Growing up can be both exciting and challenging. Sandra Cisneros in “The Family with Little Feet” describes one of her first experiences of being a young woman. Cisneros uses heels as a metaphor to describe an experience that is both exciting and challenging. Esperanza’s first experience with heels is at first an exciting experience of her womanhood. After they wear the shoes, they said, “Hurray! Today we are Cinderella because our feet fit exactly.” (Cisneros Page 40) This sentence shows how excited they are; they think if they wear those shoes, they will become the Cinderella and a woman. They can present themselves to other people and show they're pretty; every boy will chase them and talk how beautiful they are. They will like that feeling.
In the chapter “Chanclas”, Esperanza goes to a cousin's baptism party. Shes gets a new dress, and socks, but she has to wear her old school saddle shoes to the party. She notes how big and clunky they are, and denies a boy a dance, out of embarrassment for her shoes. She then stuffs her feet under her chair “My feet growing bigger and bigger”(47). Later her uncle drags her up to dance, and she stop worrying about her ordinary shoes, having a good time. Her Uncle tells her she is the prettiest girl here. Shoes show up in this chapter when Esperanza is asked to dance by a boy, but she is too uncomfortable in her shoes. Again shoes are present at an uncomfortable moment with a boy as she
In the book, Esperanza doesn’t want to follow the norms of the life around her; she wants to be independent. Esperanza states her independence by stating, “Not a man’s house. Not a daddy’s. A house all my own,” (Cisneros 108.) The syntax of these sentences stick out and are not complete thoughts, yet they convey much meaning and establish Esperanza’s feeling of not belonging. Esperanza’s feeling of not belonging is also emphasized when her sisters tell her that the events of her life have made her who she is and that is something she can not get rid of. Her sisters explain that the things she has experienced made her who she is by saying, “You will always be esperanza. You will always be mango street. You can’t erase what you know” (105.) What her sisters are trying to tell her is that the past has changed her but it doesn’t have to be a negative thing; it can be used to make her a better person who is stronger and more independent. Esperanza realizes that the things around her don’t really add up to what she believes is right, which also conveys the sense of not
In the story the house on mango street there are both young girls, Sally and Esperanza. Both girls desire adventure, love, and beauty. However, Sally is more outgoing and confident than Esperanza. She has confidence that she is beautiful. She play the role of a strong female that never get hurt by any boys. Esperanza admires and looks up to Sally. Esperanza does not want to be a "weak woman" and she sees Sally as her role model. Their home lives contrast also Ironically. Sally is physically abused by her father each time he catches her with a boy. On the other side Esperanza and her family communicates well. Sally sees her self as a women and not the type of women a person that isn't confident of herself and that's what Esperanza likes.
In an earlier chapter, Esperanza meets with a witch, whom she hopes will tell her future only to be told, “Come back again on a Thursday when the stars are stronger” (72). However, when speaking to The Three Sisters toward the end of the story, they tell her to make a wish and say “You will always be Esperanza. You will always be Mango Street” (113). Rather than seek out her fate, the Fates (three sisters from Greek Mythology) have come seeking Esperanza. It has been confirmed that her wish to leave will come true, but remind her to remember her experiences as they have shaped who she is. In the article, “Interview with Sandra Cisneros”, Cisneros will tell her students to “make a list of the things that make you different from anyone in this room...in your community...your family...your gender (1). Cisneros uses this very idea in her writings of Esperanza: Her individuality is key- Esperanza’s identity as a writer and her background give her a unique voice that will allow her to speak up for those who have no
In this millennial it is very common to see a divided family. People get married, discover their differences and often divorce. Yet, with divorce comes many decisions and often a messy outcome. While this may take a toll on a family, remarriage is another issue of it’s own. “Step parents” is what they call them; although no one is quit sure what the word “step” truly insinuates. The sacristy of a marriage and the bond of a family is metaphorically protected by the beamed structure of a home. It isn’t until you read “Stepdaughters” by Max Apple that you catch a glimpse of the interior complications and obstacles, divorced families often face. The author seamlessly paints the very common mother and teenage daughter tension many families endure. Yet, the story is uniquely told by “stepfather number three trying to stay on the sideline” (132). The author focuses on a few issues that a family (divorced or not) may face: overbearing control, lack of trust, and unwanted change. He does this, by use of temporal setting – the dreaded teenage years – and situation – the exhausted disagreement between the mother and daughter.
Barbara Katz Rothman, professor of sociology, once said "Birth is not only about making babies. Birth is about making mothers strong, competent, capable mothers who trust themselves and know their inner strength." This illustrates clearly the symbol of the mothers in this society. This symbol could also shape people’s thinking about mothers. I totally agree with her assessment. For instance, I believe that everyone is using his or her own symbols during social interaction, such as languages, gestures and other sign language. In another way, this is called symbolic interactionism.
...k wearing those old saddle shoes with her nice pink and white dress. Here poverty stroke Esperanza and hard on the back, she could not even enjoy the new dress she finally got. She did not have good shoes, there for she was not able to dance at the party because she felt like everyone would stare. She finally decided to dance with her uncle and forgot about the fact of not having nice shoes except for the once a year pair of shoes. As she continues to explain about her shoes she says, "… I am wearing only ordinary shoes, brown and white, the kind my mother buys each year for school." (Cisneros 47), here Esperanza proves that they do buy them new shoes every year, and every year they are saddle shoes because they last longer (the entire year until, until next September).
“Someday, I will have a best friend all my own. One I can tell my secrets to. One who will understand my jokes without me having to explain them” (9). These are the longing words spoken by Esperanza. In the novel The House on Mango Street, Esperanza is young girl experiencing adolescence not only longing for a place to fit in but also wanting to be beautiful. This becomes complicated as Esperanza becomes more sexually aware. Throughout the novel, Cisneros argues the importance of beauty and how Esperanza deals with beauty as a part of her identity. When Esperanza meets Sally a new friend, Esperanza’s whole world is turned upside down. Esperanza’s views on beauty change from a positive outlook to a negative one by watching how beauty has damaged Sally’s life.
Imagine being born into a rich, wealthy family, where your last name is respected and well-known by many. To say, living in a big, beautiful house and able to wear fancy silk dresses, so fortunate, that you have servants to cook and clean for you, and every year when it’s your birthday, it’s celebrated big, just as Esperanza Ortega did. Throughout the story of Esperanza Rising the author Pam Munoz Ryan ( 2013) illustrates an image to the reader of a young, rich, Mexican girl who is forced to mature and grow up much faster than expected. Correspondly, at the beginning of the book, Esperanza lives a rich life, to say, she had it “all,” but a sudden tragedy quickly changed her and her family’s life, whereas by the end of the story, Esperanza
the world and how dark it could, because when she was younger she lived in
... They didn’t seem to be my feet anymore. And the garden that had been such a good place to play didn’t seem mine either” (Cisneros 98). The play place that was once so innocent and is now a junkyard that reciprocates Esperanza’s innocence that slowly turns into reality. She is growing up. Additionally, she gains enough confidence and maturity to make her own life decisions. This is shown when she makes the important decision of where she wants her life to take her. “I have decided not to grow up tame like the others who lay their necks on the threshold waiting for the ball and chain” (Cisneros 88). This shows Esperanza’s maturity to make her own life choices by herself. She is finally confident and independent enough to know where she wants her life to take her. Esperanza finally completes her evolution from young and immature to adult-like and confident.
In the Book women are looked upon as objects by men whether they are boyfriends, friends fathers or husbands. The girls in the novel grow up with the mentality that looks and appearance are the most important things to a woman. Cisneros also shows how Latino women are expected to be loyal to their husbands, and that a husband should have complete control of the relationship. Yet on the other hand, Cisneros describes the character Esperanza as being different. Even though she is born and raised in the same culture as the women around her, she is not happy with it, and knows that someday she will break free from its ties, because she is mentally strong and has a talent for telling stories. She comes back through her stories by showing the women that they can be independent and live their own lives. In a way this is Cinceros' way of coming back and giving back to the women in her community.
Passage: p. 151: from " Never had the sun risen so beautifully" until "watching the dazzling sight"
Esperanza used to be one of the ones that played, and now she has to responsible and not play. When Esperanza and her friends got high heels, they messed around a bit and showed off, and just in general weren’t being that responsible. The quote that shows this about how Esperanza was in the beginning of the book is, “Hurray! Today we are Cinderella because our feet fit exactly, and we laugh at Rachel’s one foot with a girl’s grey sock and a lady’s high heel” Pg. 40. This shows that she wasn’t that responsible earlier in the book. Later in the book, when her her father tells her that her abuelito died, and she had to tell the others that her abuelito died. A quote that shows this and how she changed is, “Because I am the oldest, my
This portrays the fact of her excitement to living in a fairy tale. In fairy tales, dreams come true and Esperanza’s sure did. When one of the girls put on the high heels, she “screams to take our socks off and yes it’s true, we have legs.” (40). When Esperanza tried on the pair of heels, her scarred childish legs turned into long, sculptured, womens legs. The girls are loving the way heels accentuated their calves and made them look taller as well as mature. They desired the attention of men because the girls knew they looked good in them. In Esperanza's cousin's baptism, she faces herself get self conscious in the saddle shoes her mom gave her. “My feet scuffed and round, and the heels all crooked that look dumb with this dress so I just sit.” (47). The once acceptable shoes she wore year round has suddenly become ugly looking to her. Since she is now paying attention to other girls feet stated previously, Esperanza now knows what shoes are acceptable in this occasion and which are not. As of embarrassment, she hides them. Lastly, when the story is coming to an end, Esperanza states how her life would be once she is an