Let's dig in what happened on the Mango Street!

Hello! I am Maxine.

     The first book I read is The House on Mango Street. It is about a girl named Esperanza and her family move from Loomis to Mango street. She originally believed that they would have a better living environment since there were many problems with the last house they lived in, including broking water pipes and the demands for using the washroom next door. However, Esperanza is disappointed at the new house because it is still cramped and the bricks crumble in places. Despite these awful openings for living and fitting in the new surroundings, she gradually makes friends with people with different personalities. Knowing more people enables her to change her mindset and look forward to pursuing the blueprint in the future.

       In the story, I am impressed with three chapters of the contents. The first one is “ Alicia Who Sees Mice,” which talks about the struggles for a teenager from a single-parent family to balance between being a full-time mother and receiving education. One day, she saw mice, however, her father said the mice don’t exist and that a woman’s job is to get up early to make food for her family. I see the author points out the patriarchal nature of the society, which hinders girls with ambitions by asking them to take responsibility for the whole family. For me, I think she is worthy of respect since to persist in striving for self-improvement and work hard for the family at the same time is a difficult task to do for such a young girl under a sexist value system.

      Next, “Darius and the Clouds” and “And Some More” are the most extraordinary chapters that I have read so far in this book. Both of them contains repeated words, like “sky” and various kind of “clouds”; also, the former is written rhythmically by using rhyming words, such as school and fool. The latter is a form of conversation by naming the clouds with imagination and creativity. I see the innocence of children when they name the clouds. There are no criticisms even when some dumb answers come out. It reminds me of my childhood which is full of happiness and laughter unlike the conditions that I need to face are scheming and complicated. It also reminds me of cherishing the present time since there is no going back.

      Last but not least, it’s a story about Esperanza’s first job. Since Esperanza is a freshman in the workplace, she doesn’t know the manners and other social aspects of the job. For example, she can’t tell whether it is the right time to sit down and even rests in the coatroom during break time. The event reminds me of my first time being a part-time assistant in a cram school. I stood for nearly 6 hours every day because I was afraid that the boss would think of me as a slacker. I would also be frightened every time my boss called out my name. In this chapter, there is another story talking about sexual identity and sexual harassment. Esperanza is glad that an old man wants to befriend her. Soon after, it turns out that the man aggressively kisses her hard on the lips for a long time. Perhaps Esperanza is too young to realize that this behavior is not only about a kiss but about violence. Sexual harassment is a critical issue that has been discussed among the public and the government. Being cautious as well as brave to say no is necessary that can protect ourselves and others.

       Although having not completely finished this novel, I see the differences that Esperanza changes from moving to Mango street to the present. Besides, the purity that children hold in their minds is the most crucial and precious thing in the book. It makes me not only think of the past but also examine the present. Am I calculating when coping with things and problems? Or, I am still the little girl with an innocent heart?