Gender Norms In The House On Mango Street

179 Words1 Pages
Esperanza, in the House on Mango Street, struggles finding friends because genders norms in society and her responsibilities in her family. In the vignette “Boys and Girls”, Esperanza says,”“My brothers for example. They've got plenty to say to me and Nenny inside the house. But outside they can't be seen talking to girls”(#8). In the quote, Esperanza reveals one reason she doesn’t have friends is because of the gender norm in which boys do not talk to girls in public. If a boy and girl are together, the boy and girl could be deemed not appropriate or acceptable being together because of social scripts in place in society. Esperanza also says,”And since she (Nenny) comes right after me she is my responsibility”(#8). Esperanza has a distaste