The House On Mango Street By Sandra Cisneros

Sandra Cisneros’s novella The House on Mango Street showcases women who are forced to fulfill the typical 1980s’ Mexican female role; as a result, they endure physical harm and sexual assault, which prohibit them from leaving their neighborhood to pursue their goals independently. In the first instance, Esperanza describes her great-grandmother as “a wild horse of a woman” (Cisneros 11); however, as Esperanza further explains, her soon-to-be great-grandfather forces the “wild horse” (11) to marry. Specifically, Esperanza’s great-grandfather “thr[ows] a sack over her head and carrie[s] her off” (11), and thus he tames the wild horse; because of his actions, Esperanza’s great-grandmother is forced to “look out the window her whole life” (11).

In addition to this predetermined role, many women like Sally, who is a mature young girl, feel a sense of empowerment when men give attention, consequently enduring physical and emotional harm in their relationships; in particular, Sally feels helpless because of her father’s unpredictable and abusive behavior which prevents her from escaping. Her father is devastated yet aggravated when the boys at school flirt with Sally; because of his feelings, he “forgot he was her father between the buckle and the belt” (93). Her father’s actions prevent her from being an independent individual, and he abuses Sally because she is beautiful; as a result, Sally disobeys her father, and he locks her up in their home, denying her from fleeing Mango Street. Finally, in one particular scene, Esperanza, confused and heartbroken, describes the sexual assault she endured at the