Esperanza is exposed to the harsh realities of womanhood and realizes how difficult it is to succeed in a patriarchal society. Due to this, she starts to associate physical appearance with power or a weapon for success. She later contradicts this after realizing each of her male validatory female role models have lived unfulfilling lives with their husbands at the expense of their free will. Esperanza feels as though the only way out of the poverty she faces on Mango Street weighs heavily on the way she presents herself physically. She starts to understand the effects of “pretty privilege” and the impact you can have on others as a result of your facade. Esperanza meets an older girl named Marin on the block. Marin is very boy-focused as she
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is for the boys to see us and for us to see them” (27). Esperanza is learning that presentation and physical appearance have more of a positive impact on how people perceive you. Due to this, she begins to lose track of the things that matter and focuses more intently on the reactions she gets from boys as she believes that will be the key to her escape. Furthermore, Esperanza tries to emulate Marin by looking older. Lucy, Rachel, and Esperanza are given high heels by a mom from a family with smaller feet. She and her friends decide to walk down the street and see the type of reactions they get. They occasionally get catcalled and lots of older men prey on them. A business owner named Mr. Benny advises them not to wear them. He says, “They are dangerous,” he says. you girls too young to wear shoes like that” (41). A metaphor is presented in this quote between the shoes and the maturing. The shoes act as a symbol of growing up and getting unwanted attention. Later, the girls throw away the shoes because they are upset and embarrassed by the mens comments, which displays how they are not ready to grow up yet. A similar theme of appearance going hand in hand with power takes shape when Esperanza talks about pretty
is for the boys to see us and for us to see them” (27). Esperanza is learning that presentation and physical appearance have more of a positive impact on how people perceive you. Due to this, she begins to lose track of the things that matter and focuses more intently on the reactions she gets from boys as she believes that will be the key to her escape. Furthermore, Esperanza tries to emulate Marin by looking older. Lucy, Rachel, and Esperanza are given high heels by a mom from a family with smaller feet. She and her friends decide to walk down the street and see the type of reactions they get. They occasionally get catcalled and lots of older men prey on them. A business owner named Mr. Benny advises them not to wear them. He says, “They are dangerous,” he says. you girls too young to wear shoes like that” (41). A metaphor is presented in this quote between the shoes and the maturing. The shoes act as a symbol of growing up and getting unwanted attention. Later, the girls throw away the shoes because they are upset and embarrassed by the mens comments, which displays how they are not ready to grow up yet. A similar theme of appearance going hand in hand with power takes shape when Esperanza talks about pretty