A House of our own

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 The House on Mango street speaks to a wide range and variety of woman with a dream. I almost love the introduction to this book better than the actual book. It should not be skipped over. I almost skipped it, but told myself reading the introduction would benefit my understanding of the author’s purpose. I see myself and my rough neighborhood in some of these stories. The street I lived on was a dead-end street that I hated so much and I told myself I would never go back. She writes, “No this isn’t my house I say and shake my head as if shaking could undo the year I’ve lived here.  I don’t belong. I don’t ever want to come from here. (106). I felt the same way and watched my street swallow so many lives and silence so many voices. Cisneros gives the people on her street, Mango street, a voice that speaks to woman around the world.

Reading the introduction made me feel like I was watching her become a writer and find her identity. She refers to herself has “she” because she has now grown from the person she once was when she first began writing Mango. She doesn’t let her father’s remarks stop her from chasing her dream. She writes, “He climbs up the stairs muttering with disgust. . . “Hippie”, in the same way he looks at boys hanging out in his neighborhood and says, “Drogas”.(xiii). She wants to live on her own, have her own autonomy, and “She is trying to Live like a writer. “(xv). Growing up in a man’s world, all woman can understand what it feels like to want a house of their own. Cisneros sums it up perfectly when she says, “Not a man’s house. Not Daddy’s. A house all on my own” (108).


This book relates to the girl that lost her mom. Me. It relates to the girl that gets beat. The one who has “too many kids”. The one who is ashamed of where she comes from. The one that takes care of her brothers and sisters. The one that is discriminated against because of the way she looks, or the way she talks.  The one that has a dream. It reaches woman everywhere. This book contains something for everyone. 

Comments

  1. UnknownOctober 9, 2017 at 9:48 AM

    I really connect with you about how your neighborhood seemingly swallowed lives. It's like you're surrounded by failure and it gives you so much anxiety that you'll turn out the same way. I like how you worded "I was watching her become a writer and find her identity." We really did travel with her through her journey that made her who she is. It is also really interesting how you said that Cisneros refers to her younger self as "she" because she is no longer that person. You're right when you say that it relates in someway to everyone everywhere. Even if that person is one of those houses on the hill. Great and moving blog!

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  2. chelseaOctober 9, 2017 at 10:03 AM

    "I felt the same way and watched my street swallow so many lives and silence so many voices." Very powerful statement and I appreciate that because it speaks volume all across the cities and neighborhoods that lack resources and lack a lot of other things to make people feel they can have a brighter future. It is important to understand that not all people come from the same background and when others oppress people that are not like them like its their fault, it makes me upset with humanity. Especially with the current situations in our own nation right now. I do agree that this books contains something for everyone because we all are not perfect. And it is the strength we have to find within ourselves that can define us not where we were beat down from. --chelsea

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  3. Taylor SimmonsOctober 9, 2017 at 11:22 AM

    I really enjoyed your post. I totally agree with you and even though we all have different backgrounds and come from different places there is so much that we can relate to from this book.

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownOctober 9, 2017 at 6:50 PM

    Thanks girls, y'all are making me tear up <3 We are going to fail at things throughout life, but we have to remember that fail stands for First Attempt In Trying. We have to get back up and keep going. We are going to get our own offices !!

    ReplyDelete

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