An Anglo-Irish novelist, Iris Murdoch, once said, “We live in a fantasy world, a world of illusion. The great task in life is to find reality”. Murdoch expresses life isn’t about running away from the problems, but facing it. Similarly, Esperanza, Melinda and Holden all dream of escaping reality into their own fantasies; however, it is through their friends and siblings do they realize they have to eventually face reality. In House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros, Esperanza dreams of leaving Mango Street, for a better life of friendship, love, and a house of her own. For example, when she first moves into the house on Mango Street, she thinks, “They always told us that one day we would move into a house, a real house, that would be …show more content…
When she is trying to escape Mr. Neck, her history teacher, she finds the janitor's closet: “This closet is abandoned-it has no purpose, no name. It is the perfect place for me”(26). Melinda feels invisible just like how the closet has no name and no one knows about it. The closet is a place for Melinda to find herself, hide from her problems, read, and even sleep. She makes the closet a sanctuary by putting up posters and art pieces she connects to. Although the closet is a sanctuary, it also hinders her growth in the story. She uses her closet to hide from reality, her pain, and herself; only when she steps out of the closet will she truly be able to face her trauma. After the disastrous social studies report by Melinda, David Petrakis, her classmate, stops by her locker and gives her some advice. He says, “But you got it wrong. The suffragettes were all about speaking up, screaming for their rights. You can’t even speak up for your rights to be silent”(159). David Petrakis is the opposite of Melinda; he is approachable, open to new things, and a source of hope in the eyes of his classmates after he stands up to Mr. Neck about a classroom debate. Moreover, Melinda admires him and wishes to have the same courage to stand up and speak up. Much like the suffragettes, Melinda later finds her voice with the help of …show more content…
Salinger, Holden tries to escape adulthood by holding onto his innocence. An example of this occurings in Mr. Antolini’s apartment where “I knew the part about pretending to be a deaf-mute was crazy, but I liked thinking about it anyway. But I really decided to go out West and all”(258). Holden is a depressed teen who struggles with class expectations and family. His culture and family expect him to be reasonably successful at a prestigious prep school like Pencey Prep and move on to an Ivy League college. At the same time, Holden also realizes the world is an evil and corrupt place and does not want to become an adult. Instead, he seeks refuge in his wild, spontaneous fantasies. His fantasies represent his desires and feelings of being trapped in New York. First, he wants to run off with Sally Hayes, an attractive, old friend, and get married. Of course, Sally thinks the idea is absurd and rejects it. This quote is another one of Holden’s fantasies which are quickly shut down by Phoebe. She unknowingly helps him face adulthood by offering to come along, but Holden refuses, believing that he will only take away her childhood. Another example of Phoebe helping Holden is when Holden takes Phoebe to the carousel: “All the kids kept trying to grab for the gold ring, so was old Phoebe, and I didn't say anything or do anything. The thing with kids is, if they want to grab the gold ring, you have to let them do it”(273). His acceptance of Phoebe's
Throughout the course of Mango Street, Esperanza’s relationship towards her house change. As time passes her feelings about the house itself change and the emotional impact of the house of her changes as well. Esperanza’s house on Mango Street symbolizes her Mexican culture. For so long she has wanted to leave it. She envisions a different type of life than what she is used to - moving from house to house. “this house is going to be different / my life is going to be different”. One can look at all the things she envisions - the "trappings of the good life" such as the running water, the garden etc. as symbols for the new life.
The House on Mango Street is a novel by Sandra Cisneros. It is set in a poor, Latino neighborhood around 1960. The main character, Esperanza, is expected to get married in order to support herself. However, Esperanza strives for independence, and seeks to end the cycle of abusive patriarchy that holds Mango Street in thrall. Through the use of syntax and figurative language, Cisneros establishes that a sense of not belonging can fuel an individual’s desire for a better future.
Phoebe tries to help Holden by asking him to name one thing he likes. However, when Holden mentions Allie, Phoebe tries to be his wake up call and remind him that Allie is dead (Salinger 171). This part in the novel shows how Holden is still attached to Allie, and will not forget about him. However, Phoebe tries to remind Holden that Allie is dead, attempting to make Holden let go of what happened in the past. Phoebe attempts to get Holden’s mind off of his removal from his school by asking him what he wants to become in the future (Salinger 172). This is when Phoebe’s words of advice and support start effecting Holden. Holden begins to think about his options, and what he truly wants to do in the future. “Why can’t I? Please, Holden! I won’t do anything-I’ll just go with you, that’s all! I won’t even take my clothes with me if you don’t want me to-I’ll just take my-” (Salinger 206). This quotation shows how supportive and encouraging Phoebe is towards Holden. When Holden tells Phoebe that he is leaving, Phoebe’s reaction is very affectionate. Phoebe brings a suitcase filled with her clothes, and begins to beg Holden to let her follow him. Phoebe’s encouraging words of advice, is another source of familial love for Holden to move on, and look forward towards his
In the poor slums of Chicago, a family living in poverty struggles to get by. In the book, House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, Esperanza is a twelve year old girl who lives with her family in the Windy City. She lives with her three siblings and both parents on Mango Street. Esperanza has no control over her life and family’s poverty. People who have no control over their life desperately seek change. Esperanza seeks to change her name, her home, and her destiny as a way to control her life.
The author of The House on Mango Street and the producer of The Color Purple are able to integrate numerous important thematic ideas. Many of these ideas still apply to our current world, teaching various important lessons to many adolescents and adults. The House on Mango Street is a collection of vignettes written by Sandra Cisneros, a Mexican-American writer. The novel depicts many aspects of Sandra Cisneros’ life including racism, and sexism that she and the main character face. The novel revolves around Esperanza Cordero, a young Latina girl, who is growing up in Chicago as she faces the various struggles of living in America. The various vignettes reveal many experiences Esperanza has with reality and her navie responses to such harsh
Esperanza was able to provide the audience with an image that was vivid of her surroundings through her diction and tone. Esperanza presents a series of stories that she deals with in her neighborhood as she grows up. Esperanza arose from poverty and always dreamt of having a house of her own. Sandra Cisneros' strong cultural and gender values have a tremendous influence on The House on Mango Street. Cisneros feels that the Mexican-American community is very abusive towards the treatment of women because men are seen as the powerful, strong figure.
Salinger describes Holden as someone who wishes and desires to have an intimate relationship with Sally, but based on Freudian theory, Holden’s slip of the tongue reveals that he is bothered by Sally and her counter-argument to his proposal of moving together out of New York. Another defense mechanism that is manifested by Holden is denial. In “The Psychodynamic Perspective,” Robert F. Bornstein from Noba informs readers that denial is the failure to recognize negative effects of an event or experience. While Holden fails to succumb to the realization that he must release himself from the negative effects of Allie's death, he also struggles to submit to another necessity: growing up. Salinger includes a conversation between Holden and his sister Phoebe on page 173, where Holden reveals to Phoebe that he would want to be a catcher in the rye, where he would stop children playing on a cliff in a field of rye from falling. In other words, the protagonist desires to prevent kids from maturing and losing their innocence. Holden deflects his
The House on Mango Street is a novel composed of connected vignettes. The novel is told through the eyes of Esperanza, the main heroine. Throughout the novel Esperanza expresses her desire to leave Mango Street for a better, wealthier, and happier life. Esperanza makes many references to her feelings about her family's poverty; in multiple vignettes Esperanza expresses her sadness,resentfulness, and disappointment of her poverty
Salinger, the character Phoebe Caulfield, described as the protagonist Holden Caulfield's younger sister, has a conversation with Holden Caulfield and says to him, "I suppose you failed in every single subject again. Oh, why did you do it?" In this conversation, Holden describes Phoebe as snotty, and as Holden as previously mentioned that Phoebe and him are notably similar, this quote is significant in that it is the closest to an act of reflection that Holden has with himself. This quote is reflective of Holden's character through the use of Phoebe. As Holden describes Phoebe as snotty, it also applies to himself as he reflects, considering himself snotty. However, in the specific statement that Phoebe brings up of Holden failing his classes, this scenario signifies an act of self-doubt and lack of self-esteem in Holden as it directly reflects to him. Holden, a character that seems quite content with his decisions, showcases a sense of misguidance and lack of clarity as his act of failing classes comes into question. With his younger sister Phoebe doubting him and questioning him, Holden also does the same to himself. This doubt within Holden is significant throughout the novel as it allows the reader to understand the mask or barrier that Holden puts up in front of himself, not allowing for anyone else to truly see who he really is or even attempt to understand him. Because Holden has doubt in himself and has trouble
...ating adulthood and childhood. He feels pulled towards the edge by the pressures society places on him, but fights back in a naive attempt to remain in the blissful rye fields of childhood. However, as he reaches out his hand in an attempt to protect what he perceives to be the innocence of childhood, he loses his footing and himself falls off into the “abyss” of adulthood. His fall from the cliff also coincides with his descent into insanity as he gradually loses his mind and strength as he fights back against the inevitable. In the last few chapters, Holden feels “so damn happy” (Salinger, 114) when he chooses not to ride the carousel with Phoebe and comments that he “thinks he’ll apply himself [in school]” (Salinger, 115) in response to the psychiatrist. At this point, he is finally at peace with his fate and accepts, perhaps unwillingly, his fall into adulthood.
Esperanza, a strong- willed girl who dreams big despite her surroundings and restrictions, is the main character in The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. Esperanza represents the females of her poor and impoverished neighborhood who wish to change and better themselves. She desires both sexuality and autonomy of marriage, hoping to break the typical life cycle of woman in her family and neighborhood. Throughout the novel, she goes through many different changes in search of identity and maturity, seeking self-reliance and interdependence, through insecure ideas such as owning her own house, instead of seeking comfort and in one’s self. Esperanza matures as she begins to see the difference. She evolves from an insecure girl to a mature young lady through her difficult life experiences and the people she comes across. It is through personal encounters and experiences that Esperanza begins to become sexually aware and acceptance her place and self-definition in her community.
In class we read the book House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, the main character Esperanza lives in a lower working class neighborhood and street called Mango Street dealing with poverty. Her house is an important symbol in House on Mango Street. It represents Eperanza’s process of maturing as a person and the change in her perspective of poverty and struggle being shameful, to it being something to embrace and use as motivation. This is a very important part of the story because it is in many aspects where we are from that make us who we become. This is interesting to see in the book as her opinions and perspective of things inside and outside of her neighborhood are shaped by her experiences.
J. D. Salinger’s novel, Catcher in the Rye explores the ambiguity of the adult world Holden must eventually learn to accept. Throughout the novel, Holden resists the society grownups represent, coloring his childlike dreams with innocence and naivety. He only wants to protect those he loves, but he cannot do it the way he desires. As he watches Phoebe on the carousel, he begins to understand certain aspects of truth. He writes:
J.D Salinger questions the behavior of young men by making Holden refuse the usual things that society would say he should.It is very apparent that Holden cannot relate to the men around him. The characters in the novel that show the typical characteristics of men of the period. With Stradlater, Holden’s roommate, being the typical handsome teenage guy that takes girls in his to fool around with. Salinger uses this character to further show that Holden is not like the guys his age, perhaps proving that Holden does not have the same sexual drive as the guys around
Although Esperanza is constantly reaffirming that she wants to move away from Mango Street, we know by the end novel that she will one day return to help those who will not have the opportunities Esperanza has had in her life. Indeed, in the closing pages Esperanza admits that she cannot escape Mango Street. She can never again call it home, but it has influenced her dreams, formed her personality, and she has learned valuable life lessons from its inhabitants. That is why, explains Esperanza, she tells stories about the house on Mango Street, revealing the beauty amidst dirty streets and unveiling her true inner self, the peace of knowing that her “home is where her heart is.”