Reasons for choosing The House on Mango Street

花不是向我开

  First of all, the way this book is written is so unique! It’s not a long, wordy novel, but is made up of many short, concise stories, like little paintings. Each story is simple, yet full of flavor, making it really easy to read without being boring. I think this style is really refreshing and it has given me new ideas for my own writing. Maybe I can try writing in this way sometime in the future.
  Then, the background of the book really caught my attention. It’s about the life of a young Latina girl, Esperanza, in a poor neighborhood in Chicago. I didn’t know much about this kind of culture before, but after reading this book, I realized how many interesting aspects there are in their lives, such as their traditions, family values, and the challenges they face. I think it’s really important for me, as a student, to learn more about different cultures, which will help me communicate better with people from diverse backgrounds in the future.
  Moreover, I can really relate to Esperanza’s story. She’s just a young girl, but she has so many thoughts of her own. She wants to pursue her dreams and doesn’t want to be defined by others. I think this is similar to where we are now. We’re all trying to figure out who we are and who we want to be. Reading her story feels like reading my own story, and it’s really touching.
  And the language of this book is just beautiful. Although the stories are simple, the author’s choice of words is so elegant that many parts read like poetry. I believe reading such a book will definitely help my English learning. I can also pick up a lot of good sentences that I might be able to use in my future essays.
  Finally, this is a classic book that many people have recommended. I think it’s always a good idea for a student to read classics, as they can teach you a lot and enhance your taste. After reading this book, I feel like I’ve become friends with the author, Sandra Cisneros, because she tells her story so sincerely and movingly.