The House on Mango Street Group

Question:

aabbcc112233
aabbcc112233
Student
High School - 10th Grade

What are some symbols in The House on Mango Street?

What are some major symbols in The House on Mango Street, and what things in the book can I use to support them?

Thanks!

Rate question:

Posted by aabbcc112233 on Friday July 24, 2009 at 8:16 PM and tagged with cisneros, house, mango, street, symbols, the house on mango street.

Answers:


  1. akannan Teacher
    Middle School

    eNotes Editor

    Since the novel is about a girl's understanding of self and unlocking the keys to her emerging and evolving identity, it's going to be hard to pick out symbols because as she grows up, most anything and everything have symbolic meaning.  Certainly, language is one symbol.  Esperanza understands the symbolic quality of language and voice.  In not understanding English, the symbolic meaning is that one is placed at a distinct disadvantage in America.  At the same time, this cultural disadvantage might be symbolic as it silences voices, making them unable to be heard.  Esperanza understands this early on, which might feed into the powerful meaning of becoming a writer.  Pay attention to how language/ voice are symbolic of something more in the book.  The House itself is both a symbol of poverty and identity.  While it does represent poverty, it also serves a source of strength for Esperanza as it gives birth to her dreams, but also inspires her to understand from where to where she has come as she understands her own sense of self in greater detail.  Her name is also symbolic, meaning "hope."

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/house-on-mango-street/

    Rate answer:

    Posted by akannan on Saturday July 25, 2009 at 5:14 AM