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Which one of the vignettes from pages 56 – 109 of The House on Mango Street made the strongest impression on you? In a post of at least 150 words, identify the vignette and discuss its theme or central idea, explaining why it resonated for you. As with last week, please do not discuss the same vignette someone else has discussed, if possible.
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The vignette that leaves a lasting impression on me is “Born Bad.” From the opening statement, “most likely I will go to hell and most likely I deserve to be there.” Esperanza makes a rather bold proclamation as she ties it to her ominous birth and constant prayers meant to evade the repercussions of her past. (Vichiensing and Matava 2018). Arguably, she presents herself as a victim of circumstances at birth that fill her with profound guilt. This section is generally restricted with guilt as the central point of concern.
Together with her friends Lucy and Rachel, Esperanza is constantly praying for themselves because they feel burdened with guilt for having made fun of Aunt Lupe during her youthful days. By deciding to mimic Lupe during their sessions for imitating people, she had urged Esperanza to keep writing because it will build her. When she died the next day, Esperanza and her friends are convinced that they would go to hell. “And then she broke my aunt who listened to my poems. The theme of guilt is revisited constantly throughout this vignette because, specifically for Esperanza, she feels remorseful. She argues that had she known better about the impending death of Aunt Lupe, they would not have tried to make fun of her. This session typically presents the modern-day human confrontations with the consequences of their behaviors later in life. Together with her group, she is left to wish they had done things right when they had the time.
Norma, thanks for starting off the discussion with these good observations about “Born Bad.” You are so right about the theme of this very touching vignette. To Esperanza’s credit, she seems to realize the cruelty of their game when she is still a child. It seems to me that their game is a bit like laughing in the dark to keep the away the terror.
Norma, I like where you said “This session typically presents the modern-day human confrontations with the consequences of their behaviors later in life.” because I felt that this vignette is a juxtaposition of youth and innocence versus death and mortality. The children are young and innocent and so they mock the woman who is in pain and suffering simply because they don’t yet grasp the concept and severity of her illness. As we grow older and experience sickness, death, and grief, we begin to sympathize, especially with our loved ones, when they are in pain because our attachments and understanding of the things around us change. The narrator and her group regret their actions once they are older because they can see how their behavior was inappropriate and hurtful. While it is uncomfortable to read when they are describing in morbid detail how they mocked the ill woman, it’s a very real take on the way children view the world as well as how they deal with things they don’t understand.
Norma! I love the way you explained this vignette. And I agree with you when you say “The theme of guilt is revisited constantly throughout this vignette” because Esperanza felt guilt for mimicking her aunt Lupe. And I feel like children have this way of copying with an issue by making fun of it. But it was never in such a harmful way. And something that stuck with me in your post is when you said “This session typically presents the modern-day human confrontations with the consequences of their behaviors later in life”. I agree with this statement because I myself I say things or do things and then after I take it all back and there goes the consequences of what I said.
Hello Norma, I also agree with you. Esperanza along with the others feels guilty of her actions because her aunt Lupe was someone super important to her. They believe that they were somehow responsible for her death and this will shape them and they will think of their actions although it was part of their innocence that inspired them to play this game. Thus leaving us to question if we really can blame them.
The vignette from The House on Mango Street that made the strongest impression on me was “Born Bad”. In this vignette the narrator speaks about her Aunt Lupe and the disease she had, she also speaks about how at the end she makes fun of what she had. I feel like she never had the intention to be rude about it or make it seem like she was bullying her. And something that was said that really stuck with me was “most likely I will go to hell and most likely I deserve to be there”. She should not feel that way because her aunt was comprehensive and she knew she wasn’t being mean or rude. Her aunt told her “That’s nice. That’s very good, she said in her tired voice. You just remember to keep writing, Esperanza. You must keep writing. It will keep you free, and I said yes, but at that timeI didn’t know what she meant”. And that’s where the aunt knew she was telling her her goodbyes.
Nicole I like how you explained your vignette. Esperanza really didn’t mean to be mean and her aunt knew she didn’t mean it. In many ways there’s people out there who sometimes really don’t mean what they say but can’t say it in a way where someone would fully understand there sentence. If we said something we didn’t mean we really shouldn’t be killing our minds because it’s an misunderstanding and just like Esperanza’s aunt people will comprehend us.
Nicole, your observations are good, but Norma just discussed this vignette, and we’re trying to include discussion of as many stories as possible.
The vignette that made the strongest impression on me from page 56-109 was Four Skinny Trees. The narrator describes the four skinny trees outside her house, she says they are the only ones who understand her, and she is the only one who understands them. The central idea of this vignette is the narrator begins to develop her sense of self and find inner strength by noticing the beauty around her. She has shown the ability to see herself in both the lights that which others view her in and the way through which she sees herself. When the narrator feels like giving up, seeing the trees comforts her, as they have grown despite the concrete, and they keep reaching upward no matter what. This vignette resonates with me because its teaching us we always have to trust in ourselves, never give up and not forget our reason for being. Like the trees we must grow and reach beyond our meager and inadequate environment.
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Hello Treshel, I really like your take on the Four Skinny Trees. While reading this vignette and your explanation I had to smile because I was able to relate and see myself in this. I think many an introvert might. The very nature that introverts tend to keep to themselves leaves us vulnerable to looking for understanding in our environment. To a child that could take the form of anything that doesn’t give judgment. For me it came in the form of 3 birds. I was a young kid with much to say, but not so much to people just yet. So I had full conversations in my head, from my room window with these 3 birds that would show up everyday. Please don’t think i’m crazy. I was a young child at the time, growing up in a loving home that had some superstitious beliefs. Trying to figure out like Esperanza, what to keep as part of me and what to discard. In in a sense I was working things out in my head like Esperanza did with the trees. As you expressed above, seeing those birds every day comforted me. They represented a constant, something I didn’t have to figure out, just something beautiful to admire and be with. Great explanation.
Janine, I love the bird story! It reminds me of the three birds that visit Snow White’s glass coffin to give her enlightenment.
Treshel, thanks for the good comments. Yes, the symbolism of the trees is strong and striking in this vignette, as Esperanza identifies with their strength and adaptability. You’re so right that they also show a recognition and appreciation of the things around her in the world.
Hi Treshel, I also like the Four Skinny Trees. I agree with you that Esperanza began to notice the beauty around her in this vignette, and that the tenacity and strength of the four skinny trees were qualities she craved, qualities she had not seen when she first moved to Mango Street. These little trees gave her comfort, friends, as it were, and taught her that she must trust herself and never give up.
The vignette in “The House on Mango Street” that made the strongest impression on me was ‘Mango Says Goodbye Sometimes’. I think the central idea is to hope for a better future. The Mango Street house played a vital role in the life experiences of Sandra Cisneros. She used the vignette to indicate the hard feelings of saying goodbye in life. “I write it down and Mango says goodbye sometimes”. She is hopeful that she can now leave mango street and find a new home that will give her freedom. The idea of hope for a better future is depicted in the liberation from the past challenges she experienced in Mango Street house. She believes that when she leaves Mango Street to another place, she will be peaceful for the rest of her life. The idea of hope in the vignette is presented by the strength of Cisneros. It enabled Cisneros to define her process of growth into adulthood, which she believes that freedom will be her in the new home. “They will not know I have gone away to come back. For the ones I left behind. For the ones who cannot out”. The vignette is the last step of the book “The House on Mango Street”, which gives hopes to the narrator and readers on the importance of saying goodbyes and getting into a new life that is different from the past.
Khadijah, thanks for the good comments. I also like how the book circles back to a vignette about Mango Street. At this point, it is so clear that Esperanza is not quite the same person she was when she first arrived at the red house on Mango Street.
The vignette that impressed me the most this week from the House on Mango Street is “Beautiful & Cruel”. In this vignette, Esperanza believes that she isn’t attractive, so no man will want her. She also thinks Nenny, her sister, will get a man of her choice who will take her away from home because she is more attractive. Esperanza therefore decided “not to grow up tame” like the rest of her sisters. She wanted to grow up as an independent and powerful woman. Despite not being beautiful, Esperanza wants to be like those women in the movies who are “beautiful and cruel”. Esperanza believes that is time to end treating woman like traditional housewives (such as cleaning up plate and pushing up tables and chairs) so she engages in a “quiet war” by leaving the dinner table like a man. I agree with her war not to be treated like a housewife, but in her case, she is leaving more work for her mother. However, Esperanza’s fight should be one that all women engage in because we have passed that time where woman can simply be thrown over the shoulder like a satchel and be forced to marry and be submissive to men. I think she is much more likely to win her crusade. This vignette impresses me because Esperanza is not letting her appearance stop her from being self-confident and powerful.
Fatu, I love your observations here—especially the one about how her rebellion leaves her mother with more work as she tests the boundaries. It’s interesting how she tries to carve out a new model of the kind of woman she wants to be, one that involves beauty of a different kind.
Fatu, I find it interesting how Esperanza is making these observations and how she can compare herself to her own sister’s beauty. Something about this is a little weird to me and off-putting. I can understand the idea of a “quiet war” and I think a lot of women these days can relate when they challenge status quos. Esperanza seems to clearly feel some inferiority which I think seems to be displayed by her opinions of how her sister’s better looks get her some advantage. She has some insecurities about her appearance but thankfully she tries to empower herself and wants to make her own rules in a world that seems to dictate otherwise.
The vignette that resonates most with me in the last half of “The House on Mango Street” is “Elenita, Cards, Palm, Water.” Esperanza has gone to visit a “witch” because she is still searching to know if she will get the home that she is searching for. The first thing I noticed is that it seems like perhaps Esperanza has been to see Elenita before either by herself or maybe with a family member. I say this because Elenita seems to be exhibiting a very casual style with Esperanza. “Take that crazy baby out of here and drink your Kool-Aid in the living room. Can’t you see i’m busy here?” Not quite the way you would speak in front of a new client you want to keep. After Esperanza gets the water for her own reading she says, “I put it on the center of the table, like she taught me.” Also the fact that Esperanza tells about all the things Elenita know like the egg on the face and the chicken foot remedies indicates she knows of her through someone else.This may seem insignificant but I think is is very significant to the credibility of the person performing the reading. The Hispanic culture which Esperanza comes from has an open market in this practice of fortune telling and divination. Often times the “witch” or “esperitistas” as they are often called, know the families in the community so they are able to get information on them and they become repeat customers. Customers who come to them often for an inkling of hope to keep them going enough to get them through things in their life. Growing up in a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood, I often visited “Botanicas” with my mom and grandmother for a myriad of reasons. They took the credibility factor of the “espiritistas” (males and/or females) very seriously. So much so that my mother would take the train cross town to ensure that they knew nothing about us so she could gauge their truthfulness. I do not practice this myself and It sounds bizarre to some i imagine, but to me this was normal everyday type stuff because it is part of my culture. No where in this reading did I see that Elenita gives this reading for Esperanza the same level of respect and hope that Espeanza has gone there with.
Esperanza says “my whole life on that kitchen table: past, present, future,” yet there was not set up to meet the expectation. The disappointment set in early because Elenita did not establish her credibility. She did not tell Esperanza any of her past, present, and now she had missed the mark even more by not mentioning the one thing Esperanza went there to hear. Elenita doesn’t even mention the house first, It is Esperanza that mentions the house at first and Elenita runs with it. I can totally understand why Esperanza was disappointed. Elenita seems to see Esperanza as not very important to explain anything to. When she says she sees jealousy, sadness and luxury she does not explain the how, when or the why that people go to a “witch” for. Elenita confirmed to Esperanza that she must have lost her “Anchor of Arms” but never explained to her what that was.and had no problem taking $5 in exchange for basically nothing. Ultimately, even though I did not feel like Elena was genuine she did one thing that I do believe was good albeit unintentionally. She did not lie about a literal house to Esperanza, she told her in the “home in the heart.” By doing this Elena who admits “I don’t get it,” is forced to continue to look inside of herself to mature in the understanding that although she may very well want the literal home, the “home in the heart” must exist with it in order to achieve the peace shes looking for. “Only a house quiet as snow, a space for myself to go, clean as paper before the poem.” There is a saying that says “home is where the heart is” and by the end of “Mango Says Goodbye Sometimes” she has grown in her own strength enough to see that.
Sorry everyone, I get carried away writing and forget to check for length before posting. My apologies.
The vignette that leaves a lasting impression for me is Sire. The theme or central idea of this vignette is Esperanza admiring Sire’s girlfriend or it looks as though she is envious or longs for a relationship like Sire and Lois. At first she thinks that Sire is admiring her or that he’s checking her out so she tries to impress him. Once she sees that Lois is in the picture she starts to break her down physically. The part of this vignette that stuck out the most to me is the fact that Lois doesn’t tie her shoe laces. Its the one flaw about Lois that Esperanza sees but then she feels as though that’s not something boys would like. Surprisingly Sire ties Lois shoe laces and although Esperanza mother says “girls like that get taken to the alley way,” it makes Esperanza question her worth. She feels as though she isn’t good enough or she longs for a relationship like Lois and Sire’s;
This week, the vignettes from “The House on Mango Street” by Sandra Cisneros that I would like to talk about is “Papa Who Wakes Up Tired in the Dark”. In this vignette, Esperanza talks about the time when her father informed her about the death of her grandpa (abuelito). She mentioned seeing her father for the first time in a vulnerable way, and she didn’t know how to help him in those painful moments. She explained why her father told the sad news first to her and what was her duties as the oldest daughter. She also describes what traditions that her family follows after the death of a loved one. The phrase “because this is how they send the dead away in THAT country” could indicate that she feels more an American than a Mexican. The vignettes resonated with me because last week one of my husband’s uncles die. He was like a father figure for my husband and like Esperanza, I felt powerless watching him cry over the death of his uncle.
Kenia, thanks for the good comments. We’ve talked about epiphanies often during the semester, and I think this vignette is an epiphany most of us can relate to—that moment when we see for the first time a strong, male figure crying and showing grief. It is one of the first moments when children realize that their fathers and uncles and grandfathers are human beings and not superheroes.
Hi Kenia Nunez, I also can relate to and I love they way you explained your statement. yeah this reality when we lost one of our favorite person from our live, and there is no way to help each other. I also lost one of my aunt from Covid, and I was so helpless to help my family out.
I agree with Kenia, about how Esperenza’s father had to tell her about her grandfather and what feelings she got by hearing that bad news that made it difficult for her and the close ones that were with him. I had seen the same experience of losing a family member and what makes it hard is that you can’t help them in their last minutes what leaves someone with a deep sad feeling every time they remember that person.
The vignette that made the strongest impression on me, from the short novel The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros was, “Papa Who Wakes Up Tired in the Dark”. In this vignette the narrator’s grandfather had recently passed away and her father breaks the news to her. This story made an impression on me because it’s the narrator’s first time seeing her father cry and isn’t sure of how to console him. Seeing your parents cry for the first time can be a surreal moment because children usually see their parents as an authoritative or stoic figure in their lives. However, in this moment the narrator sees her father in pain and holds him because she understands his pain. Even though this vignette is short, it is a touching moment and shows how grief can sometimes bring us closer to the people we love. We often take the people in our lives for granted and these small vulnerable moments stick with us throughout our lives.
Serafina I agree with you that this vignette has shown us how grief can bring us closer to the people we don’t talk on a daily bases. You say that Esperanza really didn’t know what to do when seeing her father cry and you make a valid explanation because children see parents as strong people and will not know what to do in that position when seeing a parent express their sadness.
Serafina, this vignette as you mention is about the loss of the narrator’s grandfather. The narrator is faced with a first time experience of seeing her father cry. “I have never seen my Papa cry,” and this is something most of us can relate to. What are we to do when we first see our parents cry, at that moment we realize that they are not the all-powerful beings we take them to be when we are children. The narrator is now faced with and adult responsibility, sensing her father’s need for comfort and her own fear of losing him, Esperanza holds her father tightly as he cries. As you mentioned, grief can indeed bring us together and back to reality.
Hey Treshel, I agree with you that the moment you see your parents being vulnerable with you, the all powerful perception you had of them fades away. Having those vulnerable experiences with your parents during adolescence and early adulthood makes you realize that your parents are the same as you. They are not all powerful figures but also a human and I think that is very powerful, especially in this story. Seeing her father cry made her appreciate him and want to console him which is very touching.
Serafina, you say here almost exactly what I said in response to Kenia’s comments. I didn’t see your remarks before I posted. I remember how terrifying it was to see my parents cry, which so rarely happened. Actually, I never saw my father cry.
Serafina, i like that you talk about how children often see their parents as these stoic invincible figures. While a death in the family is always a tragedy, its seems that watching her father lose that status may even be more so a tragedy for Esperanza. She suffers a lot throughout these stories and losing someone that could be seen as an anchor to a better future can be devastating.
Hi Serafina, I like the description of your vignette. The vignette shows that the man in the story treats his wife and children in a brute force manner, having a violent side but also having an immature and vulnerable side like a child. He hears about the death of his grandfather, Esperanza, and talks about his father preparing to attend the funeral. It was her first time to see her father crying, and she was confused, and her anxiety about what to do if she lost him was written. But it was very interesting that her little daughter held him in her arms instead of clinging to her father.
Hello Serafina, I agree with you. Witnessing our parents cry gives us a deep sadness that wan cannot simply shake off even if we wanted to, seeing our parents lost or crying means that although they tried their best to be strong and hold their feelings so their sons or daughter won’t be impacted by their sadness but it might be too much for them to experience on their own. That’s why I believe we get sad and we take the responsibility to take care of our parents when they are down because it takes a lot for them to feel vulnerable.
The vignette that grabbed me the most attention in “The House on Mango Street” by Sandra Cisneros is “A House of My Own”. In this Vignette Esperanza is talking about her dream house. She goes into details what her house will be like and that it’s going to be hers not from a man or dad but of her owns. Her confidence is almost like delusional where she already has an idea of her shoes being next to her “bed” and nobody’s garbage to throw out. This vignette stuck to me the most because in a way it’s kind of like the “American Dream”. Many parents including mine are so fascinated by the idea of owning their house but we like to dream about and wish only if we owned a house our problems would go away. Just like Esperanza the thoughts of owning our dream house pushes us harder to work harder and keep grinding to achieve our dream.
Brian, that was an amazing connection you did there with the vignette and the American dream. I do believe many children and teens often times think and imagine how their life’s will be like with the perfect house or the perfect car, as you mention “only if we owned a house our problems would go away.” We know that is not always the case but we cant denied that it having this stuffs makers our life’s better, after all that is why we always pursued to have a house or a house on our own. I had to mention the part in which you say, “Esperanza the thoughts of owning our dream house pushes us harder to work harder and keep grinding to achieve our dream.” is true that wanting something really bad could make us push ourselves even further for the sake of our dream. But that is not always the case, in many occasions these dreams are just that, dreams.
Brian, thanks for the good post. It’s funny what you write about that dream of a house. It’s a little like the dream of winning the lottery in the way we imagine all our problems will go away. For Esperanza, the dream of a house of her own, a very particular kind of house, is very symbolic of reaching something in her life.
Brian, I love how you tie in this vignette with the American Dream. We are all trying to be like Esperanza in some way where we want our own house and our own dreams to come true. We create realities in our minds on what it would be like to do things differently from our parents.
Good job Brian! connection between the story and the narrative of “the American Dream” was done flawlessly. Yeah, I agree with you on her confidence being somewhat delusional like many who come here, who think they will come/live here and their dreams will be achieved. Many have a romanticized image that their life would be a certain way, with a certain car, and a certain salary, and these aspirations (that feel more than just goals, but almost as fate), do lead to some people working hard and rising above the rest in order to achieve these dreams, like you mention.
Brian, I love your analysis of this vignette. Esperanza envisions her own dream home. It is not an apartment or flat, or a home that looks like her father’s or any man’s. She begins to have concrete fantasies about her future homes, this is something many of us do and as you mention, it’s like the ” American Dream”. It is a house where Esperanza can care for herself-where she can finally cultivate her own identity. As Esperanza describes her dream home, she realizes that it is not necessarily the size or the area, but rather the contents that make it her own. We all as children dream of having our own home but as we get older these dreams don’t manifest but dreaming sometimes leads to greatness.
Brian,
Thank you for your concise analysis. Like most of us ,Espaeranza does not want to live like her parents. She is dreaming of a house of her own because it seems like she lives in a public building, like most of us who live in New York City. She mentioned that she wants to have a clean space. I can definitely relate to what she is talking about because some tenants don’t have any consideration for their neighbors, they leave their trash in the hallway so you don’t have any choice but to throw out people’s garbage. I could say that Esperanza’s dream house is symbolic for economic and social independence, which one can obtain through education.
Brain, I loved this one too. It’s so hard to choose a vignette because they are all so meaningful. I liked that you pointed out the fact that she never included a man in her owning a house.I think that’s the most powerful thing pertaining to the time this book was written was the various possibilities women were obtaining. It is clear from the beginning that Esperanza will not be was society or surrounding individuals want her to be. This specific vignette shows Esperanza’s theme of her life as independent. As much as the American dream is getting harder to envision, there is still hope. Do not give up when there is a bump in the road. “Those who help themselves will be helped along the way.” This is something I tell myself every day on my road to independence and free will as well.
The vignette ‘Sire’ on page 72 stood out to me. The beginning of the story starts out fairly innocent and juvenile. As it progresses however, I feel that each vignette becomes heavier and more mature as the narrator begins to grow older, therefore able to better analyze the people and things happening around her. ‘Sire’ is a vignette that is close to the middle of the story and I feel that this is because the narrator is in for a big change in her life. She is beginning to explore her sexuality. There is a lot of imagery in the vignette that alludes to sexuality which I found a bit surprising to read. “Everything is holding its breath inside me. Everything is waiting to explode like Christmas…I want to sit out bad at night , a boy around my neck and the wind under my skirt. Not this way, every evening talking to the trees, leaning out my window, imagining what I can’t see.” This line shows the narrator pining to experience what it’s like to do ‘bad things’ out at night with a boy. As the reading guide put it, there is a juxtaposition of youth and sexuality in this vignette that is intriguing and relatable. Growing up we all go through the exploration phase, exploring ourselves, our sexuality and the world; always seeking new and exciting things.
Hi Miranda – I agree with you that the vignettes seem to get heavier related to the narrators age. In “Sire” Esperanza not only wants that house but also the dreams that come with it. In this case those dreams now begin to include boys and things that are more sexual. This stage in life is exciting yet not so easy to process for most regardless of where they come from and what the background is. For Esperanza it must have been that much harder due to the baggage she was already carrying around and the fact that no-one it seems, has really made her feel pretty. Sexuality is a profound part of the human experience so I am not surprised it made it’s way into a vignette in this book. I’m just glad it was done in an acceptable, innocently effective way. I liked reading your commentary.
Miranda, I love the quote you pull from “Sire.” It’s as if at that moment the whole vignette also takes a breath. The sense of awakening desire is so powerful, and with it comes the seduction of what is “bad.” You’re so right that passage becomes extremely sexually suggestive with its imagery of the wind under her skirt, the boy around her neck, and she leaning out the window
The vignette that stuck with me the most in the later half of “A House on Mango Street” was “A House of My Own”. Esperanza wants nothing more than to be independent and escape the world she lives in, but not in the way her sisters or friends did. In this vignette Esperanza talks about how she wants a house of her own home that is hers and hers alone. That sentiment left quiet the impression on me because i felt a similar feeling when i was young. I did not have the same circumstances as Esperanza but I had such an urge to escape that nothing would get in my way. Esperanza wanted to escape the feeling of being trapped in her house on Mango street because of the way other people thought of her, how that made her feel, and the experiences she had while she lived there.
Eli, thanks for the good post. Yes, Esperanza’s dream of a house has so much to do with escape and the establishment of her own “home” that expresses who she—and she alone—is.
Hi Eli! I definitely agree that the vignette, “A House Of My Own”, does show Esperanza having the strong desire to be independent and escape. She wants to be able to live on her own terms, by her own rules and not having to worry about anyone else but herself. Being a part of a big family can make you distant yourself, especially if it’s toxic, and her being in her own space is like a breath of fresh air for her.
Hello EliF, I lover your Vignette the reason is because I also want a house where I don’t have to share my Rome with any one, will have some independence. Because I feel all my life I share room with some one. After reading this I totally can feel her.
I will not say it caused me a “strong impression” but I did find it interesting, this vignette is “Edna’s Ruthie” from page 67 to 69. The first sentence describes Ruthie, it mentions “lady” that will make us all believe we are talking about an adult or older woman, but this is when it gets funny as its also mention that, “One blue sock, and one green.” The reason I like this brief description of her is because up until know the vignettes were talking about dead, age, and diseases, but this one gives a funny and less serious perspective to the continuum of the story. Ruthie seems to behave as a child because she doesn’t care much if her socks doesn’t match, I know we all normally care about this stuff as we will not wear any sock unless we found the other one (a lot of jokes about the missing sock). It also mentions that, “she is the only adult who likes to play” and that she has a dog named “Bobo” so far, she is a real interesting character to me, and one that doesn’t care much about what others may think of her, she seems to only care about the fun, something adults often forgot. As the story follow it seems that she is not this way by choice, is more like if she has some kind of mental problem, as mentions that she likes candy but her teeth hurt, also that she ask her mother for permission. Another thing to mentions is that for what is seems she lives in her “own bubble” because she still believes her husband will pick her up to “go back home next weekend, but it never happens” and also the appointments she supposedly has every week for the dentist in which she never attend to. I found interesting that one of the characters mention have this mental problem or for what it seems like a mental problem. I thought it would have been really good to have an adult character that behave as a child by choice and from time to time, to make the story funnier, a “comedic relief” is what is called. Reason for this are many but as I mention before the story had been serious and a little depressing until this part, and even at this “fun” part it turned a little twisted and sad for Ruthie. I had to mention for me at least I found the last few vignettes a little darker.
The standout vignette for me was “No speak English”, as it connects with the lives of many Latin American immigrants in this world. In the story, I took it as a woman (referred to as “Mamacita”), just struggling to live a normal life in what is for her a new country. This isn’t about her feeling lonely due to being surrounded by new people, but instead to the point that she can barely even communicate with anybody. The person who is likely the main person she talks to, her husband, is gone all day, comes late at night, and is likely even abusive to her as indicated by the end “sometimes the man gets disgusted. He starts screaming and you can hear it all the way down the street”. This story stands out to me by how misunderstood this woman is by everyone, she gets ridiculed for her weight and people in the town make nasty assumptions about her. The only people showing compassion is the potentially abusive husband as he paints the house pink to make her feel more at home, and Esperanza who infers why she doesn’t leave the house often as being due to her lack of experience with English, and not her weight or laziness as others in the neighborhood point out.
J
Johnathan,
Wow I can definitely feel Esperanza’s pain and struggle. As females, it’s definitely normal to assume we are feeling down due to superficial aspects. Yet, that is not always the case. Looks aren’t always our biggest issue, we are human and have more things to worry about. Though it is okay if it’s yours.
The vignette, “No Speak English” from The House On Mango Street, made the strongest impression on me. The vignette is about a woman called “mamacita”. She moved to the states to be with her husband and she never leaves their apartment due to her inability to speak English. She only knew about three phrases to help her just in case the landlord or anyone else came by. This makes me think about immigrants in America today who struggle to get through their day because they can’t speak English. Usually people who don’t speak English or can’t communicate effectively are at the bottom levels of society. They’re seen as not belonging and can experience racism; hearing things like “go back to your country” or racial slurs. You can kind of understand why mamacita isolates herself when you think about it. She might be afraid to feel like an outsider and not belonging. That feeling can rip you apart. It’s so heartbreaking knowing that immigrants come to create a better life for themselves and their families just to get treated with no respect.
Hey Sheilaya, I totally agree with you this is so prevalent to how immigrants feel coming to new place and not being able to speak the native language. People judge these immigrants, and it isn’t right they took a very bold and life changing decision to leave their home. These are the bravest people and they get torn apart because they’re different and can’t speak the native language. This can break the spirit of people, when we should building them up and embracing there culture.
Hi Sheilaya, I agree that “She might be afraid to feel like an outsider and not belonging.” Most people in the neighborhood think Mamacita does not leave the room because she is simply too big. Esperanza thinks it is because she cannot speak English. However, Mamacita may not be going out because as soon as she does, she will have to learn English to be able to be a part of the community. She refuses to learn the language and is devastated when her baby boy starts learning. She spends her entire day sitting by the window, listening to Spanish songs, and crying for her home back in Mexico. Her not speaking English may mean that she is not ready to adapt to the new culture and environment.
ENG 201 Sec. 0527
The vignette that provided the strongest impression to me was “Bums in the Attic.” Although the part was a brisk read there were many deep elements in it. The main theme deals with the hardships caused by social strata. A home to Esperanza symbolises wealth, independence, and opportunity and her goal is to live on the hill. She classifies the two entities as people “who sleep so close to the stars” and “those who live too much on the earth,” the haves and the have nots. The “star people” never look down the hill and forget that there are others who are less fortunate and only wake if the wind blows. While the “earth people” left to fend for themselves are dealing with all the garbage and rats suffering from the socioeconomic hardship. There is also a use of metaphor describing the disassociation between the lower class and upper class, “they don’t look down at all except to be content to live on the hills” (86-87). Esperanza gives a irony where when she has her home she will host the homeless, because she knows how real the struggle is. Yet earlier in the passage she discusses her embarrassment to her being hungry and the family’s unrealistic goals. She seems to be bothered by how unfortunate her situation is. This is important because it shows esperanzas desire to make her dreams a reality and to break the mold of the current social norms.
I feel that this is relative to the current times we are in. Stratification is very visible within our lives. The affordability of healthcare and what perks are offered to those who can afford the price. Also with lottery housing that offers low income apartments in the same building as those who can afford the rent price. Yet the low income individuals don’t receive the same amenities, and have to enter the building though a separate discreet entrance. “They have nothing to do with last week’s garbage or fear of the rats” (86-87). These are just a few examples in today’s world that relate to this vignette and why it stands out to me.
ENG 201-0527
I apologize I posted the unedited version this is the correct post.
The vignette that provided the strongest impression to me was “Bums in the Attic.” Although the part was a brisk read there were many deep elements in it. The main theme deals with the hardships caused by social strata. A home to Esperanza symbolises wealth, independence, and opportunity and her goal is to live on the hill. She classifies the two entities as people “who sleep so close to the stars” and “those who live too much on the earth,” the haves and the have nots. The “star people” never look down the hill and forget that there are others who are less fortunate and only wake if the wind blows. While the “earth people” left to fend for themselves are dealing with all the garbage and rats suffering from the socioeconomic hardship. There is also a use of metaphor describing the disassociation between the lower class and upper class, “they don’t look down at all except to be content to live on the hills” (86-87). Esperanza’s ironic twist occurs when she discusses the plans for her future home. She will host the homeless, because she knows how real the struggle is. Earlier in the passage she discusses her embarrassment to her being hungry and the family’s unrealistic goals. She seems to be bothered by how unfortunate her situation is. This is important because it shows esperanzas desire to make her dreams a reality and to break the mold of the current social norms.
I feel that this is relative to the current times we are in. Stratification is very visible within our lives. The affordability of healthcare and what perks are offered to those who can afford the price. Also with lottery housing that offers low income apartments in the same building as those who can afford the rent price. Yet the low income individuals don’t receive the same amenities, and have to enter the building though a separate discreet entrance. “They have nothing to do with last week’s garbage or fear of the rats” (86-87). These are just a few examples in today’s world that relate to this vignette and why it stands out to me.
Juan i really like the vignette you picked and I also liked when you said The main theme deals with the hardships caused by social strata. A home to Esperanza symbolizes wealth, independence, and opportunity and her goal is to live on the hill. She classifies the two entities as people “who sleep so close to the stars” and “those who live too much on the earth,” the haves and the have nots.” i agree with you when you said this vignette had to do with hardships. the quote that you chose explains your reasoning for the main idea of the story.
The vignette that impressed me most when I read the vignettes on pages 56-109 of the Mango Street House was “Red Clowns.” There are various losses that Esperanza experiences in her work. But understanding the meaning of the losses is in this chapter that deals with the incident of loss of virginity that is not good for her, that wealth potential plays the most significant role. Esperanza experiences her sexual initiation, being half-guided by her beautiful classmate Sally. One day Sally is assaulted as her first sexual experience by leaving Esperanza behind. This vignette is short, but the magnitude of her shock and agitation at that time is evident when comparing the opening sentence with the last paragraph. In the beginning, she still has some concreteness. But in the part where she was assaulted by the boys, her memory is in turmoil and upset. I am particularly impressed with the fact that Esperanza is different from what Sally said and what was written in her book. It was a sense of discomfort with the actual sexual experience and was not what she had imagined. She causes severe disappointment, but there is deep disappointment and disappointment that her mango street house is the same as what she brings to her, both not what I imagined.
I can be disappointed when I experience it in reality because I over-expanded my image of things or over-expect things that I have not experienced or were looking forward to it. Even if you cannot event it as a child, when you experience it as an adult, it may be more unpleasant or disappointing than you expected. The more different the gap between the imaginary illusion experience and the actual reality, the less solid the illusion side is. In short, I know I have lost something, but I think the unpleasant feeling of not knowing what it means to me remains melancholic.
The vignette that stood out to me was “A Smart Cookie” First of all it stood out to me because i know so many people that are put in this sort of situation. Their parents lived their life and made mistakes whether that be not pursuing education or their dreams. From that the parents put pressure on the kids so they don’t make the same mistakes they made and really pursue their dreams so they can be proud and live vicariously through them. Additionally a major aspect of this vignette is the fact that the mother had the potential to be great and reach so many goals but took it upon herself to decide that she didn’t have what it took when in fact looking back on it she regretted not continuing her education. That feeling of regret that the mother feels is nothing that she wants her daughter to feel that sense of regret when she can see the same potential she saw in herself.
ENG 201-0527
Neil, You stated some very interesting aspects on this vignette. You stated that, “That feeling of regret that the mother feels is nothing that she wants her daughter to feel that sense of regret when she can see the same potential she saw in herself.” I think this was an important observation because you pointed out what probably every good parent in every generation wants for their children. I also think the message is one of pride. The mother decided to make decisions in her life because when she was young she thought that she knew better after living through her experiences and gaining wisdom. She regretted her past decisions knowing what pride does to people she decided to instill her wisdom to her daughter and teach her humility. She desires her daughter to live her dreams and never let pride ruin her opportunities. She desires for her daughter to be humble and seek wisdom and learn from her mistakes so that she can have a better future. This was one of the few vignettes I also enjoyed as it reminds me so much of my mother and how she was so supportive of my dreams but always wanted my to learn and understand the mistakes of the past and remain humble so that I can have success in my future.
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From pages 56-109, page 76 with a vignette named, “No Speak English” had the strongest impression on me because the vignette reveals how powerfully it impacts a person’s confidence and invades their comfort zone when they are introduced to something that is out of their league. And because of which they tend to wane away from those things. “…but I believe she doesn’t come out because she is afraid to speak English and maybe this is so since she only knows eight words”. Just like here in the vignette Mamacita seems to isolate herself from the neighbours because she doesn’t feel confident to have a conversation in English yet. I have noticed that Mamacita is also quite fancy because of the way the narrator describes her outfit. It says, “…her lavender hat boxes, a dozen boxes of satin high heels”. This sentence tells me that she did not have a poor financial status as compared to the narrator’s dad. And by this, I can think of how well-mainted she was which makes me believe that she was very concerned about her well-being and image. So this could be the reason why she did not want to talk in English because she was bad at it and that she did not want people to judge her by that. This vignette reminds me of my Grandmother when she first moved here in the United States from Nepal. She has trouble speaking in English but she did not avoid people like Mamacita does. My grandmother too used to listen to the Nepali news because she still wanted to feel like she was home. I believe that it is the same thing with Mamacita, she wanted to feel homely in an unfamiliar city.
Hey Prasika, what you wrote was extremely powerful to say the least. I feel like a lot of people to who move to the US from foreign countries experience similarities between Mamacita and your grandmother. Some may choose to isolate themselves in an unfamiliar city, afraid of being judged and not wanting to embarrass themselves when they aren’t too fluent in English or whatever the popular language is wherever they go to. Then there are people like your grandmother that don’t take that route and doesn’t avoid people. What seems to be shared amongst everyone, even Mamacita is that they always keep a piece of home with them to feel more comfortable in foreign land.
The vignette that left the strongest impression on me would definitely have to be “The Three Sisters”. In that vignette, it starts with some bad things happening, such as a kid getting sick and dying, Esperanza’s 3 old aunts visit and she ends up making a wish with them. As if they read her mind, they could tell she desperately wants to get out of Mango Street, but also tells her that even when she leaves she should remember where she is from and never forget. Essentially this vignette’s central idea/theme was about even if you have the strength to leave your unwanted circumstances you shouldn’t forget where you come from and abandon those people. There’s nothing wrong with Esperanza wanting to leave Mango street and have a better life but the one way its gonna get better is if people like her come back and help the community get better at one point. The reason this resonates with me would have to be that I find myself in Esperanza’s predicament. I don’t wanna be stuck where I am and I want to go places outside of what I already know. I am also aware that I can’t forget about where I come from and abandon those people. While reading this I also thought about how tons of basketball players, leave their neighborhoods after they make it and eventually return to try and better those neighborhoods.
The vignette that made the strongest impression on me from The House on Mango Street was “Beautiful & Cruel”. In this vignette, Esperanza describes how people think of her as a good for nothing person. Esperanza thinks of herself as the ugly daughter who nobody comes to visit. Nenny has beautiful eyes and Esperanza thinks that beautiful people like Nenny can talk about leaving home all the time, because they are pretty and have fewer worries. She believes that less attractive women are at a disadvantage because they hold less power over men than the beautiful. Therefore, thinking she is one of the less attractive women, Esperanza worries that she will never get a husband. Yet, she refuses to yield to the men, and insists on taking the power as her own. Esperanza wants to be a powerful, confident and independent women. Esperanza decides to take up the role of a “beautiful and cruel” woman, someone who refuses to give up her power. Esperanza is having this internal war about what she wants, and who she wants to be in life. She wants the ability of having control over her own life, yet she also wants someone to share it with.
Altynai the vignette “Beautiful & Cruel” also stuck out to me because this is something that goes on in todays society woman who are considered beautiful or who look a certain way get certain advantages and woman who look unappealing will be at a lose or disadvantage. It was also like this with me and my sister growing up I felt my sister was the beautiful one out of the two of us and she was the golden child or favorite and felt that I was the ugly less liked daughter which was not the case at all but growing up and seeing that someone is being treated differently from you based off how they look can really hurt you and affect your self esteem.
Hey Altymai, I like that you brought us this vignette. It’s really sad but this happens more than it should in todays society. If you are put down so much by others, it starts to scar the way someone will look at themselves. However, it never matters what people may think because everyone is their own beautiful. Nobody should ever give the power to others to tell them how they should feel based on appearance when there is so much more. Stuff like this can damage a person and should be talked about more.
The vignette that like the most and relate to is “ No Speak English” from the House On Mango Street. The vignette is about the lady who moved to a stat to live with her husband. Sense she moved she never go out side because she don’t speck English. She only know few words just not get stuck. The I was reading this story I went through-back in 2013 when I came to united state. I can only say two words “ fine”, and “thank you”. When I was reading it I felt she is telling my story. I used to not go out with my cousins or to the store because I did not know English. I used to feel low and ignorant too.
Shapla this vignette also made an impact on me because me and my whole family were not born in America and has moved here after many years of living in our country. I remember being in school and not speaking because I had such a thick heavy accent and spoke broken English. I knew that my classmates as well as my teachers would have a hard time understanding me because of the fact that my English was not so good and so I can relate to the lady when she never went outside because she didn’t speak English. It is hard being around people who can not understand you when you speak it feels as though you aren’t making sense to them.
The vignette from The House on Mango Street that made the strongest impression on me would have to be “Sally-81” the central idea of this vignette is about a young beautiful girl named Sally who is recognized for her beauty, however her father believes her beauty is trouble. This vignette made the strongest impression on me because I do agree with Sally’s father that beauty is trouble. Being beautiful and being a female puts you at risk in so many different ways this has been happening throughout history for so many years. Sallys father recognizes how beautiful she is and when he looks at sally he remembers his sisters and get sad that is why he is so hard on Sally. Her father does not want her doing things that will bring attention towards her because he does not want anything bad to happen to her. In todays society mothers and fathers are protective of their daughters because they know the risks that come with being beautiful and they know what there daughters will be subject to.
The vignette that left an impression on me is No speak English is about a woman called “Mamacita”. She moved to the states to be with her husband and that also does not leaves her apartment because she feels uncomfortable. the statement for this vignette that was interesting when I was reading throught is “Ay! Mamacita, who does not belong, every once in a while lets out a cry, hysterical, high as if he had torn the only skinny thread that kept her alive, the only road out to that country.” esperanza is looking at a mom that has a son that is living in her neighborhood, but is hoping that she will leave the current country that she’s living in and goes back where she comes from. The main thing that caught my attention is when she said No speak English, I had a similar experience but with another language in another country.
Hi Maryam, I think the “Mamacita” felt uncomfortable because she had a hard time adjusting to her new reality. Instead of looking forward to a new type of life, she got stuck in her old life. I understand that at the beginning everybody feels nostalgic, but by embracing brand-new adventures our life can be a little less complicated. Trying to communicate with others without knowing the same language could be very challenging, but she will never know who else speaks her language if she only stays inside her house.
** DISCLAIMER: there is a mention of suicide is my response**
The vignettes that stood out to me the most was “ Sally”. This one made me really emotional. The theme is “Sally” can be described in various ways but the one that struck out to me was how alone and confined she felt. The narrator explains that she questions why must Sally go home straight after school. It seems as though Sally does not have many friends nor can she sustain them when the narrator says that she has no one to laugh with nor does she have anyone to be vulnerable with. There is a part where I perceived that the narrator came up with an idea of what Sally might be thinking as a form of escaping. It says” You could go to sleep and wake up and not have to think who likes and doesn’t like you”. The narrator went on to explain what seemed like a perfect, beautiful, sunny place. I perceive this as what suicidal individuals think happens when they act on those thoughts. This was very deep to me because, throughout my entire high school years, I was Sally. I didn’t have many friends and anyone that manages to stick around, I did everything in my power to push away. I can count on my hands how many times I went out after school to hang out with my friends. I only dated one person for a few months, which then finding out on my 16 birthday that he had been cheating on me. I am a person who likes to conceal and hide what I am really feeling; I do not like to be vulnerable and when I do I feel like a burden. I did not realize this until the pandemic cut through my senior year. I saw people post on their social media stories screenshots of them face-timing their friends since they were not allowed to meet in person at that time. Even before the pandemic, the only time I would talk to my friends was during school hours. As I am walking home I can see my friends going to hang out at McDonald’s.I was not a popular person but I was well known for my jokes. I guessed I used comedy to diminish my loneliness. Up until a month ago, I did not facetime anyone. I would go months without speaking to anyone; it was then that I realized how alone I was, but most importantly how unloved I felt..Till this, I question if my parents even love me or only see me as a resource. When I read that I saw myself, and realized that I was never really happy in High school, I was so alone and miserable but thought if I can make people laugh how can I be sad.
One vignette from The House on Mango St was, “Born Bad” on page 58. This vignette entails the story of a girl reminiscing of her younger days. As told by the narrator, Esperanza always played games with her sisters. A very popular game they used to play was mimicking others. One day they decided to mimic their aunt Lupe. As time went on her aunt died and the girls felt guilty for doing this. Esperanza specifically, thought it was her fault her aunt died. Her mother added guilt to her by telling her she was born on an evil day. I believe this was very heartbreaking to bare as a child. Esperanza couldn’t understand her aunt didn’t die because they made fun of her but more because she was sick and diseased. I believe that the theme of this story can be self-reflection for the character in the story reflects about her actions all through the story.
In “The House on Mango Street”, the vignette that impressed me most was “Four Skinny Trees”. In this vignette, Esperanza’s loneliness and frustration in holding on to her ideals are vividly represented by four young trees that grow tenaciously despite concrete. the beginning, Esperanza complained that her house had no front yard and only four small trees in front. In this vignette, Esperanza found inspiration and beauty in the small, jagged trees, a trait she didn’t see when she first moved to Mango Street, it is a sign of growth. She had grown up befriending the four skinny trees because they understood her and they had something in common with girls. They are all as lonely and strong as girls. In fact, there is no need to have too many words between friends, as long as the heart is interlinked, mutual affinity.
One of the vignettes from pages 56-109 from the “House on Mango Street” that made the strongest impression on myself is “Darius & the clouds”. This vignette is about the meanings of the sky and how the sky can symbolize something good even if you are feeling sad , mad , etc. One of the children in the vignette named “Darius” described one of the clouds that he was looking at and said it was “god”. Darius who is not a smart student , dislikes school , and rarely talks said that. He said it confidently and simple as if he does not want anybody to respond or debate him about it. This vignette resonated with me because I believe in moments like these where somebody believes they saw or spoke to god. I have personally experienced a feeling that I saw a gateway to heaven as a cloud and was in belief of heaven being closer than I previously thought.
One vignette from The House on Mango Street that I felt made an impression on me was “Born Bad.” The reason why is because of how the story begins and ends, with a big critical thinking about the event and why it happened. What I think the central idea of this vignette is that there are moments in one’s life where bad things happen, wheather you are good or bad. During these times of struggle, people would often ask questions like why me or what I do to deserve this. In the vignette “Born Bad” it states, “Maybe the sky didn’t look when she fell down. Maybe God was busy. It could be true that she didn;t dive right one and hurt her spine. Or maybe the story that she fell very hard from a high step stool, like Totchy said, is true. But I think diseases have no eyes. They pick with a dizzy finger anyone, just anyone.” What this quote from “Born Bad” show me is that there are times where fate doesn’t decide or choose what happens to you, they just happen.
The Vignette I decided to choose is called Born bad and it talks about how a girl thinks on a time she was with her aunt who she use to make fun of. Her aunt was at one point extremely beautiful and she doesn’t look like that now. Esperanza mocks her aunt because of how she looks now. she was playing a game one day with her friends where they pick someone they imitate and one day Esperanza decided to pick her Aunt who is sick. Her Aunt treated her very good and even supported her with her dreams such as writing poems. she mentioned how she was born on a evil day and even gets her mother to pray for her. I believe this story is to show what not to do. i believe it is to tell you to respect your family and anyone and that’s why I picked this story because it is something that effects everyone.
Hey Mark, I agree with what you’re saying here. This vignette is definitely a learning experience and a warning to a lot of people to cherish those they hold dear. Not only that but also respect those who you care for. The aunt was shown to be quite nice to her while she bad-mouthed her due to her current appearance. Judging someone superficially is a terrible thing to do and this vignette encourages us to not do so.
The vignette that resonates with me can be found on page 74 called “Four Skinny Trees”. In this vignette, Esperanza compares herself to the trees, claiming they’re the only ones that understand her and they have more to them to what the eye can see. She explains how their strengths are secrets hidden beneath the ground at their roots. I believe the trees are a representation for her to keep going and how she sees herself. Although these are just 4 regular trees, she gives the human characteristics and a force behind them. Through the trees, she is explaining how she is as a person, her emotions and the force she carries to keep going day by day. The trees may represent how others see her but to her, she has more to her than what meets the eye. The trees are like a reminder to her about who she is deeper inside and they’re her comfort.
The vignette that made the strongest impression on me, from the short novel The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros was, “Papa Who Wakes Up Tired in the Dark”. In this vignette Esperanza’s father told her that her grandfather is dead. When thinking of her father crying and his future death, she comforted her father sympathetically. In the minds of children, death is a very remote event, and they hardly pay attention to this issue. But when the people around them die, they must recognize reality. They will realize that they will experience the same things in the future and will feel sad and painful like their parents. Therefore, their hearts will quickly transform into growth and begin to learn to share the pressure for their parents. Through this, they will learn more about the adult world and prepare for their future.
The vignette from “The House on Mango Street“ which made an impression on me is “Hips”. I was struck by this line:
“Nenny, I say, but she doesn’t hear me. She is too many light-years away. She is in a world we don’t belong to anymore.”
The whole vignette seemed to depict how contrasting these two sisters were and how awkward the relationship with Nenny was. While the friends are joking around, it seems like Nenny just didn’t get it, and this embarrassed her sister. While the girls are light-heartedly discussing hips and the role they play for women, for instance, Lucy says their good for dancing, or Rachel who says that they are better to hold a baby when you cooking, or the scientific approach that Nenny’s sister comes up with that biologically women’s and men’s hips are shaped differently because women bear children, Nenny says something that seems to disgust her sister when she claims “If you don’t get them you may turn into a man.” I think Nenny sister tries so hard to tolerate her sister because they are sisters. But in the line “She is in a world we don’t belong to anymore” reflects the true distance between them. She says Nenny cannot hear her and exaggerates Nenny being “too many light-years away”; and when I read this, I remember feeling sad for their relationship. Since I believe sisterhood is so valuable, it’s just sad when I see these two sisters being too different from each other that it’s a pain for them to hang out together. I could almost feel the disappointment of the author.
The vignette that stood out to me is Born bad. In this vignette, we can explore many emotions when it comes to identifying what was done right and what was wrong to do. In The vignette, Esperanza plays with her cousins and friends by mimicking the personality and actions of others the people of the town. The kids did not know who to impersonate so they impersonated her aunt Lupe and she soon died. The vignette titled born bad makes the reader think was it really a bad thing to do? or was it just a coincidence and their beliefs make it seem as it was with ill intent. That is one of the reasons why I find this vignette interesting, I personally think that kids will go through many experiences like this that will shape them in the future and that kids mostly do not do or say things with primarily ill intent. There are many ways to deal with stress and pity and making fun or impersonating others could have been their way of wanting to be like other people and maybe get a grasp of what their lives would be like. Kids also use other coping mechanisms such as laughter, silence or simply using their imagination.
The Vignette that resonates with me the most is “A House of my Own”. This vignette talks about Esperanza’s own house, the one that belongs to here and no one else. This house, a “house quiet as snow, a space for myself to go, clean as a paper before the poem”(Cisneros 108) was essentially a sanctuary for her where no one could bother her. This is something I crave for a place to call my own where I can decorate it how I please and leave it as clean as the day I arrived. Its really important for everyone to have their own safe place where one could mentally unwind and relax especially now in these current times. Again, This vignette to me was quite powerful and something I definitely resonate with.