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House On Mango Street Analysis

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(hook) Written by Sandra Cisneros, The House on Mango Street is a beautiful coming-of-age story from the perspective of a little Latina girl named Esperanza Cordero, who has just moved to a new house on Mango Street with her family. The story follows Esperanza and the people she encounters during her time on Mango Street as she struggles to find herself as an individual/her identity. During the story, Esperanza discovers how her culture and social class affects her, how she relates to the roles of women in her community, and how to process her hopes and dreams as she matures. These pieces eventually come together in order to help Esperanza form her identity. The shabby old house on Mango Street is all that Esperanza and her family can afford at the moment, as they are very poor. Esperanza is happy that her family owns a house, but she often feels ashamed and embarrassed to live in it. For example, one day, a nun that passes by asks Esperanza where she lives. When she points to her house, the nun asks, “You live there? The way she [says] it [makes] [her] feel like nothing. There. [she] lived there. [She] [nods].” (1.10) The way that the nun says the word “there” makes Esperanza feel very small, like there is something wrong with the house. Not only does Esperanza feel judged by people in her community, she also feels judged by outsiders. “Those who don't know any better come into our neighborhood scared. They think we’re dangerous. They think we will attack them with shiny

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