All people want to belong. As we go through our lives, we learn more and more about what makes us unique in the world. In order to understand what being a member of society means, we use all the lessons we’ve learned. Every one of us has an individual story from our life that can help us discover what belonging means. Ezparanza is a character in Sandra Cisneros’s The House on Mango Street. We see her discover belonging throughout her life. Ezparanza learns about belonging through a variety of psychological experiences.
Ezparanza describes for the first-time the house in Mango Street. She wanted a house where she would not have to share it with anyone else. Ezparanza, her husband and their family did not move to Mango Street when she hoped. She remarked that “the Mango Street House is not as they had described it.” (Cisneros 4,). Ezparanza’s description of the house left her feeling very disappointed. She wanted a single-family home. Ezparanza was not happy with the house she called home, even though her parents had told her it was only temporary. She felt as though she did belong here because of the physical conditions of the home, but all the houses on Mango Street have similar features. Ezparanza is one example. She wants to have a bestie that she can be proud of. Ezparanza wishes to have a friend with whom she could “share my secrets”. One who understands all my jokes so I don’t have to explain. Ezparanza is not yet a good friend in the context of her life, and this is mainly because she has a young sister. It is also clear that Ezparanza’s two brothers have a close relationship with one another, but not her sisters. During this time, girls and guys who had a high level of intimacy were rare. The brothers avoided their two sisters in public. The brothers felt a certain sense of belonging, but not in the way that everyone interacted, regardless of gender.
Names have an impact on people’s mentality and can influence their perception of themselves as members of society. Ezparanza was uncertain about her choice of name, and she felt inferior to people with better names. Ezparanza mentions that at school, people say her name as if it were made of tin. It hurts the roof of the mouth. But I’m always Esperanza. I’d love to have a new, more authentic name. One that no one knows. Ezparanza feels unwelcome because other people pronounce her last name. Ezparanza may feel insecure due to the mispronunciation. Many native English-speakers have a hard time pronouncing it. Ezparanza is constantly made to feel unwelcome by people who have trouble pronouncing her last name.
A job is a milestone in our lives that helps us discover more about ourselves and how we fit in the society. Ezparanza found out about her belonging in society when she learned that her Aunt Lala, who worked at Peter Pan Photo Finishers North Broadway had found a new job for Ezparanza. “She asked how old I am and I said I was a little older. I showed up the next day and told them that I was 1 year older.” (Cisneros p. 53-54). Ezparanza had her first job as part of becoming a member in society. Ezparanza’s work was rudimentary. Not many people got paid for it, particularly women and those of color. Males dominated the higher-ranking positions. Those days, women of color and those who were females weren’t paid as much. That is still the case today. Ezparanza was hired by her aunt Lala, but she did not receive much money. However, having a career gave Ezparanza the feeling of belonging to society.
Ezparanza’s aunt read her writing and she realized that it was her passion. Ezparanza’s aunt is a big fan of her writing. However, she tells Ezparanza to keep on writing. She said it will make you feel free. At the time, I didn’t understand her meaning. The aunt said that writing was something that people could do without restrictions. Writing can help a person to feel like they belong in society, even though there are many rules that we have to follow. Every person is unique and so are their writing styles. Ezparanza later realized that her voice was hers, thanks to what her aunt told her. She begins to recognize the value of her own voice.
Ezparanza examines a character who lived in a time where gender roles dominated culture. Ezparanza describes Sally in “Sally” as a person who is different from the norms of society. Ezparanza refers to Sally as the girl with feminine features, mainly because of her clothes, shoes, and make-up. Ezparanza makes a point of mentioning that Sally wanted nothing more than to be loved and to continue to love. Sally’s character is shown to be true no matter what happens in her life. Her personality may cause her to be shunned by the society because it shows her true colours. Sally doesn’t give a damn what people think, even if they make you feel bad. She does not want her to fit the mold that society has set for her. Instead, Sally wants all of that to be changed by demonstrating her own self-love and love towards other people. We feel like we belong in society when we are loved and have a sense of belonging.
In “A Smart Cookie”, Ezparanza’s mom talks about her own younger self. We see how she could have been anything in the world, but dropped out of school for wearing poor quality clothing. Ezparanza told Ezparanza by her mother, “shame’s a bad word. It makes you feel bad. You know the reason I dropped out of school? You know why I quit school? “I had no clothes but brains” (Cisneros, 91). Ezparanza felt that her mother regretted dropping out of high school due to Ezparanza’s clothing. Her mother was already feeling insecure because of her clothes. Ezparanza’s smart mother could not progress in her life because she was insecure. Ezparanza has learned from her mother’s example that being yourself is important to succeed in life.
Sally was first introduced to us by Ezparanza. Ezparanza said that Sally was the perfect girl for society. Sally, the same girl is shown in a different scenario to show her as a young woman in today’s society. Ezparanza says that Sally is now her father’s new wife, because her father has “gone crazy” and forgotten he is his daughter between the buckle on the belt. You’re my daughter. He then broke his hands into” (Cisneros 93) Sally’s absence gives the impression she had to become a wife as her father forbade her to go back to school. Sally is forced to do housework and care for the children because of the gender roles that were prevalent in Ezparanza’s day. This shows the dual nature of belonging within society.
In “The Monkey Garden,” Ezparanza and Sally are in a strange place. We see that these characters are able to freely roam about in this setting. Ezparanza explains that she wanted to “run as fast as Sally” when everyone else was running, so she ran up and down the hill and through the monkey gardens. At this age, we can see that she wants to do things without anyone criticizing her for being different. She begins to understand what it is to be a part of a society where she feels free. This vignette made her feel less worried about others looking down on her.
A traumatic experience can change our perceptions of belonging and how we feel about ourselves. In “Red Clowns”, we see Sally with Ezparanza at the amusement. Ezparanza experiences a frightening moment here that affects her psychologically and emotionally. I could not help but cry. I can’t recall. It was very dark. I can’t remember. I can’t remember. Please don’t force me to tell anything” (Cisneros, 100). A person may not report a rape to anyone for fear that the perpetrator will hurt them again. Ezparanza, who was about to give up her virginity for her husband-to-be, is ruined by a guy whom she neither knows nor loves. Ezparanza is clearly damaged from this traumatic incident. Ezparanza is left feeling like she’s not a part of society as a result.
Everyone in the society must own a home. Ezparanza’s happiness is finally apparent and we know why. Ezparanza’s “own house” is now a reality. My porch, my pillow and my purple petunias. My books and stories. My two pairs of shoes, waiting on the bedside table. No one to smack a stick. “Nobody’s trash to clean up” (Cisneros, 108). Ezparanza can be proud of the house she describes. Ezparanza does not fit into the stereotypical home owner stereotype. Home ownership was once dominated by men, as this had been normalized. Ezparanza owned this house. It shows that home-ownership is available to all people and not only a small group. Ezparanza’s owning a home breaks stereotypes about men being the primary owners of a house. Ezparanza breaks the stereotype that only men can own a home. It is clear that Ezparanza belongs to society because she owns a home.
When we move on from a place we’ve called home, we can reflect on how it has impacted us. Ezparanza experienced this when she left Mango Street. She brings to light that, despite living in various places, Mango Street remains a house she is attached to, even though it’s sad. The ghost is less painful when I write it down. Mango will sometimes say goodbye to me when I jot it down. She doesn’t have both arms around me. She frees me” (Cisneros, 109-110). Mango Street has left an impression and memory on Ezparanza, no matter where she lives. She feels that Mango Street is a place to which she will always return because of the people and houses she met there. She has finally escaped Mango Street and in some ways empathizes the people who remain there for their entire lives. Ezparanza discovers in a way a dual sense of belonging at the Mango Street house.
Many people seem to be concerned about restrictions. Women in Mango Street seem to be stuck in both their homes and on the street. Ezparanza concludes her narrative by stating that “the feminization” and “personification” of Mango Street is a symbol of the women in general who do not achieve their goals (Betz, 20). Women who are stuck in Mango Street seem to be stuck. Women are unable to reach their full potential if they remain in the same place. Ezparanza was on Mango Street when she noticed that some people, particularly women, could not leave due to certain conditions. A woman’s life is ruined if she stays in her home. The reason for this is gender roles. Husbands want their wife to stay at home and cook, wash dishes, and take care of the children. The husbands can go out and have some fun while also getting food for their wives to cook for the family. Mango Street is a place where women are isolated and do not feel like they belong.
Jayne Marek discusses the themes of identity and difference in The House on Mango Street. She makes a point that is important about “Ezparanza’s Development: Desire for a Satisfying Home, Questions about Personal Identity and Gender Roles, and Especially the Search for a Good Friend Who Can Provide Acceptance and Understanding” (Marek 179). Ezparanza’s life is reflected in all the things she learned. Ezparanza learns that she is capable of anything in a world where males have more opportunities. Ezparanza is not without her struggles and her resistance but we can see how she overcomes them by the time she owns her house. Ezparanza’s life is at its pinnacle. She has achieved so much and she has proved that she can be successful in any field.
Ezparanza had many lessons to learn about the dualities that make up belonging. In a variety of vignettes we saw how certain events created a sense that a person belonged, while others did not. Ezparanza was disappointed when she first described her family’s home on Mango Street. We watched her lose her innocence, her job and then finally get her own house. Ezparanza’s story has shown us that women deserve to be treated the same as men. We saw this most clearly when Hillary Clinton won the democratic nomination to run for president in the United States election of 2016, but lost to President Trump. Ezparanza has a story that is full of dualities. These dualities still exist today.
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