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Personification In Four Skinny Trees

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In “Four Skinny Trees”, Cisneros establishes an inspiring tone through the use of personification and metaphor in order to develop the theme, one must learn to adapt to their environment and find inspiration where they can. Cisneros utilizes personification by giving the four skinny trees human traits in order to portray the idea that Esperanza finds herself connecting to the trees in a place where she feels she does not belong. “They are the only ones who understand me,” (Cisneros 74.) The author utilized this piece of personification in the Vignette in order to show that the four skinny trees around Esparanza are like humans to her and not just plain useless trees. This part is personification as trees do not have the ability to understand …show more content…

This reveals to me that Esperanza feels alone and almost left out in the city, where she feels different than everyone else. Along with this, the trees are looked at as useless, or have no purpose in such a big city. This helps to create the idea that Esperanza feels as if she is the odd one out like the four skinny trees which helps to show why she believes the trees are the only ones who understand her. This part is very significant because Esperanza discovers the hope of achieving a better life. With the tone being inspiring, Esperanza notices that the trees grew through concrete, which they were not meant to do. The Vignette states, “Four who grew despite concrete,” So, if the trees are able to fight through and make their way up the concrete while having the intention to be the best they possibly could be, then she finds hope to make it out of the city. This part is inspiring as it is Espranza’s vision of a way to find a better life and fight through adversity like the trees did. “Four skinny trees with skinny necks and pointy elbows like mine,” (Cisneros 74.) In the Vignette, “Four Skinny Trees” this quote …show more content…

“Four who do not belong here but are here. Four raggedy excuses planted by the city,” (Cisneros 74.) In this case, Cisneros compares the four skinny trees to raggedy things planted by a city. The four skinny trees are looked at as something like trash, or something planted just for the purpose of planting decorations around the city. In a large city, there are often many things that are forgotten about, or left out in the road as cars drive by, like trash. In this case the four trees are looked at as being one of those things. They are forgotten about and sit on the pavement getting little to no recognition as people pass by. The way that Esperanza feels living in such a big city while being different from others is exactly how the trees sit in the city. This develops the idea that she feels almost like trash or something that is left out by the road and unrecognized by everyone in the city. This is what makes it difficult for Esperanza living in the city where she feels she does not belong. However, with the trees having such a low perception, Esperanza focuses more on the fact that they still grew. The four trees planted by the city with no purpose and no expectations to grow, are now fully grown and thriving together. This is the part that inspires Esperanza to find a

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