House On Mango Street Essay

Respect Hope

“One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others would want you to be, rather than being yourself.” -Shannon L. Alder. Acting like someone who you are not just to fit in is the worst thing you can do since it is not really you. House on mango street is a book written by Sandra Cisneros. The book tells a story about a girl named Esperanza who tries to fit in with others knowing she is not like them. However, by the end of the story she ends up finding herself and her goals. Self-Respect is an important value that Cisneros is tries to impart to her readers because Esperanza always feels like she does not fit in, and she does not want to end up like the rest of her neighborhood.

Esperanza learns that it is hard to fit in

And when she was asked where she lived, she was ashamed, Where do you live? The nun asked. There, I said pointing up to the third floor. You live there? There. I had to look at where she pointed – the third floor, the paint peeling, wooden bars Papa had nailed on the windows so we wouldn’t fall out, you live there? The way she said it made me feel like nothing. There. I lived there. I nodded. -Esperanza (pg.5). By the way Esperanza is explaining how the nun reacted explains that the nun was surprised and a little disgusted of where Esperanza pointed. This made Esperanza more self-concise of where she lives after that she was embarrassed because the way she said it made her feel like she is nothing. This is an important quote because it shows how small comments can make someone self-conscious of themselves so we must be careful with our expressions but also try to not let other people’s comments affect you as a person because people should not make you lose self-respect for yourself. Esperanza wants lo live up in the hill and a have a big house, Esperanza says that she will one day have her own house but that she is not going to forget who she is and where she came from and instead, she is going to offer people the attic because she knows how it feels to not have a house. This is an important quote because it shows how soon after Esperanza started valuing herself and embracing where she came from but not only, she will remember where she came from, but she will go back and help the others form there. Esperanza not only starts thinking better for herself, but she is also planning on helping other people escape mango