Gender Roles In The House On Mango Street

Society set a standard many years ago that in a relationship, the woman depends on the man. In The House on Mango Street, woman tend to trust and not have power in relationships. Sandra Cisneros develops the theme that women are inferior to men. This is based on men’s view on power and women accepting their role through the motif of gender roles throughout the novella The House on Mango Street.
Esperanza’s rebel role model, Marin, is a clear example of a woman accepting their role in society, depending on a man. Marin teaches Esperanza things so Esperanza sees Marin as a source for her everyday needs: “I like Marin. She is older and knows lots of things. She is the one who told us how Davey the Baby’s sister got pregnant and what cream

is best for taking off moustache hair and if you count the white flecks on your fingernails you can know how many boys are thinking of you” (Cisneros 18). The ‘lessons’ that Marin is teaching Esperanza are all about how to get a boy’s attention. All she seems to care about and tell the younger children is the beauty hacks to get the guy. The men care about her appearance so Marin has the answers on how to look the best. She is the know all, tell all for the children of Mango Street. She says these things and is still waiting for the dream man of her own: “Marin, under the streetlight, dancing by herself, is singing the same song somewhere. I know. Is waiting for a car to stop, a star to fall, someone to change her life” (Cisneros 19). Marin does not have drive to change her own life. She wants someone to save her and get her out of Mango Street. Esperanza understands that Marin does not want to change her own life but will depend on a bigger person to change it for her.
Minerva is another example of a women being looked down on by a man.

Minerva does not try and escape even though she “is always sad like a house on fire—always something wrong. She has many troubles, but the big one is her husband who left and keeps leaving” (Cisneros 63). Minerva is clearly unhappy, but because she is accepting of her role and she will not leave him. She does not have the power to leave her husband and if she tried she would probably be beaten or worse. Esperanza wants to help Minerva but there is nothing that she can do for her: “Next week she comes over black and blue and asks what can she do? Minerva. I don’t know which way she’ll go. There is nothing I can do” (Cisneros 63). Esperanza knows that she cannot do anything for Minerva. It will take the power of Minerva removing herself from the abusive situation to actually save herself. Minerva having no power in her marriage is a clear relationship back to the theme of women accepting their role with men as their superior.
The women of Mango Street are looked down upon by men based on their lack of respect for women. Marin and Minerva feel trapped and will not leave to restraints of Mango Street. Sadley even in 2015, this happens to women all over the world, not just Mango Street. Cases of these abuse crimes come up everyday in the newspapers, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, no one is

immune.