Esperanza, a character from The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, constantly displays her characteristic to be self-made despite her unfavorable environment. Esperanza believes that her name is associated with sadness and waiting, but she wants to “baptize [herself] under a new name, a name more like the real [Esperanza}, the one nobody sees” (Cisneros 2). By having a new name, Esperanza uses this as an opportunity to define herself rather than others defining who she is. Initially, Esperanza becomes jealous of her friend Sally for her ability to attract boys, which makes Esperanza feel unwanted. Later, however, she sees that Sally is defined by the men that she is with, so Esperanza no longer feels jealous of Sally and her desire to