The House on Mango Street J4 In The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, the main character, Esperanza, faces the issue of escaping Mango Street and the seemingly never ending cycle of poverty. Her ultimate goal is to find a place in society and make a living for herself. As the novel progresses, Cisneros tells readers about the obstacles Esperanza must face to accomplish these goals and how she is able to succeed despite them. Throughout the novel, Cisneros uses metaphors to develop the theme of escaping. At the beginning of the book, Cisneros compares Esperanza to a red balloon that is tied to an anchor. The meaning of this is that it represents Esperanza’s fight for freedom and her refusal to accept society’s set expectations
