A person once said, “Be yourself, and don't hide it”. This relates to Esperanza because in the book, Esperanza seems to be insecure about herself just like any other young girl would be in the world. The House on Mango Street written by Sandra Cisneros, is based on the author's story of how she is growing up at this house and the important events that happen throughout her life. Even though Esperanza is so insecure, she learns to get over her insecurity during many events that happens in Mango Street. She gains confidence with all the people on Mango Street. Throughout the book it shows how Esperanza grows up she goes through 3 faces which are, people in mango street that influence her, her growing stages, and insecurity then she starts to gain confidence. Finally she becomes a strong young woman capable of anything.
Marin influences Esperanza. For Example “Marin under the streetlight, dancing by herself is singing the same song somewhere. I know its waiting for a car to stop, a star to fall, someone to change her life” (Cisneros 27). Marin is waiting for a man to take her away from Mango Street under the street lights. Esperanza waits to leave Mango Street, Just like Marin does because she does not belong in Mango Street, she does not want to be like the other women that live in Mango Street. But there are more examples of women in mango street that influence Esperanza. For Instance “Shame is a bad thing, you know. It keeps you down. You want to know why I quit school? Because I didn't have nice clothes. No clothes, but I had the brains” (Cisneros 91). Esperanza’s mom gave her advice for the future, and this reminds me of Esperanza’s Grandma because she gave her advice to. Esperanza is Influenced by Marin.
People on Mango Street affect Esperanza. That is, “Thats nice. Thats very good, she said in her tired voice. Just remember to keep writing Esperanza, you must keep writing. It will keep you free, and I said yes, but at that time I didn't know what she meant” (Cisneros 61). Esperanza’s grandma is telling her to never give up on her writing and that affects her because her grandma is pushes her to do something that will take her away from Mango Street. In fact her grandma was not the only one who affects Esperanza. For Instance, “But when I came that afternoon, all wet because Tito had pushed me into the fire hydrant - only I had sorta let him” (Cisneros 53). Esperanza let the boys push her in the fire hydrant because she is growing up and she knew she was flirting. This affected Esperanza because she is flirting, she knows how love is and she is going to experience it in the future. Esperanza is being affected from the people of Mango Street.
Esperanza is more confident. For example “Not a flat. Not an apartment in back. Not a mans house. Not a daddy’s. A house all my own with my porch and my pillow, my pretty purple petunias. My book and my stories” (Cisneros 108). Esperanza knows one day she will live on her own. She will use the stories and poems that she writes as an escape from Mango Street. Esperanza is confident enough to know the reality of her moving into a house of her home. In addition to this she starts to get older she gains more and more confidence. That is “They will not know I have gone away to come back. For the ones who can not out” (Cisneros 110). Esperanza knows that she will have to come back for the others in Mango Street who could not come out, or were not as lucky as Esperanza. Confidence overcomes Esperanza.
Just like any other young girl in the world, Esperanza is very insecure about herself. If Esperanza never would of not lived in Mango Street she would not have been through these life changing events. For example when Marin influences Esperanza, The people on Mango Street affecting her, and Esperanza gaining confidence over the people in Mango Street. She would have not been the person she is now. Many women that read this book can relate to Esperanza, especially the women that have a Mexican heritage because, Esperanza is Mexican herself based on the book. A lot of women still to this day are insecure about how they look because of our society.
Discrimination in Different Ways
Mahatma Ghandi once said, “We must be the change we wish to see in the world.” This quote represents discrimination in different ways. The novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck it is about two men that often got in trouble because of Lennie who is the big guy with a mind of a child. George is short and has more brain than what Lennie does. Lennie would do things he is not supposed to and because of him they would get in trouble. They come upon a farming land and get a job there to save money for their dream place. To illustrate the theme of discrimination, Steinbeck includes the characters of Curley’s wife, Crooks and Lennie in this novela through the 3 characters Steinbeck shows his displeasure with the way people treat one another.
Because Lennie has mental disabilities he is discriminated by the people on the ranch. For example when George states, “‘Blubberin’ like a baby! Jesus Christ! A Big guy like you’” (Steinbeck 9). Lennie is seen as a big baby because of the way he acts, he is being discriminated on his disabilities issues. The way he thinks makes him easy to be picked on, also because he does not think like a man his age. However, there are other examples that Lennie gets discriminated. For instance, crooks bored in on him. “Want me ta tell ya what’ll happen? They’ll take ya to the booby hatch.They’ll tie ya up- with a collar, like a dog” (Steinbeck 72). Steinbeck describes Lennie as an animal because of his mental disabilities like the quote above “tie ya up with a collar, like a dog.” Throughout the book Lennie is more described as an animal for people. The reader starts to notice Lennies disabilities, discriminate him for his mental disability and use it against him. Steinbeck shows racial discrimination through Crook’s character. For instance Crooks states ‘ “Cause Im black. They play cards in there, but I cant play because I’m black. They say I stink. Well I tell you, all of you stink to me”’ (Steinbeck 68). Even though slavery has stopped people still continue to be racist. That is why Crooks is an example of racial discrimination. However there are more examples of racial discrimination on the ranch. Another example is when Crooks says, ‘ “If I say something why its just a nigger saying it”’ (Steinbeck 70). This quote is a racial discrimination because they are saying that when Crooks talks or makes a statement it does not matter because of his race. His opinions, thoughts, and feelings do not mean anything to society. Crooks character represents racial discrimination.
The men on the farm flirt with Curley's wife because she is pretty but others know she is trouble. For Example when George states, " Don't you even take a look at that bitch. I don't care what she says and what she does. I seen'em poison befor, but I never seen no piece of jailbait worse than her. You leave her be" (Stainbeck 32). George is telling Lennie to not mess with her because she can get you in trouble, the fact that she is pretty and flirting with every guy on the ranch is easier to get in a mess with Curley. Curley's wife is discriminated because she finds a way to flirt with the people on the ranch. But that is not the only example of Curley's wife being discriminated. In fact when Candy tells George and Lennie, "So mabe you better jus' scatter along how, 'cause Curley mabe ain't gonna like his wife out in the barn with us bindle sticks" (Steinbeck 79). When George and Lennie first went to the ranch, Candy warns them to not mess with Curley's wife. Back then women were seen as a belonging to the husband; seen as nothing that's why Steinbeck did not have a name for Curley's wife in the book, Of Mice and Men. Curley's wife is trouble to the men on the ranch and is seen as a belonging to Curly.
Steinbeck includes the theme of different discriminations through Lennie, Crooks, and Curley's wife perspectives because he wanted the reader to know how discrimination works in different ways. Lennie is discriminated by his mental disabilities, Crooks is discriminated for his race, and Curley's wife is discriminated for her gender. Of Mice and Men can influence people to open their eyes and realize what is happening around them and influence people to stop discriminating other people to their appearances or the way they act. Of Mice and Men is a recommended book to read because it makes you think about our society even though this book was published in 1937.