The Dichotomy of Immigrant Experience in The House on Mango Street The House on Mango Street is a collection of forty-four vignettes written by Sandra Cisneros. The author of Mexican descent was born in Chicago, thus being a second generation immigrant. A wanderer in constant search of finding and inventing herself, she harnesses the Hispanic cultural heritage but does not obviate from highlighting its drawbacks. The writer encourages the desecration of envenoming cultural icons such as the superpower of the patriarchal figure, inviting women to become more independent and creative in terms of (re)shaping their identity. Her break with traditions becomes obvious from the cover page of her novel: Sandra Cisneros does not use both her last names, like the Hispanic tradition requires. Standing at the periphery of life, glimpsing back to her core ambitions her even more to look and to move forward with vivacity. Esperanza turns into the literary counterpart of Cisneros, displaying several characteristics of internal exile. For both the author and the main character, writing chicana literature represents a means of getting the sense of freedom their crave for, a chance of healing through the beneficial power of confession and, last but not least, a way of proving themselves to others. In spite of accepting and mastering her mother tongue - highlighted by the frequent occurrence of words and expressions written Spanish - Cisneros prefers to write her literature in American