Concept of home in contemporary society

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Sandra Cisneros'novel " The house on Mango Street," published in 1984 is considered to be a Bildungsroman, in other words a book following the development of a person, the process of transformation from an initial state symbolically representing potentiality to a final one symbolically representing actuality (in the Aristotelian sense of fully achieved and actively manifested potentiality).

The purpose of the present paper is to analyze how Esperanza constructs her own identity and becomes aware of it through the various relationships she creates with both boys and girls coming from a variety of family backgrounds and social statuses. The main theme is represented by the dynamics which occur in the relation between the individual and society.

Esperanza, the main character is undergoing a process of growth (literal and spiritual as well). As she interacts with other boys and girls of her own age, some richer, some poorer, some looser, some more conservative what she actually achieves is a better understanding of her own true values.

At the beginning of the story she is unhappy with her house, a symbol of her status, because she compares it to the one of a richer girl of her own age. This happens not necessarily because the other's girl is more beautiful and that having it would make her happier, but because the other girl seems to incarnate the ideal of the perfect family. In this context the perfect house is a metaphor for a perfect family. It is interesting to notice how the concept of family shifts from the actual house to the entire Mango street, where all the action "takes place."

The process through which Esperanza constructs a strong identity for herself is closely connected with issues such as family, economical status and also sexuality. The house is a problem because it was supposed to be the dream house, much better than the old house where nothing worked properly. Reality differs from the promise her parents made so she is angry with reality and her family as well. I believe that a further issue that can be read between the lies is the concept of power.

Through her reaction of discontent with the house and anger with her family, the young girl actually expresses a reaction of anger towards an origin which gives her little power (financial, therefore social). An element from the biography of the author can be mentioned at this point, that is her Mexican-American origin.

When addressing the issue of social status and social power of the little girl the author may be making a point about the conditions that Mexican-Americans are confronted with generally living in the United States of America. The fact that the girl is called Esperanza is by no means casual. In Spanish, the word literally means "hope." Therefore, the denouement of the novel with the positive change of the girl and her strengthening is a symbolical future perspective for all the Mexican-Americans.

The first people whom she makes friends with in the neighbourhood are Rachel and Lucy. Since the girls all have the same family background, the relationship between them is easily created. Other girls who come into the picture are Alicia and Marin.

As the social relations develop so does the girls awareness about her social status as a person and as a female. She is confronted with various reactions regarding the place where she lives. Since there are many colour people living in the neighbourhood is considered dangerous and not adapted for a certain category of people.

Sexuality is another interesting theme which slowly develops in the book. Right from the beginning the narrator will tell us about little Esperanza and her friends wearing high heels as they go out. Naturally this makes them feel attractive and powerful. Pretty soon though the girl will have a negative contact with a person who incarnates the religious morality codes, mother superior.

This particular character will insinuate things about Esperanza's morality while presuming that she comes from the worst house in the neighbourhood. The character has no real name, she is called Mother Superior and from here the reader must understand that it is her status which completely defines her. She is a symbol of rigidity and intolerance and although defined by a position which ties her to the religious area, she has nothing to do with the religious principles regarding love for the others and open mindedness.

Furthermore, she becomes a symbol of the fact that everywhere you turn you find a potentially bad person. Another lesson that Esperanza learns from the high heels episode is that sex, morality and reputation are closely connected. Mother Superior is the voice of a part of the society. The lesson comes at a right timing. The little girl likes a boy and the boy likes her. Not only that, but she is aware of the situation and she responds when he is looking at her.

The concept of freedom is another important aspect metaphorically presented in the book. On the one hand, there is a woman called Mamacita who refuses to learn English. This naturally prevents her from communicating with the others so she is constrained to remain in her home.

Esperanza must understand that when you live in a community which is different from the one that you were born it, it is advisable to learn the rules and the customs of that community in order to be able to socialize and integrate yourself. One might argue that by refusing to learn English the woman actually refused to acquire a manner of thinking which she did not consider proper.

And not only that. By refusing to learn the new language she was performing an act of defending her own cultural identity. She becomes a symbol from this point-of-view, but her isolation is the price she needs to pay. This can also be considered a lesson about flexibility and its possible advantages.

But Mamacita is not the only female character who is locked inside her house. If in the case of the woman who refused to learn English this was caused by her own will, this was not the case with Rafaela who had her husband locking her up when he left the house.

Women appear to be easily rendered prisoners by society, on the one hand through its rules and conventions, on the other hand through the statuses that it allows to be created within it. If the husband locks the woman inside the house is because she too allows him too. She could divorce for example, but since she does not there must be a strong reason for which she does not.

Young Esperanza should understand that the status which society offers to men and women based solely on gender is not equal. The gesture of Rafaela's husband is symbolical. It demonstrates his possession and the fact that he views his wife as an object belonging to him.

An interesting episode is that in which the girl talks to the witch woman who tells her that "she will have a home in the heart." The main idea that the author wishes to communicate is that real values are spiritual and not material and that home is rather a feeling and not a physical place and shelter. Naturally the girl is too young to be able to understand this but by the end of the novel she will.

Esperanza manages to understand important aspects about the role of women in society, the importance of sex and of physical aspect. As she does not consider herself to be beautiful she decides to act upon roles which are different from the ones normally imposed by society to women. She also understands that education is a means of achieving power through a solid construction of the self. Looking at her mother she concludes that education is a supportive element for personal freedom and also happiness. ironically, her mother is another woman trapped in her house. Esperanza will finally comprehend that she is free to do what she wants to do.