Cisneros' Perspective
Author: Billy Lau // Category: In a short book of vignettes, The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros; is about a young girl, Esperanza, who learns about the true society of life between boys and girls. Esperanza was born in a poor ghetto on Mango Street. In her every daily life, she sees and experiences many different issues. Her dream is to leave Mango street, but one day to come back. One of the many different situations she faces everyday is between boys and girls. Gender inequality really plays a major role in her world. The author illustrates that boys and girls should be raised completely differently. In her vignettes, Cisneros show that boys are to be more free from chores or other daily jobs. Boys get to go outside and hang out with their friends at anytime. On the contrary, girls are shown as a tool for parents and are given less privileges of freedom. In some of the vignettes, Cisneros feels that girls are more loved and cared for by their parents then boys. In Red Clowns, Esperanza is left vulnerable while Sally leaves her alone with another boy.
"Sally, make them stop. I couldn't make them go away...Please don't make me tell it all." pg 100Esperanza is not being taken care of here, and we can see why parents should worry more over and restrict girls than boys from freedom in this vignette.
In the neighborhood that Esperanza grows up in, women are expected to wait for a hand in marriage then they are allowed to leave the house. They have to take care of the new kids and home that they will get. In Alicia Who Sees Mice, the importance of having a woman in the household is expressed in this vignette.
Since Esperanza is a girl, she has a lot of expectations from her family. She has to inherit a women's duties once there is no one else to help out. Cisneros shows that girls have different jobs and should not be educated because it is useless for them. However, In Alicia Who Sees Mice, she also symbolizes how she does not agree with her father for not letting her get an education. I think that Cisneros thinks that girls are raised to do more than just the everyday petty house chores, but that they are raised to achieve their own dreams.“Alicia whose mama died is sorry there’s no one older to rise and make the lunch box tortillas.” pg 31
I'm confused by your last three sentences. They seem to contradict each other and I am not sure what you really think Cisneros would say about gender roles and how parents/guardians should raise their kids...?! The end threw me off.
Should i take out the last three sentences?