The House On Mango Street Character Analysis

Imagine the expectations of being the oldest child out of four children. The House on Mango Street was written by Sandra Cisneros, and the main character Esperanza learns that a part of growing up, is gaining adult responsibilities. In the story, she learns that growing up is not always easy. Becoming an adult requires leaving innocence behind, to be what people expect but people can choose who they want to be.
A part of growing up is becoming an adult and leaving innocence behind. Esperanza is gaining adult responsibility, and she needs to take care of her sister Nenny, the narrator says, “She can’t play with those Vargas kids or she’ll turn out just like them. And since she comes right after me, she is my responsibility” (8). Esperanza feels …show more content…
When her grandpa or abuelito died, her father wanted her to be brave, the narrator says, “Because I am the oldest, my father told me first, and now it is my turn to tell the others” (56). Esperanza's father expects her to tell her siblings, she needs to be the courageous leader of her family. It does not sound like it is her choice, she was asked by her father to talk to her brothers and sister. Even though she is still just a child, her father laid a difficult task upon her. She needs to be brave, it is her responsibility, put out by her father. Another expectation for Esperanza was given by Sally. She expects Esperanza to be a cool kid, and to no longer play. The story says, “Who was it that said I was getting too old to play? Who was it I didn’t listen to? I only remember that when the others ran, I wanted to run too, up and down and through the monkey garden, fast as the boys, not like Sally who screamed if she got her stockings muddy” (96). This shows that people have given expectations to Esperanza. Sally expects her to just hang out, and not play because that is what the cool kids do. Esperanza feels that this is what she wants to do too, or she could be who she