House On Mango Street Essay:
On this essay I explain how three girls influence Esperanza. These three girls are Marin, Sally, and Alicia.
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House on Mango Street
Raul Martinez
Humanities-3/4
4 Oct. 2012
Influencing Esperanza
As Langston Hughes said before, “Hold fast to dreams for is dreams die life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.” Esperanza benefits from this quote because it tells people to follow their dreams and never give up trying to achieve them. Esperanza is the main character of The House on Mango Street, a novella by Sandra Cisneros. In this novella Esperanza sees a lot of discrimination going on and many bad relationships between friends and families. Because they are her friends, Esperanza is influenced through the way Sally, Alicia and Marin act. These girls give her different choices of how to escape Mango Street, but after seeing their mistakes, she knows there is only one way to escape and that is through her ability to write.
One of the people who influence Esperanza in a negative way is Marin. For example, “Marin says that if she stays here next year, she’s going to get real down town because that’s where the best jobs are, since you always get to look beautiful and get to wear nice clothes and can meet someone in the subway who might marry you and take you to live in a big house far way” (Cisneros 26). In this quote Marin teaches Esperanza that being attractive is the most important quality necessary to becoming successful one day. Marin believes that her looks will attract a wealthy man who will rescue her from a life of poverty. This way of thinking will influence Esperanza to find another way out because it does not seem to work for Marin. However this is only one example of the bad influence Marin has on Esperanza. Esperanza also says, “She is the one who told us how Davey the baby’s sister got pregnant and what cream is best for taking off moustache hair and if you count the white flecks on your finger nails you can know how many boys are thinking of you and lots of other things I can’t remember now” (Cisneros 27). Here Marin is trying to show Esperanza thinks that she does not know because she is still too little to understand them. She tries to make her more mature and less innocent to help her understand what is going on and that she will go through. Marin influences Esperanza in a negative way. In addition Sally is another girl who will influence her decision of how to leave Mango Street.
Sally also has a very negative influence on Esperanza. For example Esperanza says, “Sally, who thought you how to paint your eyes like Cleopatra? And if I roll the little brush with my tongue and chew it to a point and dip it to a muddy cake, the one in the little red box, will you teach me”(Cisneros 82). In this passage Esperanza is asking Sally how she gets herself to look so pretty and make boys look at her. Esperanza wants to know all this in order to look older and be able to make the boys look at her and say in the same way. However this is not the only bad influence Sally has on Esperanza. In addition Esperanza also says, “Sally, Sally a hundred times. Why didn’t you hear me when I called? Why didn’t you tell them to leave me alone? The one who grabbed me by the arm, he wouldn’t let me go. He said I love you, Spanish girl, I love you, and pressed his sour mouth to mine” (Cisneros 100). In this quote, Sally leaves Esperanza alone with some boys in order for her to go away with her boyfriend. During that time Esperanza is molested by one of the boys. She is influenced by her since now Esperanza will never be able to forget that awful experience. Esperanza influenced in a negative manner by Sally. But Alicia is the complete opposite of Sally and Marin.
Alicia is the only girl who influences Esperanza in a positive way. For example Esperanza says, “Alicia who inherited her mama’s rolling pin and sleepiness, is young and smart and studies for the first time at the university. Two trains and a bus, because she doesn’t want to spent her whole life in a factory or behind a rolling pin” (Cisneros 31-32). In this quote Alicia is trying to use her grades to go to the university and get out of Mango Street. Esperanza thinks that is a great way to escape Mango Street because she is getting out on her own and is not choosing to rely on a man. As a result Esperanza will use her writing to get a better life. There are still more great examples of the positive influence Alicia has on Esperanza. Alicia tells Esperanza, “Like it or not you are Mango Street, and one day you’ll come back too” (Cisneros107). Here Alicia is trying to convince Esperanza that she will never forget Mango Street. Esperanza realizes Alicia is correct. This shows that Alicia is a positive influence on Esperanza because she helps her understand that she must appreciate who she is and where she comes from in order to become successful. One of the only girls who influence Esperanza in a good way is Alicia.
Even though Sally, Marin, and Alicia give Esperanza different perspectives of how she should escape Mango Street, she realizes only her ability to write will help her escape. Sally and Marin try to convince Esperanza by telling her that looking beautiful and getting a husband will get her out of Mango Street. Alicia is one of the few people who influence Esperanza in a positive way since she is the one who tells her that going to university is a great way to escape. People should read this book because it will inspire young people who are not happy with what they have, to continue to follow their dreams.
Work Cited
Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street. New York: Vintage Books, 1991.
Humanities-3/4
4 Oct. 2012
Influencing Esperanza
As Langston Hughes said before, “Hold fast to dreams for is dreams die life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.” Esperanza benefits from this quote because it tells people to follow their dreams and never give up trying to achieve them. Esperanza is the main character of The House on Mango Street, a novella by Sandra Cisneros. In this novella Esperanza sees a lot of discrimination going on and many bad relationships between friends and families. Because they are her friends, Esperanza is influenced through the way Sally, Alicia and Marin act. These girls give her different choices of how to escape Mango Street, but after seeing their mistakes, she knows there is only one way to escape and that is through her ability to write.
One of the people who influence Esperanza in a negative way is Marin. For example, “Marin says that if she stays here next year, she’s going to get real down town because that’s where the best jobs are, since you always get to look beautiful and get to wear nice clothes and can meet someone in the subway who might marry you and take you to live in a big house far way” (Cisneros 26). In this quote Marin teaches Esperanza that being attractive is the most important quality necessary to becoming successful one day. Marin believes that her looks will attract a wealthy man who will rescue her from a life of poverty. This way of thinking will influence Esperanza to find another way out because it does not seem to work for Marin. However this is only one example of the bad influence Marin has on Esperanza. Esperanza also says, “She is the one who told us how Davey the baby’s sister got pregnant and what cream is best for taking off moustache hair and if you count the white flecks on your finger nails you can know how many boys are thinking of you and lots of other things I can’t remember now” (Cisneros 27). Here Marin is trying to show Esperanza thinks that she does not know because she is still too little to understand them. She tries to make her more mature and less innocent to help her understand what is going on and that she will go through. Marin influences Esperanza in a negative way. In addition Sally is another girl who will influence her decision of how to leave Mango Street.
Sally also has a very negative influence on Esperanza. For example Esperanza says, “Sally, who thought you how to paint your eyes like Cleopatra? And if I roll the little brush with my tongue and chew it to a point and dip it to a muddy cake, the one in the little red box, will you teach me”(Cisneros 82). In this passage Esperanza is asking Sally how she gets herself to look so pretty and make boys look at her. Esperanza wants to know all this in order to look older and be able to make the boys look at her and say in the same way. However this is not the only bad influence Sally has on Esperanza. In addition Esperanza also says, “Sally, Sally a hundred times. Why didn’t you hear me when I called? Why didn’t you tell them to leave me alone? The one who grabbed me by the arm, he wouldn’t let me go. He said I love you, Spanish girl, I love you, and pressed his sour mouth to mine” (Cisneros 100). In this quote, Sally leaves Esperanza alone with some boys in order for her to go away with her boyfriend. During that time Esperanza is molested by one of the boys. She is influenced by her since now Esperanza will never be able to forget that awful experience. Esperanza influenced in a negative manner by Sally. But Alicia is the complete opposite of Sally and Marin.
Alicia is the only girl who influences Esperanza in a positive way. For example Esperanza says, “Alicia who inherited her mama’s rolling pin and sleepiness, is young and smart and studies for the first time at the university. Two trains and a bus, because she doesn’t want to spent her whole life in a factory or behind a rolling pin” (Cisneros 31-32). In this quote Alicia is trying to use her grades to go to the university and get out of Mango Street. Esperanza thinks that is a great way to escape Mango Street because she is getting out on her own and is not choosing to rely on a man. As a result Esperanza will use her writing to get a better life. There are still more great examples of the positive influence Alicia has on Esperanza. Alicia tells Esperanza, “Like it or not you are Mango Street, and one day you’ll come back too” (Cisneros107). Here Alicia is trying to convince Esperanza that she will never forget Mango Street. Esperanza realizes Alicia is correct. This shows that Alicia is a positive influence on Esperanza because she helps her understand that she must appreciate who she is and where she comes from in order to become successful. One of the only girls who influence Esperanza in a good way is Alicia.
Even though Sally, Marin, and Alicia give Esperanza different perspectives of how she should escape Mango Street, she realizes only her ability to write will help her escape. Sally and Marin try to convince Esperanza by telling her that looking beautiful and getting a husband will get her out of Mango Street. Alicia is one of the few people who influence Esperanza in a positive way since she is the one who tells her that going to university is a great way to escape. People should read this book because it will inspire young people who are not happy with what they have, to continue to follow their dreams.
Work Cited
Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street. New York: Vintage Books, 1991.