On The House On Mango Street By Sandra Cisneros

Mickey and Minnie, Shrek and Fiona, Barbie and Ken, Troy and Gabriella, Cinderella and Prince Charming, … Even before I knew what love meant, I already knew that coping with the opposite gender came hand in hand with growing up. In the book The House On Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, the author displays how the narrator Esperanza discovers that men play an important role in her transition to adulthood. However, Esperanza highlights that the kind of impact boys have on you, depends on your actions and qualities.

I have never understood boys and I will not waste time trying to understand them. Just like Esperanza, when I was little, I was completely disgusted by them; Esperanza says: “The boys and girls live in separate worlds”(Cisneros,

8). Separate worlds? More like separate galaxies, universe or dimensions. I will never forget how when I was around first or second grade, my mother used to tell me things like: “los niños siempre molestan a las niñas que les gustan”, this clearly explains that we did not know how to express our feelings around each other. Later on, I think that going through adolescence, bras, first periods and so on, physically separated us even more. However, there already existed a mental or sentimental connection. My first real crush was around sixth grade, but it changed throughout the years. I think this sentimental inconsistency is linked with immaturity, and how we really do not know what we want at such young age. Even though I have developed into the type of person that, for better or for worse, does not really care what others think, I do believe that what others say or feel about us, influences us while growing up. I remember going to my first “quinceaños” and how boys started talking about how girls look. They started talking about how “esa man ta wena” or how she was not hot, and that sort of stuff. They also started commenting on how some girls wore short skirts or dresses, and some too short. One of the best parts of going to a “quinceaños” on Friday or Saturday was listening to “los cuentos” on Monday at school. On one of those anxiously awaited Mondays, was not so fun at all. One of my best friends came running to tell me that she heard people were saying that I kissed some random guy. That rumor utterly offended my proper reputation. But the day got even worse when my friend told me “la próxima ves no te pongas ese traje espalda’ fuera pues”…
I could not believe those words came out of her mouth.

I was not dressing up to for any boy or girl; I wore that dress because I like it. I wore that dress for myself. This reminds me of when Mr. Benny tells Esperanza and her friends that girls should not be wearing high heels. Cisneros writes: “They are dangerous, he says. You girls too young to be wearing shoes like that. Take them shoes off before I call the cops, but we just run” (41). Esperanza is erroneously taught that being feminine is dangerous, and that she should avoid things such as high heels to save her dignity from being diminished by men. However, just like Esperanza, I strongly disagree. I will not deny that I felt disappointed after I heard that rumor, (which was not the last rumor invented about me) but that is how “el que no debe no teme” became my motto through adolescence. And it was hilarious finding out that the ones inventing those rumors were always boys I never even

liked.
While mentioning her grandmother (who is also her “tocaya”) and her supposed friend Sally, she repeats the image of both women looking throughout windows after they get married. She mentions this when she was younger while describing her grandmother, and repeats it later on after she grows up while describing Sally. This represents that, to Esperanza, being free is an essential right to succeed in her transition as a woman. Thus it is evident to the reader that Esperanza does not want to become like her grandmother, and nevertheless, like Sally. The narrator says while referring to her grandmother: “ I have inherited her name, but I don’t want to inherit her place by the window” (11). (I constantly question myself if Esperanza would ever want to get married).
As a young woman, I would like to add to Esperanza’s observation that being free does not mean avoiding men as an significant part of your life.

My parents are divorced and I treasure the fact that my mom embodies the power of feminism. That might be the reason why I have never felt like I needed a man. This also explains why my guy friends used to tell me “es que eres muy complicada” (throwback to where I said I did not understand boys… I clearly know the will never understand girls either). Many say women are from Venus and men are from Mars. However, my mother always taught me that the right boy would even fly through space just for you. If you do not believe it takes that much effort to get to a girl who has strong independent ideals, tell that to my boyfriend (mayor plot twist, I know). That is how I know that strong women are also the ones who still know their own way through life, even when having a man by their side. As old as I get, I will still believe that staying true to yourself will always lead you to your Prince Charming. I definitely want to get married one day, but I know for sure that you will never find me melancholically looking throughout a

window.