The House On Mango St Essay, Research Paper

The House On Mango Street By Sandra Cisneros is a book that is about Esperanza Cordero, who is a young Hispanic girl living on Mango Street in Chicago. It isn t a rich neighborhood, but a relatively poor one. The neighborhood is compiled of many interesting people and some people who are different. Cisneros uses Esperanza to show that a talented and strong willed person can rise above her surroundings and make something of herself. In the end of the book, it is clear that the thesis is true.

Esperanza becomes someone and makes something of herself even though she had some problems that could have psychologically scarred her. Some of these examples of the problems were the sexual abuse. Sexual abuse occurs when the Bum man said, I ll give you a dollar if you give me a kiss (in the vignette Family With Little Feet ) and when the Oriental man just kissed her without her permission (in the vignette The First Job . But in the end, Esperanza still overcomes it and makes someone of herself. But sexual abuse wasn t her only problem.

One of Esperanza s other problems growing up that could cause psychological problems and scarring was the poverty. Most people who grow up in poverty usually stay in poverty all their life. But Esperanza wouldn t let that happen. Her house and neighborhood is definitely poor and riddled with poverty. Bricks are crumbling in places, and the front door is so swollen you have to push it hard to get in. There is no front yard, only four little elms the city planted by the curb (from the vignette The House On Mango Street ) This quote clearly states and gives you a visual on how poor the neighborhood is.

Esperanza becomes a stronger person because she has something deep down inside that gives her the will to. That thing deep down inside is her fear of becoming like her Grandmother. She doesn t really want to be anyone, especially her Grandmother. She just wants to be independent and only dependent upon herself. She doesn t want to Sit by the window all her life (from the vignette My Name ) and be lonely all her life, too. Because she doesn t want to follow in her Grandmother s steps, she tries harder and eventually made something out of herself.

By the end of the book, it is clear that the strong willed Esperanza rose above her poverty struck surroundings to make something out of herself. Many people who try hard to make something of themselves in poor surroundings don t succeed. But there is a small percentage that do. And Esperanza, part of that small percentage, is truly proud of herself but will never forget where she came from.