Gender Roles In The House On Mango Street

Stepping Off the Stones Often how people are raised affect their adult lives and their decision making abilities. In the novella The House on Mango Street by sandra Cisneros explains the life of Esperanza Cordero. The novella follows Esperanza as she goes through instrumental years of her life as she struggles to find who she truly is and what she has in store for her life. It takes place in a poverted neighborhood of New York surrounded by Hispanic culture and her large family. Esperanza has a variety of female role models in her life. Many are trapped in abusive relationships, waiting for others to change their lives. Some are actively trying to change things on their own. Through these woman and Esperanza’s reactions to them, Cisneros shows not only the hardships the woman face, but also explores the power to overcome them.

In the vignette, “Marin” of Sandra Cisneros The House on Mango Streets she writes, “Marin says that if she stays here next year, she’s going to get a real job downtown because that’s where the best jobs are… and get to wear nice clothes and can meet someone in the subway and meet someone who might marry you” (26). This perfectly exemplifies these expectations of the woman in the society. Though she does have aspirations to go out and get a job, probably more than her mother may have, she want to do this so she may meet a man that would marry her. Instead of woman who grew up with encouragement to live independently who may have fought to be able to work but also take this potential opportunity to work up and make a name for herself. The way she was raised frowns upon straying from gender roles causing her to make the same mistakes prior generations have