HOUSE ON MANGO STREET

The book, The house on mango street by Sandra Cisneros contains many stories that expresses sentimental value of the author. Sandra Cisneros in many occasions uses different form of symbolism and forms of figurative language to form a strong connection with the reader. Many if not all of the figurative language in the book is used to describe the characters. Throught the book she mostly compares and writes about herself. Sandra tends to give the main character in the book named Esperanza a feeling of self-resentment and not been pleased with herself, resources and many of the things around her. 

An example, of figurative language that becomes commonly used is comparison and use of windows. Though the point and message that is been transmitted of windows may slightly differ through the chapters it tends build the point of being trapped and surrounded in her house and in the life that she is living in. “ Rafaela leans out the window and leans on her elbow and dreams her hair like Rapunzel’s” (Page 79). Esperanza becomes trapped and realizes the status and position that she stands in while in her community and what she shares along with other women. The windows represent a moment and a small piece of becoming free and being able to see the other side and understand different perspectives. The window begins to tempting her and shows her true position in wealth. 

 Esperanza only has that window to relief herself of been poor and been in a small community where people also have low incomes. Esperanza begins to use the windows and her view of her community and herself as a point from grow from and to become better. “She looked out the window her whole life the way so many women sit their sadness on an elbow.” (Page 11)Esperanza wants to raise her expectations of herself to something beyond being poor.  She also uses the window as another portal to view herself differently and to change to something appealing to her through her perspective. “I wonder if she made the best with what she got or was she worried about the things she wanted to be.” (Page 11)