Sandra Cisneros 'Short Story Eleven'

In Sandra Cisneros’ short story “Eleven,” Rachel’s transition into adolescence is filled with anxiety and conflict, but she understands that the experience it brings will help her in future situations. Her building anxiety becomes more and more apparent after Mrs. Price gives her the red sweater; she suddenly feels “sick inside, like the part of [her] that’s three wants to come out of [her] eyes” (Cisneros 35). The red sweater acts as a symbol for Rachel’s looming adolescence, and arouses feelings of unease inside her; she sees it as a threat to the safety of childhood that she longs to remain rooted in. Comparing herself to a rampant three year old, Rachel also highlights the lack of control she has over her emotions in this transition. However,

despite her resistance towards adulthood, Rachel is still able to comprehend its benefits. When she is unable to speak up against Mrs. Price, she [wishes] that she [were] a hundred and two instead of eleven [so she] would have known what to say” (Cisneros 35) in response to the confrontation. Although exaggerating age suggests a childlike speaker, Rachel also demonstrates a more mature understanding of the relationship between growth and knowledge. She understands that age can help her deal with difficult situations, like her experience with the red sweater. Regardless of her current conflict with adolescence, her experience serves as an introduction to her slow acceptance of it. As Rachel transitions from a child to an adult, her words and actions continually reinforce both her anxiety and her understanding of adolescence and its benefits.