Esperanza’s Quest For Her Own Voice in The House on Mango Street
Esperanza’s Quest For Her Own Voice in The House on Mango Street
This paper foregrounds Esperanza’s transition from childhood to adolescence, depicted as an endeavor to develop and assert her personality. We see how she, a rather underprivileged Mexican American girl absorbs information like a sponge while assessing the surrounding reality. On the verge of adolescence, Sandra Cisneros’ protagonist becomes immersed into an inner turmoil and starts to reflect extensively on what her life should be like. The ethnic background amounts to the inherent uncertainties and insecurities, specific to her age. As a Mexican American girl, Esperanza inherits many distressing stereotypes, feeling more than once ostracized by the mainstream white society. The unheard voice of all women in the barrio propels Esperanza to question the current state of affairs and to emerge as a spokesperson for all those powerless and passive women. Esperanza repeatedly challenges a hostile patriarchal society, where women are eventually imprisoned, their true self being suppressed, annihilated without anyone resisting it. It is concluded that through writing, she comes to grips with her insecurities, trying to create the most suitable place for her to live in. Stretching the wings of an untamed imagination, she flies in the face of adversity, managing to remap her universe.
Keywords: coming-of-age novel; self-discovery; patriarchal society; fighting discrimination; individual versus collective voice; writing envisioned as a liberating means.
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Collective Volume Articles: Daniels, Patsy J. Transforming the World with Words. In: Bloom’s Guides: The House on Mango Street. New Edition, editor Harold Bloom. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2010, pp. 82-86
Gonzáles, Myrna –Yamil. Female Voices of Influence. In: Bloom’s Guides: The House on Mango Street. New Edition, editor Harold Bloom. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2010, pp. 71-76
Grice, Helena. Oppositional Pairings in the Novel. In: Bloom’s Guides: The House on Mango Street. New Edition, editor Harold Bloom. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2010, pp. 86-92
Kevane, Bridget. Cisneros’ Portrait of a Barrio. In: Bloom’s Guides: The House on Mango Street. New Edition, editor Harold Bloom. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2010, pp. 92-96
Madsen, Deborah L. Sandra Cisneros and the Writing Life. In: Bloom’s Guides: The House on Mango Street. New Edition, editor Harold Bloom. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2010, pp. 76-82
McCracken, Ellen. Cisneros’ Place In The American Literature Canon. In: Bloom’s Guides: The House on Mango Street. New Edition, editor Harold Bloom. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2010, pp. 61-67
Sommers, Joseph. Three Critical Approaches to Chicano Literature. In: Bloom’s Guides: The House on Mango Street. New Edition, editor Harold Bloom. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2010, pp. 55-61
Internet. Webpage: http://bookzz.org/book/838132/fceb6c, Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street, retrieved February, 20, 2015
