Identity on mango street by Henry Perera

henryperera — 2025-09-25 13:09:21 UTC

“In English my name means hope. In Spanish it means too many letters. It means sadness, it means waiting. It is like the number nine. A muddy color”. (pg. 10)

henryperera — 2025-09-25 13:19:06 UTC

henryperera — 2025-09-25 13:36:58 UTC

As Esperanza grows up, she begins to feel increasing shame about her family, neighborhood, and background. She also feels as if she is an outsider since everyone else has "normal names".

henryperera — 2025-09-29 00:07:20 UTC

“One day I'll jump out of my skin. I'll shake the sky like a hundred violins.”(pg. 60)

henryperera — 2025-09-29 00:09:24 UTC

In this quote, she shows how much she wants to break free. It also shows her ambitions and goals. The quote represents that she doesn't want to be like the other girls who sit in the houses taking care of their families.

henryperera — 2025-09-29 00:13:08 UTC

This photo symbolizes Esperanza's feelings about her life. This is true because the photo shows how she is close to realizing her full potential, yet still far from it, as she just can't quite reach it.

henryperera — 2025-09-29 00:22:35 UTC

“But most important, hips are scientific, I say repeating what Alicia already told me. It's the bones that let you know which skeleton was a man's when it was a woman's.” (Pg. 50)

henryperera — 2025-09-29 00:24:54 UTC

In this chapter, Esperanza starts noticing changes in her body and wonders what they mean. She and her friends talk a lot about hips and what they’re for. These conversations make Esperanza think more about what it means to be a girl and how growing up is kind of confusing and exciting at the same time.

henryperera — 2025-09-29 00:30:19 UTC

“I make a story for my life, for each step my brown shoe takes.” (Pg. 73)

henryperera — 2025-09-29 00:32:10 UTC

The fourth quote shows how Esperanza gets to make her own choices, mostly through writing her stories. When she tells her own story, it’s like she’s deciding what parts of her life matter and how she wants people to see her.

henryperera — 2025-09-29 14:01:47 UTC

Esperanza struggles to find her identity and can never really grasp the idea of independence.

Grade

laura_brill1 — 2025-10-10 13:28:34 UTC

Your thesis was a bit awkward and in addition, the explanations of your quotes is not really proving to me how Esperanza gets closer to her identity or how she really struggles with this.

35/50