Taylor Pedro Destacamento

Humanities-
23 Oct. 2013
Esperanzas Journey
General George Patton once said, Accept the challenges so that you may feel the
exhilaration of victory. When General George Patton said this he was implying that when
people are victorious their victory is even better if they have faced many challenges. Just like
how Esperanza, the main character in the novella, The House On Mango Street, goes through
many challenges, but she knows she has reached victory through her writing. The House On
Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros, is a novella about a young hispanic girl named, Esperanza.
Throughout this book many young women help influence Esperanza like Alicia, Marin and
Sally.
Alicia influences Esperanza. For example, Cisneros describes Alicia as, Alicia, who
inherited her mamas rolling pin and sleepiness, is young and smart and studies for the first time
at the university (Cisneros 32). Alicia, in this vignette, is using school as a way to escape
Mango Street. Esperanza learns from Alicia that doing well in school can lead her to a place
beyond her living situation. However there are other examples of Alicias influence on
Esperanza. For instance, Two trains and a bus, because she doesnt want to spend her whole life
in a factory or behind a rolling pin (Cisneros 32). Alicia shows Esperanza that following her
dreams are important because it gives her hope to be anything Esperanza wants to be. Esperanza
gains an understanding that Alicia will work hard to escape Mango Street and that Esperanza
should do the same. Esperanza is influenced by Alicia.
Marin affects Esperanza. Incidentally, Cisneros describes Marins influence as, What
matters, Marin says, is for the boys to see us and since Marin is already older than us in many
ways, the boys who do pass by say stupid things like I am in love with those two green apples
you call eyes, give them to me why dont you (Cisneros 27). Through this vignette, Marin
teaches Esperanza that a way to escape Mango Street is through a man. Secondly, she teaches
Esperanza that the only way to get a man who will rescue her from a life on Mango Street, is to
be pretty. Because of Marins influence Esperanza learns that she has to wear provocative
clothing and have pretty eyes to even gain the attention of a man. In addition, there are other
ways Marin affects Esperanza. For example, Marin under the streetlight, dancing by herself, is
singing the same song somewhere. I know. Is waiting for a car to stop, a star to fall, someone to
change her life (Cisneros 27). Through this quote, Marin shows Esperanza that escaping Mango
Street through a man can fail in many ways. Specifically, Esperanza sees how Marin waits for
someone to change her life, rather than taking action to change it herself. Through Marins
actions, Esperanza realizes that she should not rely on a man to change her life because if she
does she may be waiting a long time just like Marin. Esperanza is affected by the actions of
Marin.
Sally has a big impact on Esperanza throughout this novella. For example, Sandra
Cisneros describes Sally as, Those boys that look at you because youre pretty. I like to be with
you, Sally. Youre my friend. But that big boy, where did he take you? I waited such a long time.
I waited by the red clowns, just like you said, but you never came, you never came for me
(Cisneros 99-100). In this vignette, Sally has left Esperanza all alone to be with a boy. This
specifically shows Esperanza that Sally is not a loyal friend. As a result of Sally abandoning
Esperanza, the boys that Sally leave with, take advantage of Esperanza sexually. Therefore,
Esperanza feels like Sally has let her down because the result of Sallys negligence will affect
her for the rest of her life. On the other hand, there are other ways Sally has disappointed
Esperanza. For instance, She has her husband and her house now, her pillowcases and her
plates. She says she is in love, but I think she did it to escape (Cisneros 101). In this quote,
Sallys choice to get married makes Esperanza realize that marrying young does not solve all of
her problems. After seeing what Sally goes through, Esperanza decides she does not want to be
married because she does not want to take on the stereotypical role of a submissive wife being
with an abusive husband. Esperanza knows that Sally is not truly in love, but only married her
much older husband to be just to escape Mango Street. Through Sallys failed actions of
marrying a man, Esperanza learns to not make the same mistake as Sally.
Esperanza has faced many challenges, but through witnessing the results of her friends
decisions in the novella, she has learned to make the right decision for herself. Alicia, Marin, and
Sally show Esperanza that she must depend on herself to make her life better. Marin and Sally
has fail to successfully escape Mango Street through a man, but Alicia shows Esperanza that she
can leave so by depending on herself. All young women could benefit from reading about
Esperanzas choices. Most young women need to realize that they do not have to get married to
escape unfortunate events, but most importantly they need to realize they must find their own to
achieve happiness.