Coming-of-age novel The House on Mango Street composed by Sandra Cisneros represents a mosaic of various events that shaped life of Latina girl named Esperanza Cordero. Due to the writing style and vignette form this novel presents reader with vivid but at the same time incomplete pieces of memories that are aimed at conveying particular emotion rather than facts. It should be mentioned that inspiration for writing this novel was Cisneros`s life along with stories from people she knew or met. With this in mind one may observe mixture of semi-real and semi-fictional stories that reveal reality of living into foreign culture. Moreover, this semi-biographical novel portrays a trapped soul that is limited by confines made out of loneliness, poverty and racial prejudice. Moreover, financial difficulties often make Esperanza`s family change places of living which takes its toll on girl`s inner world and perception of the outer. Such suffocating circumstances and distorted perception of her origin and belonging ignites resentment to her house on Mango Street and makes her want to leave this place as soon as possible. Closer to the end of this novel reader may see that she succeeded in her dream of leaving that hateful place where she does not belong; however, Esperanza returns to Mango Street which highlights her belonging to that place. In order to understand what makes Esperanza come back to Mango Street one should analyze heroine’s actions and personality portrayed by Cisneros.
At the beginning of this novel Esperanza compares herself to weightless thing that can go anywhere and be wherever she wants but her social and financial condition holds her. Thus she claims “Until then I am a red balloon, a balloon tied to an anchor” which indicates not only her despair position of a social hostage, but, also, her distorted sense of belonging and origin. (Cisneros, 1991) She does not name a particular place where she wants to return; on the contrary she states that she wants to have her own house that would be only hers and the way she wants it to be. This desire illuminates Esperanza`s hardships of integration into foreign culture which are empowered and complicated by her social position and inability to clearly define herself as a Mexican or American girl. It is obvious that she is stuck in between though she never mentions it directly.
Moreover, unique way of narration does not provide reader with clear explanations of some situations or characters which reveal bare emotions and impressions of main heroine rather than meager chain of events. Through the eyes of a little girl reader walks thorny path of maturing which includes Esperanza`s establishment as a personality as well as understanding of her belonging. It should be mentioned that protagonist`s childish and naïve perception of the world faces severe and uncompromised reality. Her area of residence presents Esperanza with gloomy and unattractive side of life thus making her encounter misogyny, sexual assault and rape, loneliness and racial prejudice. This chain of events or if to be precise dateless pieces of memories shape Esperanza`s personality thus making her understand better who and what she does not want to become. For instance, her explanation of her name and unhappy story about her grandmother where she firmly states that she does not want to repeat her destiny and inherit her place at the window indicates her position towards women and men relationship. Moreover, it illuminates not only her feministic way of thinking but also her partial integration into American culture and American treatment of women which excludes forceful abduction and marriage against one`s will. As can be seen she does not accept Mexican envision of gender roles but at the same time she is surrounded by women who are submissive and obedient which once more distorts her ethnical belonging and adds to her loneliness. It should be highlighted once more that her realization of things she does not want to happen fuels her rejection of Mango Street and her neighborhood at the same time stressing her not belonging to this area. Her utter rejection of her neighborhood clears things up but at the same time it confuses and bewilders Esperanza.
Moreover, idea of her position of an outsider creates in her head logical and hard question ‘Where do I belong?’ Thus Esperanza gives Alicia her envisions and worries about her misfit status which evokes unexpected for Esperanza reaction from Alicia in which she claims “No, Alicia says. Like it or not, you are Mango Street, and one day you’ll come back too. Not me. Not until somebody makes it better.” (Cisneros, 1991, 107) Alicia`s remark shows Esperanza`s tunnel vision and rejection of obvious thing. Despite all her vows and words she does have place where she belongs and it is place where she spent the most time – Mango Street.
It should be mentioned that Mango Street not only provided her with place to live but also shaped her up as a personality. Esperanza spent there the most complicated period in her life – teenage years. It should be mentioned that period of maturing is the most crucial and pivotal in person`s life because it forms one`s character as well as it sets basis for world perception and treatment of other people. For instance, literary sketch about monkey garden illuminates her rejection of changes as well as stresses her underdog position. It seems that she has finally found her place and people but teenage status stepped in thus altering and tearing childish values and perspectives.
However, she was surrounded by people like her. The whole area was a scope of financially challenged ethnical minority who was trapped in Mango Street trying to make the best of it. Due to her loneliness and feeling of not belonging Esperanza failed to see that she was surrounded by people who were like she, people who were struggling to make their life better, people who were desperate. It should be mentioned that her Latino neighborhood was not belonging to the American culture and faced hardships in integrating into foreign culture but this misery was a clue that united them. Their worries and troubles made them alike and close. This key factor is that Esperanza`s introverted personality and devouring feeling of loneliness prevented her from seeing that she is not the only one who is tied to an anchor.
Furthermore, Esperanza`s loneliness made her find comfort in books which added greatly to her personal development and evolvement into a writer. She understands that due to her abilities and will she can achieve something more than marrying tyrannical man or being a housewife. Also, her observations shaped her perception of world and defined her desires and goals. She wants to have her own house but at the same time she feels connection with that area where she grew up and this connection illuminates her belonging to Mango Street. Moreover, after some time she understands that she can help those who cannot find their place because they are torn between cultures. Esperanza understands that she should share her experience and help those who “left behind” and who “cannot out” because she made her thorny way up and finally sees that she does belong to Mango Street. (Cisneros, 1991, 110) She was a misfit surrounded by the same misfits and now as she understood it she can do something with it.
All things considered Esperanza is an incarnation of a perfect underdog because she is a lonely representative of ethnical minority forced to face financial and personal difficulties. However, her harsh surrounding and outsider position shaped her personality thus making her stronger and firm in her desires and dreams. Moreover, Esperanza`s claim that she wants to leave Mango Street because she does not belong there set number of priorities and values an her life which later revealed obvious things to her. At the end of this novel she sees that she has strong connection with her neighborhood because she was not the only one who could not fit in, she was surrounded by people who faced the same difficulties as she did due to their racial, gender or social peculiarities. She understands that Mango Street gave her some things as well as took. Moreover, her successful escape into a better place means that she can help those who she left and with whom she feels connection.
References
Cisneros, S. (1991). The house on Mango Street. New York: Vintage Books.
