In Sandra Cisneros’ ‘The House on Mango Street,’ the narrator Esperanza learns about the gender roles ingrained in society and the painful affect they have on women as she fluctuates between following the set rules and quietly rebelling against them. From a very early age, she was distinctly aware of the unspoken divide between boys and girls, saying in ‘Boys and Girls’ that “the boys and girls live in separate worlds” (8). When she is older, Esperanza is told both by the neighbor girl, Marin, and a fellow student, Sally, that boy’s affection is very important. Esperanza follows their instructions— ones that were likely passed down to them like a family heirloom— at first. She wears high heels for a day, stands out on the porch with Marin waiting
