The Monkey Garden Cisneros Analysis

Cisneros’s language in “The Monkey Garden” is similar to the language used in Genesis as they both include tempted characters and banishment. When reading these similar lines, Cisneros’s message in “The Monkey Garden” suggests that significant turning points in life are inevitable. “The Monkey Garden” and Genesis contain tempted characters who make the improper decisions: Sally and Eve want to commit actions that identify as irresponsible and unavoidable. In “The Monkey Garden” Tito and his friends persuade Sally when they tell her, “ you can’t get the keys back unless you kiss us and Sally pretend[s]to be mad at first but she [says] yes. It was that simple” (Cisneros 96). In comparison, the story of The Garden of Eden in Genesis consists

In this expressive chapter written by Cisneros, Esperanza is kicked out of the garden when “Sally says go home,” as a result of being told to leave, “she didn’t know why but she has to run away. [She] had to hide [herself] at the other end of the garden” (Cisneros 97). In correlation, the Garden of Eden contains banishment when “God banish[es] him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken” (Genesis). In a similar manner to the Garden of Eden, Cisneros uses banishment. In the story of the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve are banished from the garden due to their disobeying of God’s rules. By incorporating a similar language in “The Monkey Garden” one can see there is a reason for Esperanza’s banishment too. In this chapter Esperanza does not want to play with the boys, “[she says], Sally, come on, but she wouldn’t… so [she] just left” (Cisneros 96). She denies the fact that the boys have control over her and Sally, but in her society, this is not a problem. Esperanza is the only one who does not want to kiss or play with the boys; her decision to not play with them is disapproved so she is excluded. Now, considering the similar lines that Cisneros uses, her message that significant events are inevitable is justifiable in this part of the chapter. The banishment of Esperanza is unavoidable, as she violated the standards of boys having control over girls in her society. Likewise, in Genesis there is one rule, and one rule only, that is not to eat from the tree, therefore God has to banish Adam and Eve to ensure they learn their lesson. The significance of these events end up affecting the characters in both stories when they learn their lessons; what is the right and wrong decision to make. Depending on one’s society, the consequential decisions made will make an effect in a positive or negative