The House On Mango Street Identity Quotes

Esperanza began as a shy, lonely, introverted girl with no friends and often feared what people thought of her. Her story, told entirely though her perspective, traces her coming of age through a series of interesting, maturing vignettes about her family, friends and secret dreams. The novel contains this journey of Esperenza’s self-empowerment and will to overcome obstacles of poverty, gender and self-identity. The story begins when the Cordero Family moves into their first house they have owned, a small shameful building on Mango Street, in the Latino section of Chicago. Esperanza starts off by telling us that her family has moved ma many times, and how she has always dreamed of owning her own - but not a house like this one, which is too small and sad. This one desperate wish for a house of her own will follow Esperanza throughout the whole novel, as well as help her in seeing a future for herself. “Marin, …show more content…
In the beginning of the book, as shown in the previous quote, Esperanza felt stuck and alone living on Mango street. Expressing these feeling she went as far as to compare herself to “… a red balloon, a balloon tied to an anchor."(9). She was without any hope for herself. But then her journey through the book, shows her realizations that she can go somewhere and with enough belief and encouragement, she will get her own house and make a life for herself. She starts to have hope for herself. She becomes more aware of her situation and of her surroundings therefore makes what she can out of what she has. " for the ones I left behind" , Esperanza referring to people such as Marin, who will most likely not make it out of mango street, meaning poverty or better living or whatever interpretation the reader takes from it. Esperanza transitions from downbeat and doubtfulness to hopeful and