The House on Mango Street

士多啤梨

Reading Time: 4 days, about 40 minutes per day  
Reading Task: Chapters: "The House on Mango Street," "Hairs," "Boys & Girls," "My Name"  
Summary of the Content
1. The House on Mango Street
Esperanza describes her family’ s new house on Mango Street, contrasting it with the “real house” her parents always promised. The house symbolizes their socioeconomic struggle and her longing for autonomy.  
2.Hairs
Through vivid imagery, Esperanza compares the hair textures of her family members. Her mother’ s hair becomes a metaphor for comfort, safety, and nostalgia.  
3. Boys & Girls  
Esperanza reflects on gendered divisions in her community. She feels disconnected from her brothers and laments the societal expectation that girls stay confined to domestic spaces.  
4. My Name
Esperanza critiques the cultural weight of her name, inherited from her grandmother. She vows to “baptize” herself under a new name, symbolizing her desire to redefine her identity.  
Visual summary idea: A mind map with “Identity” at the center, branching into “Home”“Family” “Gender”and “Names”.
Evaluation  
Sandra Cisneros’ s writing style is lyrical yet economical, blending poetic metaphors with concise vignettes. Each chapter reads like a prose poem, using sensory details (e.g., the smell of her mother’s hair) to evoke emotion. Themes of belonging, gender roles, and cultural inheritance are interwoven seamlessly. For example, the house symbolizes both displacement and aspiration, while hair becomes a tactile symbol of familial bonds. Cisneros critiques patriarchal norms subtly—Esperanza’ s brothers “can’ t be seen talking to girls” highlights systemic gender divides. The first-person narrative creates intimacy, making Esperanza’ s struggles universal yet deeply personal.  
Reflection
These chapters resonate with broader societal issues:  
1. Housing insecurity as a barrier to dignity (the rundown house vs. the American Dream).  
2. Gender expectations limiting girls’ autonomy (e.g., societal pressure to stay indoors).  
3. Cultural identity struggles—how names and heritage can feel burdensome for marginalized communities.  
Personally, Esperanza’s desire to reinvent herself mirrors my own experiences of navigating identity in a world that often imposes labels. Her critique of gendered spaces made me reflect on how childhood environments shape self-perception. Cisneros’s work urges readers to question inherited narratives and seek agency, a message that feels urgent in today’s conversations about equity and self-determination.