the house on mango street
We are all affected by cultural standards that our own society imposes to us as what is perceive to be normal and acceptable. In United States, the American Dream- the dream of success, wealth and power all rolled up into one influences many people especially in the minds of the immigrants who perpetually believe that they can get a piece of the so-called American dream. In the short story, the House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros reveals the theme of illusion vs. reality conflicting with one another through images and the setting of the story. We continuously wage war when it comes to dealing with the complexities of life. It is easy to succumb to the illusion or to dream of becoming rich, having a beautiful home and experiencing all of the good things in life. The author brings to light images in the story that exemplifies the recurring need for the main character to escape the hardship of her reality. The images of poverty could be seen as a part of the character's everyday life. "The water pipes broke and the landlord wouldn't fix them because the house was too old...We were using the washroom next door and carrying water over in empty milk cartons (Cisneros p. 122)." Within the confi
As we face the hardships of life, it is human nature to let our imagination to run its course. Sometimes it is better let our dreams linger enough for us live our illusions longer and longer. Although, the adversity that we face everyday keeps us grounded and enable us to accept our current situations. Just like the character of Cisneros, there is a relentless battle between the character's dream of one day owning her dream house with enough washrooms, running water, real stairs, and a big yard with trees compared to the bricks crumbling, swollen door, tiny window and one washroom of her current home. We cannot blame her wishful thinking. Being trapped in the state of poverty is too hard even for an innocent child to live in. I believe that it is not wrong to dream, it is not wrong to hope and strive to achieve our desires. I think we should dream a little, it is the only way we can keep our sanity when we see the realities of our brutal world. Richardson. St. Martin Press: New York 1988. 122-123. Regardless of how much we love to be suspended in a dreamlike state, reality always comes crawling back. The author describes the setting in the story as small, crowded, unappealing to the one's eyes. The character and her fa
Some common words found in the essay are:
Sandra Cisneros, Mango Street, Kiki Nenny, American Dream-, mango street, house mango street, house mango, Human Experience, Press York, House Mango, setting story, beautiful home, lottery ticket, water pipes, move house, everyday life, running water,
Approximate Word count = 836
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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