Introduction
Through American Literature many writers have given a voice to the once silent. Sandra Cisneros, a writer was one of those contributors. Very few writers of her time, explored and brought to light what she did. She started a movement in the United States and within her community to bring to light the issue that once were overlooked. The Stories, poems, novels and essays she wrote touch the lives of many people, of all walks of life. Cisneros did not have the best childhood but was able to overcome many obstacles through her life. Born in Chicago, Illinois into poverty to her first book The House on Mango street selling more than six million copies (Cisneros, 2017).
Biography
Sandra Cisneros is a Mexican American writer that
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was born in 1954 in Chicago, Illinois. Cisneros wrote many works of arts, from poems, short stories, novels to essays (Ganz, 1994). Through her career she has received several awards and recognition for her work. She is best known for her very first novel The House on Mango street published in 1984. Cisneros had six siblings and was the only daughter her parents had (Ganz, 1994). Cisneros first became fond with literature when she discovered the library (Cisneros, 2009). The library was a place she could find peace with herself and have some tranquility away from her six brothers. She described it as her dojo a place she could think and let the imagination run wild (Cisneros, 2009). The Cisneros family would travel back and forth to Mexico and Chicago. Subsequently the Cisneros’s would move quite often, this influenced what schools the family’s children attended (Ganz, 1994). Cisneros had an erratic education because of this and often struggled with her grades (Cisneros, 2009). At one point, she even had a parent teacher conferences to discuss her performance in school (Cisneros, 2009). Her parents came from two different social backgrounds, her dad Alfredo Cisneros de Moral family had some wealth and an admiral name. Alfredo had an opportunity to attend college but after flunking out of school, he ran away to the United States to escape his angry dad. While visiting Chicago, he met Elvira Cordero Anguiano, Cisneros’s mother. Cisneros’s mother who family was from Guanajuato, Mexico came from a humbler background and was not as fortunate as Alfredo (Ganz, 1994). Her family eventually moved to Humboldt Park, Chicago where they bought their first house in a majority Puerto Rican community when she was eleven years old (Ganz, 1994). Cisneros attended Josephinum Academy a Catholic school an only girl school. During high school, she started writing poetry for the school magazine (Ganz, 1994). After graduating high school, she attended Loyola University Chicago and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1976(Ganz, 1994). After high school Cisneros, did not write again until her Creative writing class in her junior year in college where she believes she developed her writers “voice”. During college, she enrolled in a seminar called “memory and the Imagination” here she felt out of place and lonely because she could not relate to her peers (Ganz, 1994). This is where she discovered something her classmates did not possess her individual cultural experiences, which later became the foundation for The House on Mango Street. She later attended Iowa Writers’ Workshop and received a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in 1978. After Earning her MFA, she went on and started teaching writing at alternative schools to former dropouts (Ganz, 1994). Historical Era Sandra Cisneros grew up in Chicago, Illinois in a rough poor community. It is important to look at the history of Mexican Immigration to understand why her parents would ever migrate to the Unites States. Her parents sacrifice their way of living like many other immigrants, so one day their kids and them could have a better life. Even though she grew up in not the best conditions the opportunities for the most part outweigh the challenges. During World War II there was a shortage of labor workers especially in the agriculture industry. In consequence, the United States and Mexico began The Bracero Program (Bickerton, 2001). The program allowed 5 million Mexican men to work in the united states in agriculture and manufacturing jobs (Bickerton, 2001). Before this agreement there was never any big influx of Mexicans immigrants entering the United States. Both the employers and laborers benefited from this program. Mexicans men could provide a better quality of life to their families back home and the employers had cheap and a competitive labor force. After the end of the program in 1964 (Bickerton, 2001). Many Mexicans decide to stay because the opportunities in the United States were much greater than those back in Mexico. Her Father an immigrant himself came to the United States in search of a better life and in search of the American Dream. Thanks to Cisneros’s strong mother, she was able to focus on education and not the typical role of a Mexican women in those times. Her mother a book worn herself, made sure Cisneros had a public library card before she could even read (Ganz, 1994). During high school in Cisneros sophomore year she recounts being inspired by a teacher she describes as “bright and vivacious young woman” (Ganz, 1994). Her teacher assigned the students to write about the Vietnam War that had just begun, the poems where devoted to world peace and saving the planet earth. Cisneros from that point on became known for her poetry through the school (Ganz, 1994). Political, Religious, and Social Issues During Cisneros life, she experiences many political and social issues that had affected her life in some way or another.
The most notable issues she talks about in her works is how women in Mexican culture are treated and how they are depicted. In the short story woman hollering creek. She illustrates women as weak and helpless due to both cultural oppression and their helplessness as immigrants in the Unites States. During 1980s there was an immigration reform and major racism against foreigners developed in the United States (Dávila & Mora, 2001). Another social issue that was prevalent during this time was the child poverty rate in the United States from the late 1960s to early 1980s Mexican children made up 30% to 25% of the children in poverty (Jennifer, Brown & Maxwell, 2004). Although in the book The House on Mango Street she does not come and says she instead expresses it through the book in her …show more content…
writing. Themes and Writings Most of Cisneros works were autobiographical experiences of herself in which she describing her life growing up as a Chicana. Having to deal many of the same circumstances that a lot of immigrant women faced during this time period. Cisneros themes mostly focused on issues that women in her culture experience for instance having to fill specific gender roles, enduring domestic abuse and all while facing discrimination for being a woman and a minority. Most notable in her book “The House on Mango Street” and the short story “Woman Hollering Creek”. In the book The House on Mango Street she goes through an identity crisis; she is torn between two worlds and is also dealing with poverty and her emerging sexuality. In the book, she unveils everyday life for a Chicana in a poverty ridden community and male dominant society. The themes somewhat change in the short story Woman Hollering Creek. She presents the helpless woman “Cleofilas” to describe culture male oppression that took place during her upbringing and illustrate how Mexican woman were treated and why they ended up in those situations. Her works empowered many women of all races and gave them a sense of direction. My Perspective I believe Cisneros is a major voice for Mexican Americans and especially for women.
Her work has become inspirational to me and it is great to find an author who I can relate too. Her depiction of the Mexican American community could not have been more spot on. From how women are wrongfully treated to the racism that Mexican Americans have endured. She also gave me another perspective on how I view women in my culture. Mexican women, sadly to this day are still treated this way but, I have hope that eventually all women can make it out of those situations. Cisneros through her work was able to reach a broad audience and in this enlist change in our society. Cisneros works also gave me a history lesson of everything my community has gone through even though we still experience similar problem in today’s society. Overall there has been major improvements in the way life of many immigrants. Cisneros works are very inspirational and just confirms many of my doubts and shows me, if a Chicana back in 1980s could rise against all odds anything is
possible.
To the urban lifestyle of growing up in the ghettos and the hardships. She depicts the usages of drugs, gang, crime, poverty, teen pregnancy and mostly how it effects the community. But also shows how the outside violence comes into the home and can devastate the natural order of the household.
The House on Mango Street, a fictional book written by Sandra Cisneros is a book filled with many hidden messages. The book revolves around a young girl named Esperanza who feels out of place with the life she has. She sees that the things around her don’t really add up. The story is told from Esperanza’s perspective and the events she goes through to find herself. Through the strategy of fragmenting sentences, Cisneros establishes that the sense of not belonging, creates a person’s individuality that makes them who they are.
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros is about a girl who struggles finding her true self. Esperanza sees the typical figures like Sally and Rafaela. There is also her neighbor Marin shows the “true” identity for women on Mango Street. She also sees her mother is and is not like that at the same time. The main struggle that Esperanza has is with beauty. This explains why most of the negative people that Esperanza meets on Mango Street, and her gender, helped her see the mold she needed to fill in order to give herself an identity.
“The House on Mango Street” emphasizes on this issue, even broadens to explain other controversial matters such as abuse, misogynistic views, and stereotypes. The protagonist, Esperanza Cordero moves to Mango Street where she must witness the abuse affecting her friends, neighbors, and family. Either Sally a close friend, Mamacita a neighbor, or her own mother handling 4 children. Over the course of the novel Esperanza changes physically and mentally. Through the use of imagery as well as complex, descriptive vignettes Cisneros epitomizes the misogynistic views within Esperanza’s
The Women of House on Mango Street and Bread Givers Sandra Cisneros was born in Chicago and grew up in Illinois. She was the only girl in a family of seven. Cisneros is noted for her collection of poems and books that concentrate on the Chicano experience in the United States. In her writings, Cisneros explores and transcends borders of location, ethnicity, gender and language. Cisneros writes in lyrical yet deceptively simple language.
Symbolism is the key to understanding Sandra Cisneros’ novel, “The House on Mango Street”. By unraveling the symbolism, the reader truly exposes the role of not only Latina women but women of any background. Esperanza, a girl from a Mexican background living in Chicago, writes down what she witnesses while growing up. As a result of her sheltered upbringing, Esperanza hardly comprehends the actions that take place around her, but what she did understand she wrote in her journal. Cisneros used this technique of the point of view of a child, to her advantage by giving the readers enough information of what is taking place on Mango Street so that they can gather the pieces of the puzzle a get the big picture.
...perceived. Therefore, she uses her writing to give women a voice and to speak out against the unfairness they endure. As a result, Cisneros’ story “Woman Hollering Creek” demonstrates a distinction between the life women dream of and the life they often have in reality.
In The House on Mango Street, Cisneroz agitates the theme of diversity through her use of characters and setting. Cisneroz paints a multitude of events that follow a young girl named Esperanza growing up in the diverse section of Chicago. She is dealing with searching for a release from the low expectations that the Latino communities often put women whether young or old are put against. Cisneroz often draws from her life growing up that she was able to base Esperanza's life experiences on and portray an accurate view on Latino societies today. Cisneroz used the chapter “Boys and Girls” and “Beautiful and cruel” to portray Esperanzas growth from a young curious girl to a wise woman. She came into her own personal awareness and her actions that she has to now be held accountable for.
interesting conversation because there were a lot similarities in adjusting to living in the United States . This book shows a viewpoint of the sisters coming to America . I classify this as American literature because the book was written in a style that would make it easy to read for a people to read here . There is mixed language , and there is really no strong presence of Spanish being spoken . Alvarez is a interesting writer because she uses writing as a tool to find out what she is thinking , and to understand things ,while developing books that are fun to read . If you take this book for example , it’s what she thinks about immigration and her understanding of the subject . This book was made for everyone to see what the immigration experience is like . Immigration appears to be an experience of struggle , and change shared by immigrants no matter what the origin .
Sandra Cisneros's writing style in the novel The House on Mango Street transcends two genres, poetry and the short story. The novel is written in a series of poetic vignettes that make it easy to read. These distinguishing attributes are combined to create the backbone of Cisneros's unique style and structure.
“They were ashamed because they had treated the old `grandfather so meanly…,” the parents had felt guilty after treating the grandfather so inhumane in the Russian folk tale ”The Old Grandfather and His Little Grandson” retold by Leo Tolstoy. “...asking who loves him who loves him who?” questioned Abuelito in the poem “Abuelito Who” by Sandra Cisnero. The folk tale “The Old Grandfather...” is about how the parents treated the grandfather disrespectfully and influenced the grandson. The poem “Abuelito Who” is about how Abuelito formed a very connected relationship with the author (Sandra Cisneros) and how the author remembers exactly how he was like before he became aged and is always stuck in his room. In the poem “Abuelito Who” by Sandra Cisneros
In The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, there is an emphasizes on how rough it is to be part of the low economic class . Through her words you can create an image about the way poverty affects children. She goes through the book making great remarks on the topic. The different experiences that Esperanza goes through have a lot to connect with her family's financial status. She specifically describes her feelings about the poverty they live in through three of her short stories. The three short stories in which poverty seems to be an obstacle are The House on Mango Street, Our Good Day, and Chanclas. When the book begins the downgrading of Esperanza's esteem begins with it.
Sandra Cisneros reveals her feminist views through her novel The House on Mango Street. She does this by forcing the reader to see the protagonist as an alienated artist and by creating many strong and intelligent female characters who serve as the protagonist's inspiration.
Sandra Cisneros' strong cultural values greatly influence The House on Mango Street. Esperanza's life is the medium that Cisneros uses to bring the Latin community to her audience. The novel deals with the Catholic Church and its position in the Latin community. The deep family connection within the barrio also plays an important role in the novel. Esperanza's struggle to become a part of the world outside of Mango Street represents the desire many Chicanos have to grow beyond their neighborhoods.
In the novel, The House on Mango Street, Sandra Cisneros describes the problems that Latino women face in a society that treats them as second class citizens. A society that is dominated by men, and a society that values women for what they look like, and not for what is on inside. In her Novel Cisneros wants us to envision the obstacles that Latino women must face everyday in order to be treated equally.