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Esperanza compares herself to these trees. She thinks they are the only ones who understand her. Esperanza believes that these trees have no purpose in life, just like her. She feels like she does not belong. But these trees are important to her. Even if the trees are useless, they keep growing, regardless of any situation. Just like Esperanza may be sad, but she still continues to grow.

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In “The House on Mango Street”, Esperanza feels out of place as if she does not belong in society. As a result of this, she struggles to find her own identity, sense of belonging, and coming-of-age.

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In “The House on Mango Street”, Esperanza feels out of place as if she does not belong in society. As a result of this, she struggles to find her own identity, sense of belonging, and coming-of-age.

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Esperanza uses Elenita's tarot cards to predict the future and see if she will have a beautiful house in her future. Something she has been longing for. Elenita says she sees a "home in the heart" which makes Esperanza disappointed because Elenita isn't indicating that a nice home isn't waiting for Esperanza in the future, but rather a home of having family and loved ones around you.

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"If you don't get them you may turn into a man."

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"If you don't get them you may turn into a man."

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Referring to hips as an indicator to determining your gender. That a woman has to have hips to be considered a woman. If not, they can be mistaken for a man by people who see them.

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Esperanza dreams of owning a beautiful house one day. To Esperanza, a nice home symbolizes a stable life, independence, and pride. The house on Mango St, isn't the house Esperanza has been longing for.

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When Esperanza becomes friends with Cathy, she finds out that

Cathy is moving away in a week. Esperanza becomes upset because as soon as she settles or makes a friend, they move again. She can’t develop relationships with people if either she or they are always leaving her. This causes

Esperanza to feel lonely. This shows Esperanza's desire to have friends so she can have someone to relate to.

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The experience of Esperanza putting on the high heel shoes and showing off her legs makes her feel empowered. The heels symbolize womanhood for Esperanza. By putting on these shoes, she no longer feel like a child but like lady. She completely disregards the fact that she is still a minor and steps into finding her womanhood.

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"But me and Nenny, we are more alike than you would know. Our laughter for example... all of a sudden and surprise like a pile of dishes breaking.”

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"But me and Nenny, we are more alike than you would know. Our laughter for example... all of a sudden and surprise like a pile of dishes breaking.”

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Shows how Esperanza can relate to her family. Despite how she may think she is not be able to relate to her sister with looks, she can relate on a more personal level with their sense of what home feels or looks like, or sharing a laughter.

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"In the movies there is always one with red red lips who is beautiful and cruel. She is the one who drives the men crazy and laughs them all away. Her power is her own. She will not give it away."

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"In the movies there is always one with red red lips who is beautiful and cruel. She is the one who drives the men crazy and laughs them all away. Her power is her own. She will not give it away."

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Esperanza claims she'll be cruel and beautiful because she wants to be a powerful woman. She wants to be beautiful and be desired by men but she does not want to be oppressed by them. She recognizes what it's like for a woman to not be successful because of a man. She has witnessed seeing miserable and unhealthy relationships which has made her not want to be with anyone. She believes she can be happy and powerful as an independent woman.

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Esperanza thinks that just because her family is poor and she is not living in a nice quality house that this defines her as a bad person.

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Esperanza's sense of self worth is impacted by her inability to live in a nice house. When a nun from her school passes by Esperanza street and asks her where she lives and when Esperanza answers, the nun responds with "you live there?"(emphasis on the "there"). The way the nun said it made Esperanza feel like she is nothing, she felt ashamed to be in her house and now all she can think about is owning a nice house.

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When Esperanza begins have a desire for boys, she seeks out a friend in a girl named Sally, who boys find desirable. Sally seems to be beautiful and cruel, just like the women Esperanza admires in movies and wants to be. But Esperanza’s understanding of her changes dramatically when Esperanza was put in physical danger. Esperanza’s experiences as Sally’s friend made Esperanza uncomfortable and realized that she has tried to mature too quickly. She's not sure she wants to be "beautiful and cruel" anymore. Now once again she is unsure of what she wants.

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Esperanza is trapped in her thoughts, afraid of judgement from others.

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"And I wish my name was Cassandra or Alexis or Maritza-anything but Esperanza-but when I tell them my name, they don't laugh."

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"And I wish my name was Cassandra or Alexis or Maritza-anything but Esperanza-but when I tell them my name, they don't laugh."

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Esperanza is embarrassed by her name. She thinks that others will laugh at her name because it is unique. She thinks that because her name is different she won't be able to make friends. But when Lucy and Rachel don't laugh she is relieved.

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"I would like to baptize myself under a new name, a name more like the real me, the one nobody sees..."

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"I would like to baptize myself under a new name, a name more like the real me, the one nobody sees..."

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Esperanza's name means sadness. She was named after her great grandmother and her grandmother did not have a happy life. She doesn't want to inherit the life her grandmother had. So she wants to change her name so she can define herself on her own terms instead of accepting a name that comes from her family's heritage.