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Essay / Esperanza's coming of age in The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
The House on Mango Street is a captivating, yet simplistic read, but also a very deep and complex read. This book does not flow regularly like most books, but has short, choppy chapters that can seem very disconnected. Overall, The House on Mango Street connects and makes sense of Esperanza's coming of age and societal acceptance while experiencing an impoverished childhood. In The House on Mango Street, the author uses extremely clear imagery, symbolism, and allegory to describe, in vivid detail, his coming-of-age journey. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Sumptuous literary style of “The House on Mango Street” Since this book can be read from the perspective of an elementary school student as well as a college level one, it should be filled with a deeper meaning. Therefore, elementary school students can read this text and perceive a funny and strange text, while middle school readers can dissect the deeper meaning of the text. Reading this book can bring sadness, hope, and joy. It focuses on the liberty rights of minorities and women. There are many references wanting to solve these problems and the heroine of the story is Esperanza. She wants to make a difference. The first main subject, and the most perpetual, are houses. The theme of houses begins above all with the title. The House on Mango Street is what appears to be the story of a family raised in a house, based on the title alone. However, the reality is that the book is the story of a girl who feels captured and trapped in her failures and disappointments and the direction her life is taking. She shows this feeling through the imagery of many female family members “trapped” in homes. Esperanza, the main character, is determined to one day have her own home, while describing, through the use of symbolism and imagery, what she does not want to feel or have in her life. Houses are the object used to describe the way Esperanza wants to live her life. There are two main topics regarding houses and how it feels; confinement and fantasy. Esperanza begins her life ashamed of her home. She even denies living on Mango Street and describes her house as a “red, sad house”. This shame is linked to the shame Esperanza feels about her family's socioeconomic status. Unfortunately, his and his family's shame led them to look in awe at houses in the hills with his friend Cathy. Esperanza's father says he dreams of having a house with three bathrooms. Let us now move on to the first symbol mentioned of houses, confinement. Esperanza uses houses to show the confinement of the women in her life. While the symbol of freedom is the balloon. Rafaela is an example of a house owned by a man that is a prison for a woman. She leaned on the window sill and yearned to be released. In this context, the windows become an expression of nostalgia and a kind of announcement of freedom for women condemned to a life of domestic captivity. “Sire” is the story in which Esperanza had a “windowsill” experience. She felt doomed and agitated. In "Sire", Sally has no windowsill and is completely trapped by her husband. In Esperanza's mind, she dreams of a free and independent home for women. One without chores, sloping floors or noisy neighbors. Sally's reality is very different from Esperanza's dream house. The house of his dreams.