The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros is a coming-of-age novel written as a collection
of short stories. It follows Esperanza Cordero, a young Latina girl growing up in a poor
neighborhood of Chicago. The novel explores her struggles as an underprivileged person of color
in a society that normalizes the American dream. It also highlights the gender roles expected of
women. Throughout the story, Esperanza struggles with questions of identity while holding onto
her dreams for the future.

Esperanza’s family moves into a small, run-down house on Mango Street. Although this house is
an improvement compared to their past houses, Esperanza feels embarrassed by it, because it
does not match her dream of a “real house” with space and beauty. Throughout the book,
Esperanza uses her house as a symbol of stability, but she does not feel connected to it. In the
vignette “A House of My Own,” she describes her dream house, saying: “Not a man’s house. Not
a daddy. A house all my own. With my porch and my pillow, my pretty purple petunias. My
books and my stories. My two shoes waiting beside the bed. Nobody to shake a stick at.
Nobody’s garbage to pick up after.”

Esperanza also notices how many women in her neighborhood are trapped in their lives, some
are abused, some marry too young, and others are held back by societal expectations. Witnessing
this motivates Esperanza to stay determined to build a better life for herself. She turns to writing
as a way of expressing her feelings and imagining an escape from reality.

By the end of the story, Esperanza realizes that no matter where life takes her, Mango Street will
always be a part of who she is. She promises herself that once she succeeds, she will return to
help those who cannot leave.

I would recommend the House on Mango Street to my classmates because it is powerful and
easy to read. The book is written in short chapters that feel like little stories, which makes it more
entertaining and less overwhelming than a traditional novel. Esperanza’s story is inspiring and
shows the importance of creating your own path in life while never forgetting where you come
from.