House on Mango Street Questions

House on Mango Street Questions 1. The apparent randomness shows the diversity of Mango Street. The random topics emulate the random cast of characters that live on the street and the different lives they lead. 2. The fact that Esperanza has problems with eating in public shows that she is very insecure and self-conscious of her body. She doesn’t want others to see her eat. This may be because she believes she is too skinny or too fat. 3. In many ways, it is a feminist text. Since the main character is female and much of the story is seen through her point of view, she addressed many female issues. These include the constant abuse many females faced from the men in charge of their lives. However, many of these issues are universal. Both sons and daughters have been victims to parental abuse and everyone dreams of escaping to paradise. 4. When Esperanza mentions her own war, she is referring to her inner struggle between becoming a grown woman who will patiently wait for a man or becoming a woman who is in charge of herself. 5. Boys are held to a higher standard than women are. They are bred to become proud, authoritative figures in society while the females are nurtured into becoming submissive partners. Since boys are considered superior, it is considered a weakness when they befriend and play with girls. These beliefs will cause the boys to grow up as dominative, controlling husbands that rule over their own lives and their wives’ lives. The women will end up being common submissive partners. The future relationship is one similar to one between masters and slaves. 6. Esperanza looks up to many women in the book. She looks up to Marin because she exudes knowledge of the world and shows off the sexuality that Esperanza is just discovering. She also looks up to Alicia because she isn’t only wishing to escape, but is actually working towards it by going to university. Esperanza looks up to Lois because she represents the freedom that