Passage Analysis: House On Mango Street Essay

Trees of Thought

Four skinny trees. To most, they would be of little importance and not spared a second thought. But for one young girl, they are a symbol of hope and inspiration. The House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros, narrates the life of Esperanza, a Mexican-American girl desperately trying to find her place in the world. Told through vignettes, Four Skinny Trees is one that is significant because it shows much about Esperanzas character and the authors writing style.

This passage allows the reader to catch a glimpse of a deeper side of the protagonist. In the beginning, Esperanza wants nothing more than to feel like she belongs. She is ashamed of her ramshackle residence, constantly denying being a part of it. As Esperanza travels further on the road of adolescence, she realizes that she does not want to be like the rest of the women in her neighborhood, who waste their lives away. She strives to rise above and make something more of herself. Throughout this struggle for self-definition, the four trees motivate Esperanza to reach her full potential. She finds inspiration in their strength and sees the beauty in them when others dont. Whenever there are too many obstacles in her path, she seeks solace in the trees. They become a sort of constant companion that Esperanza always yearned for. In a way, she reaches out to them because she has no one else to open her heart to. Esperanza feels kinship with the trees, drawing many parallels between them. They are both trapped; the trees in concrete, and Esperanza on Mango Street. To Esperanza, the trees are an image of, freedom, hope, and strength.

One of the reasons this vignette is so powerful is because of the unique script. The author uses a poetic writing style that is lively and straightforward, making it amusing to read and giving it a distinctive flow. Because of the simple language, the reader is forced make his or her own interpretation of the text. Another element that adds to the writing is the vivid imagery. Instead of simply describing the characters with words, the author shows the reader through a series of literary devices. One especially riveting metaphor depicts of the power of the trees. Cisneros portrays the trees as vicious and raging. This representation is ironic because trees often are conveyed as and peaceful and kind. Another piece of imagery used is when the trees are compared to tulips wilting in a glass. The simile really creates a picture in my mind.

This passage was compelling because of the characterization and language. It foreshadowed change and went deeper beyond the text. The vignette showed depth of feeling and made me realize how much nature influences our art and literature. From this chapter, I learned that inspiration can come from even the smallest places.