The House on Mango Street Reflection Paper

February 6, 2013Cynthia Cotto emailprotected edu Response Paper In the really foremost vignette Esperanza discusses how her family moved around a lot and tear down though the house on Mango Street was non the house of their dreams, it was a great achievement to own it. Although Esperanza knew they were non moving anytime soon, she recognized bingle advantage her family was free of landlord management. In my community home ownership is a constant battle and for umteen simply a dream.I learn the grade of home ownership in a similar sequence as Esperanza. My little sister and I were moved to and from a functionment to family members houses until our first small home. A home with no back yard and only four stairs and side walk tabu front. n atomic number 53 the less, a home to call our own it was then that I knew cardinal day I lead own my home painted albumin with trees around it, a great big yard and grass maturation with interject forward a fence. Setting this goal mea nt one thing to me, out out of Philadelphia like out of the House on Mango Street.How to get out and leave my home, my Philadelphia that is so much a part of my maturing process that has molded who I am today is the challenge. Poverty is the drive behind my crusade on getting out, like Esperanza, pauperism is a constant painting that drives my motivation to rise out from my community in Philadelphia. For many families it is not unusual to die in a row home contiguous to an abandoned home or open lot where houses use to be look around and cod no grass only concrete, see no trees only stumps of where trees use to be and garbage carried by the wrap collected alongside stoop of houses.The tricky part of growing up with this experience is realizing it molds character and influences a guts of direction. My experience in indigence directed my ambition in facts of life therefore strengthening my chances in attaining my goals. Ultimately what was said to Esperanza by the three sis ters, You cant repeal what you know. You cant forget who you are is valid in the sense that no matter which path one is headed, their past is part of who they are, it is where they build been.Even though leaving Philadelphia is a dream of mine, I know there is no other place in the world I would alternatively be from it has prepared me to be brave and define what I appetite for my life and what is undesired for my life. Self-exploration is hindered in this book and my life. I can real much identify with Esperanza perspectives on societal issues that Latin women face. A companionship dominated by men and women relying on them, whether it is a catch, spouse or friend. Men are considered the unbendable reasonable as where women are easy and emotional, in turn women need men for protection.A younker girl may afford two story paths, one where she relies on the protection of her father while she watches her mother cater to him or two, witnesses the struggles of a single young woman and absence for a father. This book describes marriage as precedence for every girl or else how could she survive appearances and physical features are highly valued traits. This attitude is not one that Esperanza agrees with, nor do I. For example, Marin she is the girl stand up on the street just seeing for a car to stop, a star to fall, someone to change her life. This character implies that she does not dream of actively setting life goals for herself and working to earn them, instead she will wait until a man makes it happen for her. The ideology behind this thought macrocosm that as a woman she must thrive to be as irresistible as possible to heighten her chances of marriage and acquire worthiness. premiere women are to become wives, then mothers this is to be success enough. The thought of a woman exploring her independence not only from her family but from men is not an appreciated ideal.Esperanza mentions many women that are prisoners in their marriages and pi n down in their homes collect to such bias. This is an important issue and should be addressed because reflecting on Esperanzas perspective and my personal opinion Latin women are not advance to explore independence much less by dint of education. Sally is a great example that can express my reason for writing closely this issue, her father sheltered her all her life and she married before ordinal grade.Practicing those societal values leads Sallys life to be encaged by her husband and home accompanied by nothing but the things she owns this to which Esperanza understands that even though Sally has all the material things that her husband can buy, that is not worth much if there is nothing to do, no social interactions, or no self-respect. Esperanza absorbs her surroundings, contemplates her neighbors situations and visualizes her life and the thought of her life unhappily gazing out of a window, this was all the motivation she needed to decide that she will not be end her sto ry in the same expression this I live done throughout my life as well.Being born(p) and raised in the heart of Philadelphia I am consistently break in to the abundance of inequality, injustice and overall hardships that seem to walk hand in hand with this territory and culture of my community. Esperanza introduces Alicia, a girl that has a strong quality in common with Esperanza as well as I the virtue of education. Alicias circumstances are very relatable to young Latin girls today in my life for example, I can recall arbitrary reinforcement when I received good grades but there was seldom any encouragement to have me participate in extracurricular activities or educations competitions because there were chores.My family believed the transition would be easier if I did not move forward for college and so I did not I am encouraged to live home until marriage, therefore I have been. Things such as animation on my own is addressed with the attitude of why waste money, you nega tive well wait until you get married to move out, but my education is my future it is my gateway out of Philadelphia and into the path of my home with trees and grass to come home to after a day with my second grade students. With independence from my family and men is born a woman that can support herself and does not need to rely on a man.I am writing near the inequities regarding Latin women addressed in this novel as it is connected to my life. I like Esperanza, refuse to accept the limitations surrounding me like fog in the night discouraging me to pursue new paths. Most of the women characters Esperanza describe have strong personalities yet are unable to escape from their suppressing community and culture. I am neighbors with Mothers the age of fifth-teen and grandmothers the age of thirty-two. There are women that are nip and tuck their grand-children and mothers hoping to complete high school.Yet somehow this has become a norm it is not surprising to see a Latin woman hav e children at a young age as well as marriage. I personally never get tired of being asked Do you have children? Are you married? You are in school? (in a very sarcastic tone) in that specific order. The expectations in this novel for young Latin girls are to set about a man to support them and the way to find a man is through physically looking as attractive as she can and in order to become a unwavering wife and mother. This is a society where a woman leaving their families to test self-identification is not a natural thought.Esperanza was strong enough to fight through the society norm and pursue her talent and not become trapped in a house ruled by a man. today I fight the same battle as do many Latin women do, we are strong and it takes bravery to go after ones happiness in life. We strive to rise above poverty and community inequities through hard work and self-dedication to ones ambitions. As The House on Mango Street is part of Esperanza, my Philadelphia community is par t of me without what I have seen I would be blind to what I want.