House on Mango Street Essay

Childhood In approximately lives of literature, fryhood and adolescence are portrayed as times graced by innocence and a champion of wonder in other works, they are depicted as times of tribulation and terror. Focusing on a single novel or play, explain how its representation of childhood or adolescence shapes the meaning of the work as a whole. Through screw out the novel, The House on Mango Street a girl named Esperanza goes with many different changes as she tries discovering her true self. She evolves from insecure and not designed anything close herself into confident and knowing where she wants her bread and butter to take her.That children must go through the experience of growing out of an innocent child into finding themselves as a person and finally developing self-confidence is highlighted in the book. At first, Esperanza starts out young, insecure, and immature. Her im adulthood coming into courts apparent when she talks about her mom holding her and says, swee t to put your nose into when she is holding you and you feel safe (6-7). This shows Esperanzas insecurity because her mom remains a big source of allay to her. She feels nice and safe all the time because her mom will act as a tribute for her.In addition, Esperanzas immaturity shows when she claims, They are stupid people who are lost and got here by err (28). This emphasizes how defensive and protective Esperanza reacts towards her neighborhood by calling them stupid when thats just how they act. She does not furnish to understand their point of view. Though Esperanza maintains these characteristics, the reader will soon count her slight yet transparent maturity. As Esperanza develops as a person, she goes through another phase where she remains young and immature however, she starts to show obvious signs of maturity and growing up.When Esperanza stands up for her sister she states, Thats right, I add before Lucy of Rachel bear make fun of her she proves her maturity, becaus e she thinks of others like her sister, Nenny (50). She does the right thing instead of caring about what her friends think about her. She takes on more and more responsibilities as she grows up. As she progresses, she shows hints of growing up physically and mentally, but not completely. When a group of her and her friends interpret heels, she says, yes, its true. We have legs. Skinny and spotted with satin scars where scabs were picked, but legs, all our own, veracious to look at, and long (40).They all realize that they finally have entered the first stage of growing up when they notice their slightly more womanly, adult figures. The long legs show their slight maturity, but their scars and scabs show that they lock up remain young. Even though the changes might only be slight they remain changes which continue to come as she grows older and finds her place in the world. Towards the end of the novel, Esperanza finally grows up and becomes self-confident. When Esperanza runs aw ay from the Monkey tend, shes forced to grow up. I looked at my feet in their white socks and ugly round shoes. They seemed farthermost away.They didnt seem to be my feet anymore. And the garden that had been such a good place to play didnt seem mine either (98). The play place that was once so innocent now, a junkyard reciprocates Esperanzas innocence that slowly turns into reality. She is growing up. Additionally, she gains enough confidence and maturity to make her own life decisions, shown when she makes the authoritative decision of where she wants her life to take her. She states, I have decided not to grow up domesticate like the others who lay their necks on the threshold waiting for the ball and chain showing Esperanzas maturity to make her own life choices by herself (88).She finally becomes confident and independent enough to know where she wants her life to take her. Esperanza finally completes her evolution from young and immature to adult-like and confident. House o n Mango Street allows children to see that they will have to grow up one way or another. People might try to experience being an adult then decide to take a step back to swerve it but, there remains no way to avoid it. Life wont always be easy, but in the end people will discover who they are and what purpose they have in life.