The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros | Teen Ink

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

October 29, 2015
By LaurenE.L. BRONZE, Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey
LaurenE.L. BRONZE, Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey
2 articles 0 photos 2 comments

                  Mango Street is in Society’s Backyard
     Society has always had wage gaps and discrimination and to this day it’s still present. According to infoplease.com, in 1975 Hispanic women have had 49.3% of a white man’s salary. In 2013 Hispanic women only had 54% of a white man’s salary. This shows that there is a big difference who is on top of the wage gap and who is on the bottom, which is all caused by race and gender. Some don’t even think of how it’s like to be in the lower class and how their actions of discrimination impact others. The House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros, reflects on how a society has an affect on an individual. This is shown through motifs like houses, windows, and trees.
     The house motif shows how Esperanza is in poverty because of society. Everyone tries to get of the “house” but very few do. “Temporary, says Papa, But I know how those things go,” (Cisneros 5).  This was when Esperanza’s dad was talking about how they would move out of the house supposedly soon. Esperanza knows that her parents are most likely stuck in the lower part of the wage gap and won’t be able to get out. Esperanza is trapped in poverty and knows it. No one wants to be living where she is and because of her race she is stuck there with very little opportunity to get out. “Bricks are crumbling in places, and the front door is so swollen you have to push hard to get in,” (Cisneros 4).  This shows that there is still a chance for her to escape poverty and be able to take part of better jobs. As time moves on, more bricks will crumble and the door will get easier to open. Esperanza needs to keep pushing to go through “the brick wall’ or the wage gap. This could also mean to escape the judgment around her. Because of all the stereotypes and racism she is stuck in an undesirable situation.
     The windows in The House on Mango Street represent lack of freedom and opportunity. Most of the citizen on Mango Street had to look on as others succeeded because of they were of a different race and had more money. “She looked out the window her whole life… sit their sadness on an elbow…” (Cisneros 11).  This displays that people in her neighborhood were able to see others take job opportunities and that they were able to leave. The people on Mango Street were trapped there. The people of different races got occupations that were left over from the people that were supposedly better than them. The people of Mango Street were forced to sit by the window and watch others be free. Very few got through the window. “…Windows so small you’d think they were holding their breath,” (Cisneros 4). The window of opportunity is so small. Everyone Esperanza knew wasn’t able to be part of what they saw outside of the window. They were all trapped. Even so, when something breathes in it must breath out; when she grew up, Esperanza took advantage of exhaling and was able to get freedom. She was able to escape the window while the rest of Mango Street was stuck there. Most sit and think of what would life be for them if they were in a different situation. “… Every evening talking to the trees, leaning out my window, imagining what I can’t see,” (Cisneros 73).  When Esperanza was younger because her family was poor she couldn’t do as much as other kids who were wealthier or a different race. The other kids would have more time exploring outside the window while she had to look on. When she was younger instead of living in a world with more freedom and opportunities she would imagine what would happen if she did have equal rights. Just because America says that everyone is free and has opportunities, society blocks those things for some citizens.
     The tree motif proves that there is discrimination in society, which leads to a lower self-esteem and loneliness. Society that isn’t on Mango Street doesn’t try to understand what it’s like to be living in a poor city. No one understands them or tries to help. No one wants to make a difference. “They are the only ones who understand me,” (Cisneros 74). The trees that were in the lower class part of the city were supposed to represent Esperanza. They understand her because they were put in the same position as her. They are both full of inner beauty but have no support from others because of how they look. Esperanza doesn’t have real friends and the trees are the only ones in the city. They are both alone and deserve better treatment. “Four who do not belong here but are here. Four raggedy excuses planted by the city,” (Cisneros 74). This is presenting that they are like Esperanza because she does have potential to be influential and important in her future but she is forced to be in a poor neighborhood because of how society views her. She is stuck with a bad education and bad influences. If she did have a better education or lived in a nicer area she would be able to meet new people and not ones who are all putting her in danger. They also might not use her in any way and would be closer to her. This would cause her to not feel alone and not to be desperate for friends even if they impact her in atrocious ways.
     The House on Mango Street is proof that society has an effect on an individual. This does not only include a fictional character named Esperanza but people around the world. This is shown by the motifs of houses, representing poverty, windows, implying the lack of opportunity and freedom, and trees, meaning discrimination resulting in low self-esteem and loneliness. Although society thinks that there are good things impacting an individual, it always comes with bad side effects.


The author's comments:

Originally I wrote this for one of my school essays to hand to my teacher for a grade. But as I started to wirte this essay I started to love the message of the The House on Mango Street and I love the Motifs Sandra Cisneros used. I hope the readers learn to treat everyone equally because anyone can have potential. Everyone should have a chance.


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This article has 8 comments.


M8I8A8 said...
on Sep. 10 2020 at 1:29 pm
M8I8A8, Moreno Valley, California
0 articles 0 photos 2 comments
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros is a beautiful book. I think everyone of every age should read this beautiful book. In this book a 12-year-old Latina girl named Esperanza reflects on her childhood and her story of becoming. She dreams about a home of her home and independence and although the book never says if she does I believe Esperanza found a way. Her mother use to tell her about a home that they would one day live in that was big and beautiful, but the house on Mango Street in Chicago was not that. This home in an abstract way was a representation of her not being free like she wishes and being stuck were she doesn't. Though it is not direct this story is tragedy in the way that most of her friends leave as life goes on, but she never leaves. I think this book is great for readers because this is literature in a way that is unusual and it is also a short reader for a younger audience. By far this is one of the most beautiful book I have read and I strongly encourage everyone to read.

M8I8A8 said...
on Sep. 10 2020 at 1:27 pm
M8I8A8, Moreno Valley, California
0 articles 0 photos 2 comments
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros is a beautiful book. I think everyone of eery age should read this beautiful book.. In this book a 12-year-old Latina girl named Esperanza. In this book she reflects on her childhood and her story of becoming. She dreams about a home of her home and independence and although the book never says if she does I believe Esperanza found a way. Her mother use to tell her about a home that they would one day live in that was big and beautiful, but the house on Mango Street in Chicago was not that. This home in an abstract way was a representation of her not being free like she wishes and being stuck were she doesn't. Though it is not direct this story is tragedy in the way that most of her friends leave as life goes on, but she never leaves. I think this book is great for readers because this is literature in a way that is unusual and it is also a short reader for a younger audience. By far this is one of the most beautiful book I have read and i strongly encourage everyone to read.
-Mia

QUETZALIG said...
on Nov. 7 2017 at 12:39 pm
QUETZALIG,
0 articles 0 photos 1 comment
THIS BOOK THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET BY SANDRA CISNEROS IS A VERY GOOD BOOK THAT WILL WARM YOUR HEART. I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD GIVE THEMSELVES THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ IT. ITS MAINLY ABOUT HOW A YOUNG GIRL STRUGGLES WITH CONSISTENTLY MOVING, HER FAMILY, AND HER SELF GROWING UP.I THINK YOU SHOULD READ IT BECAUSE YOU WILL AT LEAST IDENTIFY YOURSELF WITH ANY OF THE VARIOUS CHARACTERS.

ChristinaG said...
on Sep. 27 2017 at 1:37 am
ChristinaG,
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My opinion about this book is that the book is very intrusting but a weird book to read. I personally didn't like it that much. Many parts of the story didn't make any sense. But many things in this book is similar to real life that we live in, like some of us are named after our grandparents or a family member which can be really annoying sometimes, the friendships and much more. I will recommend people to read this book but just letting you know it's not the greatest book I have read.

on Aug. 19 2017 at 9:35 pm
LaurenE.L. BRONZE, Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey
2 articles 0 photos 2 comments
@jurbina I understand where you are coming from. But at the young age how is she supposed to know how to get what she wants? Also if surrounded by people in poverty she doesn't know anything other than just to dream and want for better things in life. Don't we all want more? (just playing devils advocate for the sake of it). I haven't read this in over a year so I don't remember details. But I remember liking the symbolism and not necessarily the storyline.

jurbina said...
on Aug. 11 2017 at 6:38 pm
jurbina,
0 articles 0 photos 1 comment
My school made me read this book, I would otherwise not have gotten past the first page, it was so boring. I would call it a circular story but for the fact that it never goes anywhere in the process of getting back to where it started. The book sounds like Cisneros wrote what was published as it came to her , and never looked back to edit; it is filled with little segments that could have made a great back ground for a story if used as such instead of focused on. The first half sounds like what you would get if you asked a seven year old about there life; there is no unifying theme except for a main character , and there is no plot to speak of. In the second half it becomes evident that Esperanza is more than seven. The second half does, in fact, have many good ideas that could have made the story interesting if they had been more them brushed against for a page or two before she moved on. The carelessness, monotony with which said could have been interesting events were described, did not let me care. If one of these many ideas had been allowed to develop until it was more than and idea, or all of them together, mingled in a way that made them one, then this book could be called a story. If the writer could learn to like the story and care for the character enough to give her character, then it could be called a good story. As it is, I see it only as the diary of a seven year old who says she wants a house all her own more than anything else, but who is not working towards that goal in any way, is discontent with her life, but doesn't try to change it, and thinks herself special because she doesn't like where she's at, knows where she's going, and expects to get there just by wanting. In short, I hated it from beginning to end, and can not for the life of me understand what so many people think is so great about it.

JPerez25 said...
on Jun. 26 2017 at 9:50 pm
JPerez25,
0 articles 0 photos 1 comment
The House On Mango Street was a fictional novel that is about a 12-year-old girl’s childhood named Esperanza. She lives in a neighborhood in Chicago, and in this book, it describes a separate situation that Esperanza goes through. To start with this essay, I would totally want to recommend this novel for people to read, due to having many different moods and moments that could happen to someone’s real life, this novel brings this fictional story to life in someone mind. Esperanza is completely ignorant about having a relationship with boys and says that boys and girls live in completely different worlds. She is so much a child that she cannot even speak to her brothers outside of the house, their names are Carlos and Kiki. Esperanza had gained 3 friends in Mango Street, their names are Rachel, Lucy and Sally, Rachel and Lucy are Mexican American Sisters and live across the street from Esperanza. They were never really serious about having a relationship with boys, but when Esperanza later became friends with Sally she noticed that she was more serious of having a husband which later she did at a young age. Esperanza has a mother whose was strong willed and smart, but never really influenced Esperanza, she also has a dad who was less of a father from the other father figures in the neighborhood due to working most of the time and was rarely home, and then her little sister Nenny who is beautiful and a dreamy little girl who Esperanza is often responsible for. Throughout the final chapters of the novel I found 3 women who are married and are basically locked in their homes or are scared to escape due to their husbands, these moments are the parts in the novel I don’t like to to having women being mistreated by their husbands, Sally is included in this list. These kinds of lives remind me of some that happened in real life that later turn into a crime scene due to women killing their own husbands, glad it didn’t end like that. These is just one of the many circumstances in Esperanza’s life, I totally recommend this novel to book lovers, it shows many different moods and tragedies, I would give this book a five stars in mine opinion, and I’m sure it could have been better but it still had a nice ending, hope you guys enjoy as much as I did.

anniedoeho said...
on Mar. 15 2017 at 5:01 pm
anniedoeho, La, California
0 articles 0 photos 1 comment
In the story "the House on Mango Street" the story is about a young Latin girl trying to discover who she really is and who she would like to become in life. In the first couple stories we learn of Esperanza's family and friends. We also just get quick glimpse of her daily life . As we get deep into the story we start learning of Esperanza's daily life. Esperanza describes her small home thats in poor shape her family isnt one of the wealthiest in chicago. This story has very great sequence and can relate to the readers very well. for example. Sally who had an abusive father who did not let her lout of the home because he said she was to beautiful and she would cause trouble. totally keeping her from the outside world then when he found out she had a boyfriend he went crazy and beat her. these stories where very captivating. I would reccomend this book to young readers because it describes the daily life of a teen. i think teens would be best off reading this book because these stories are very relatable . while reading i visualized myself as a kid again and every situation i read about. I also loved how the main charecter wanted to escape her home and run from her problems. and instead she stood and faced her battles and grew up to be independent and have her own house educated and most important content with her success