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Oppression In The House On Mango Street

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In the novel, The House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros, she demonstrates oppression due to society, gender, culture, social class, etc.. The novel takes place in a small town told in the perspective of an adolescent girl named Esperanza as she grows and matures, facing different coming of age issues. In the vignette “The House on Mango Street” we are given an example of oppression due to social class and society. When a Nun confronts Esperanza, she causes Esperanza to feel ashamed. Cisneros writes “You live there? The way she said it made me feel like nothing. There. I lived there. I nodded.”(Cisneros 5). The way the Nun talked to Esperanza really affected her and made her feel like there was something wrong with where she lived and how …show more content…
In comparison, they both discuss friendships Esperanza was really passionate about. In both vignettes, the people she talked about really stood out to her and she was intrigued by them. But, in each vignette she has 2 different emotions and experiences that have an affect on her. In “Our Good Day” Cisneros writes “Five dollars is cheap since I don't have any friends except Cathy who is only my friend till Tuesday.”(Cisneros 14). Esperanza thinks it is so easy to make friends, and this is a bargain considering her only friend is leaving soon. Esperanza is happy now that she has new friends, Rachel and Lucy, and the bike they bought with the five dollars. But she was unloyal to Cathy, who told her not to pay them for their friendship. We see this theme of betrayal again in “Red Clowns”, but this time it happens to Esperanza. “Why did you leave me all alone? I waited my whole life. You're a liar. They all lied.”(Cisneros 100). In this vignette, Esperanza faces the reality of betrayal in friendships. She feels that because Sally did not return when she said she would, it is her fault that she was sexually assaulted. Sally meant a lot to her because she was her first best friend and more special than Lucy and Rachel. In “Our Good Day”, we see the bright side of friendships and how much joy they can bring you. In “Red Clowns”, we see the dark,

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