Jazmin Guzman

Ms. Shaffer
English 1 GATE
20 September 2016

In life we need to seek freedom to succeed, as a matter of fact, The House on

Mango

Street shows exactly that as Esperanza wants to seek her own path to discover
her true self. In the story, we see how she bumps into many problems in her road of
discovering her true self and becoming a independent woman.
As the story progresses we can tell that Esperanza doesnt like way women are
treated in her culture. The author writes, She looked out the window her whole life...I
wonder if she made the best with what she got or was she sorry because she couldnt
be all the things she wanted to be. Esperanza. I have inherited her name, but I dont
want to inherit her place by the window. (11) This quote shows that Esperanza wants
more than being a controlled woman, she wants a better life and to get out of poverty as
soon as she can to become successful and happy, she wants to seek her own self and
wants freedom. By examining this evidence, we can conclude that Esperanza doesnt
want to end up like her great-grandmother did, alone and helpless because of a man
that loved her but she didnt love back.
The story also explains that women are supposed to have a specific personality.
The author writes She was a horse woman too, born in the Chinese year of the
horse--which is supposed to be bad luck if youre born female--but i think this is a
Chinese lie because the Chinese, like the Mexicans, dont like their woman strong.

(10). This quote shows that women are expected to be submissive in order to be loved
by a man. While independent women are put down and looked as non attractive
women to the traditional hispanic men. By examining this evidence we can see that this
is another example of women being expected to be the traditional weak person to
please and cure mens egos and follow the past generations of women that had to end
up like this. Which would be an understanding for Esperanza to not want to end up like
that.
Not only was life hard and unfair for women, they had no decisions of their own.
The author writes Sally got married like we knew she would, young and not ready...she
says she in love but i think she did it to escape. (101). This quote shows that Sally
wanted to escape her abusive father and seek her freedom by marrying someone but
instead gets into another abusive relationship as she gets locked up and is controlled by
this man. By examining this evidence we see that this is an example of women being
brought down by mens expectations in what a women should be in this case, weak and
dependent.
Concluding this novel we clearly see how unfair and disgusting men were with
their expectations towards what a good woman had to be and act, leaving women trying
to find ways to seek freedom and have their expectations of having a good life ruined.
Esperanza, as one of those women, wanted a good free life which left her no choice,
but to fight the urge of wishing of having a man because of the fear of her being locked
up by him like the rest of the women in the neighborhood.
Rubric rating submitted on: 10/3/2016, 10:58:24 AM by ashley.shaffer@salinasuhsd.org
2

Hook
Your score: 1

Present

Partially Present

Absent

Background Evidence
Your score: 1

Present

Partially Present

Absent

Thesis
Your score: 1

Present

Partially Present

Absent

Topic Sentence 1
Your score: 2

Present

Partially Present

Absent

Says 1
Your score: 2

Present

Partially Present

Absent

Means 1
Your score: 1.5

Present

Partially Present

Absent

Matters 1
Your score: 2

Present

Partially Present

Absent

Topic sentence 2
Your score: 2

Present

Partially Present

Absent

Says 2
Your score: 2

Present

Partially Present

Absent

Means 2
Your score: 1.5

Present

Partially Present

Absent

Matters 2
Your score: 2

Present

Partially Present

Absent

Topic Sentence 3
Your score: 2

Present

Partially Present

Absent

Says 3
Your score: 2

Present

Partially Present

Absent

Means 3
Your score: 1

Present

Partially Present

Absent

Matters 3
Your score: 2

Present

Partially Present

Absent

Restate Thesis
Your score: 2

Present

Partially Present

Absent

Review Evidence

Present

Partially Present

Absent

Your score: 0
Universal Connection
Your score: 0

Present

Partially Present

Absent

Evidence
Formatted/Cited
Correctly
Your score: 1

Present

Partially Present

Absent

Evidence Clearly
Connects to Thesis
Your score: 2

Present

Partially Present

Absent

Comments:
M.U.G.: 10/10