people she befriends decision to constantly betray her and never prove themselves worthy of her trust. Despite the negative environment, Esperanza learns to appreciate the finer aspects of life as she matures over the course of the novel. The advice she does receive from her parents and family members regarding their own mistakes in life makes Esperanza a stronger character who grows from her own hatred into a young women, ready to rebel and escape the life she was born into. Although I found the language the author uses throughout the novel to be remarkable, I felt that the end of the novel became repetitive and was essentially Esperanza complaining to others and feeling sorry for herself. While she may not have been responsible for her life in poverty, I felt that Esperanza had numerous opportunities to change her life that she never took. At one point, Esperanza even places her own desires over the needs of her family, which does not convey the greatest moral values. I even felt that Esperanza had greater morals at the beginning of the novel, which began to depreciate as she became more hopeless and less appreciative of the things she does have. While the novel does convey a strong message and explores common motifs including freedom and individuality, I was rather disappointed with the end of the novel, but do feel it provides excellent perspective into the difficult lives some children face.
From the perspective of a young Mexican girl growing up in her despised neighborhood in Chicago, Esperanza yearns for a place to call home, other than a rundown urban community which is her fourth “home,” and the one her family expects her to appreciate. Told in a series of poems and short stories, The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros explores the emotions surrounding a young teenager’s living situation and her desire to escape her childhood life forever. Esperanza perceives her home on Mango Street to be an oppressive force and a constant reminder that she has never experienced the happiness of discovering where she belongs. While Esperanza encounters numerous people in her new community, she regrets her inability to change her current circumstances and the people she befriends decision to constantly betray her and never prove themselves worthy of her trust. Despite the negative environment, Esperanza learns to appreciate the finer aspects of life as she matures over the course of the novel. The advice she does receive from her parents and family members regarding their own mistakes in life makes Esperanza a stronger character who grows from her own hatred into a young women, ready to rebel and escape the life she was born into. Although I found the language the author uses throughout the novel to be remarkable, I felt that the end of the novel became repetitive and was essentially Esperanza complaining to others and feeling sorry for herself. While she may not have been responsible for her life in poverty, I felt that Esperanza had numerous opportunities to change her life that she never took. At one point, Esperanza even places her own desires over the needs of her family, which does not convey the greatest moral values. I even felt that Esperanza had greater morals at the beginning of the novel, which began to depreciate as she became more hopeless and less appreciative of the things she does have. While the novel does convey a strong message and explores common motifs including freedom and individuality, I was rather disappointed with the end of the novel, but do feel it provides excellent perspective into the difficult lives some children face.
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