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Priya Gilbert
Humanities-1/2
14 Oct. 2013
Esperanza and The Three Woman
Kurt Cobain once said, Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are.
Esperanza is an example of one of the people that Cobain is talking about. Esperanza is insecure
and embarrassed of her neighborhood and her familys income. She wishes that she lives in her
dream house and her family is wealthy. Esperanza is the main character in the novella The House
On Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. She is faced with many challenges such as, growing a up
in a poor neighborhood. Because Esperanza witnesses many young women dominated by men
around her, she is determined to not be controlled by a man when she grows up. Although
Esperanza is influenced by Alicia, Marin and Sally, she is confident that she will escape from
Mango Street different way than them. Readers can see how Esperanza grows up and learns from
the three womens mistakes trying to escape from Mango Street.
Alicia is a character who influences Esperanza. For example, Is a good girl, my friend,
studies all night and sees mice, the ones her father says do not exist. Is afraid of nothing except
four-legged fur. And fathers (Cisneros 32). Alicia, in this passage is, a good girl and is studying
for college. But she is also afraid of her father because she has taken all of the roles of a wife
since her mother passed away. Esperanza witnesses how Alicia is affected is supposed to be play
the role of a father and wants nothing more to do with any of them. Esperanza is more against the
thought of having a man in her life, from the experience Alicia has had. In addition Alicia also
guides Esperanza into becoming someone who will keep changing through Mango Street. For
instance, Like it or not you are Mango Street, and one day you will come back (Cisneros 107).

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Alicia inspires Esperanza into accepting that she is Mango Street and that she will come back to
inspire others into escaping unsatisfying lives. Alicia encourages Esperanza that when she leaves
Mango Street, she will come back to help others into escaping. Esperanza is influenced by
Alicia.
Marin influences Esperanza. For instance, What matters, Marin says, is for boys to see
us and for us to see them (Cisneros 27). In this conversation Marin is telling Esperanza that they
need to be noticed by boys, so they can escape. Marin is setting the example that the only way to
get out of Mango Street and have a better life, is for a man to come into her life and take care of
her. Esperanza partially believes Marin but she also knows how desperately Marin wants to
escape and sees that inspite of her beauty, it does seem to be working. Although this is not the
only time Marin has influenced Esperanza. Specifically, Marin under the streetlight, dancing by
herself, is singing the same song somewhere. I know. Is waiting for a car to stop, a star to fall,
someone to change her life (Cisneros 27). In this part of the novella Marin is helplessly waiting
for man to sweep her off her feet or for a miracle to happen that will release her from Mango
Street. Once again Marin inspires Esperanza that the only way to get her freedom is from a man
even though she is young. Esperanza is wiser and has seen young girls around her neighborhood
get abused by men. Esperanza is influenced by Marin.
Sally influences Esperanza. In particular, Sally, Sally a hundred times. Why didnt you
tell them to leave me alone? The one who grabbed me by the arm, he wouldnt let me go
(Cisneros 100). In this passage Sally has left Esperanza with a group of strange boys. Therefore
Esperanza gets raped by one of the boys. Esperanza repeatedly calls out for Sally, but she never
comes as a result. Esperanza has lost her trust and innocence for Sallys unacceptable behavior.
Esperanza has lost her trust in men, in her
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best friend and her innocence all because of Sallys unacceptable behavior. Esperanza knows that
she will be independent when she is an adult, because of the traumatic incident that has happened
to her. Sally also affects Esperanza in different ways. In fact, for example, Sally gets married in
an attempt to escaping Mango Street, but it does not seem to workout has she had planned. She
sits at home because she is afraid to go outside without his permission (Cisneros 102). As a
result Sally is married as an adolescent to escape her abusive father, but finds herself in an
identical situation with a controlling husband. However Sally is married because she wants
someone to take care of her, when she should have first learned to take care of herself. Esperanza
is influenced once again by Sallys mistakes. Because of Sally, Esperanza knows that she will
never be married, so she can control her freedom. Esperanza is influenced by Sally.
Esperanza has been influenced in many different ways. Alicia, Marin, and Sally have all
helped to shape Esperanzas life into what it is now. If Esperanza had never encountered Alicia,
Marin, and Sally, she would never have been taught how to break away from Mango Street from
these women. She has learned that she cannot be dependent on one person to take responsibility
for her, especially a man. She has learned instead to be independent and being happy without
relying on anyone. Women and men could benefit from reading about Esperanzas experiences.
Still to this day women believe that they need a man to depart from their unsuccessful lives,
because of the stereotypical views in women, they believe that a women should a housewife and
cannot do things a man cannot do. Men could also benefit from learning about the experiences
the women have gone through this book, to see from a womans perspective that women can be
successful without men. Women are as capable as men in everything.
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Work Cited
Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street. New York: Vintage Books, 1984.