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Essay / The theme of finding a home and its symbolism in The House on Mango Street
The House on Mango Street is a story told through the observations of Esperanza, a girl of Latino origin -American, as she looks at the world around her. Esperanza interprets the world she sees around her in Mango Street while paying particular attention to the women she observes. She sees everything from the language barrier these women face to their oppressed status. Armed with these observations, Esperanza attempts to retrace her own life using the examples she sees around her. However, she realizes that she desires a different life from the ones she observes in Mango Street, so in the end she points out the differences between her and the people around her in order to emphasize the fact that she will leave Mango Street and has the means to do it. Through her observational perspective and documentation, Esperanza proves that she has a voice through her mastery of language and writing, which grants her control over her life and the ability to find a true home. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The best advice Esperanza receives is from Aunt Lupe: “Remember to keep writing, Esperanza. You have to keep writing. This will keep you free” (Cisneros 61). The language barrier poses a major obstacle for the characters in the story. In describing Mamacita, Esperanza observes: "Someone said because she's too fat, someone because of the three floors, but I think she doesn't go out because she's afraid to speak English, and maybe because she only knows eight words” (Cisneros 77). Everyone else in the community finds other reasons for this woman's withdrawn status, while Esperanza sees that language itself can hold a person back. In Mamacita's case, this even separates her from her child since he begins to learn English. Esperanza also points out that her father faced a similar problem when he arrived in America. He didn't know what to say "hammanggs", so for three months, that's all he could eat. With a strong emphasis on language, the author identifies a source of power to overcome circumstances. She realizes the importance of learning and knowing the language well. In this realization, she justifies her writing and indicates that her published writings alone mean that she has achieved a little freedom and claimed a little control over her own life. This theme of controlling one's life permeates Esperanza's story. observes the women in the story as having very little control over their own lives. She observes Sally trapped at home by an abusive and overprotective father. She sees Rafaela whose husband keeps her locked in the house when he goes out. Through these observations, Esperanza sees how the lives of the women of Mango Street are going and longs for her life to be different. However, his observations do not extinguish his sexual curiosity. She first experiments with beauty by trying on high heels, but she finds it too tiring. Later, she is curious about boys and expresses her curiosity by observing Sire. She shows off in front of him because, as she says, “I had to prove to myself that I was not afraid of anyone's eyes, not even his own” (Cisneros 72). She is in control of this situation because she is simply observing his reaction to her. However, she also discovers that such a reaction exists and is even more intrigued. However, in "Red Clowns", she has no control over the situation. In fact, the sexual encounter is strictly a matter of control rather than love or tenderness as it was..