Sexism In The House On Mango Street By Sandra Cisneros

Sexism is a challenge almost all women face. In a way, sexism can be beneficial because it can motivate women to defy societys standards and anything holding them back. However, in The House on Mango Street, author Sandra Cisneros, shows both sides of sexism, and how it can motivate women. Sexism can also make women give up and not accomplish anything. While Cisneros has the protagonist fight off sexism, Esperanza runs into many cases of sexism where the women just give up. Similarly, with The Help, author Kathryn Stockett, also shows both the positive and negative side of sexism. Skeeter, the protagonist fights off sexism to gain freedom, and in doing so she finds that all her friends don’t want to change the roles they have. Both†¦show more content†¦Esperanza says, â€Å"I put it down on paper and then the ghost does not ache so much. I write it down and Mango says goodbye sometimes. She does not hold me with both arms. She sets me free†( Cisneros 110). Espe ranza tries to reassure herself by writing down that she will leave. The reassurance writing gives Esperanza is a form of freedom to her. Esperanza just wants to leave Mango Street but still return. Alicia says to Esperanza, â€Å"You must remember to come back for the ones who cannot leave as easily as you† (Cisneros 105). Esperanza realizes she is special and uses her education to get out of Mango Street. When Esperanza returns to help the ones who cannot leave as easily she will bring education back with her to share with all the women so they can also be free. Esperanza uses writing to make herself feel free from the roles forced upon her. She uses education to actually set herself free from society and one day comes back and give the women what they need to escape. In addition to Esperanza facing societys standards for women, so did many of the women on Mango Street. In this time period, countless women are stuck in gender roles. Sally says, â€Å"He never hits me hard† (Cisneros 92). Sally’s father makes her feel belittled when he abuses her because it is socially acceptable to hit your own daughter. Her father makes it seem like she is less valued than a male. Esperanza talks about Sally, â€Å"But Sally doesn’t tell about that time he hit her with hisShow MoreRelatedThe House On Mango Street Analysis887 Words   |  4 Pagesproblems like discrimination, and sexism, which could be argued still prominent, but not as common as back then. The characters from the book The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, and The Help by Kathryn Stockett lived in this time and therefore faced these problems which setup the main plots and themes in these two books. The characters and the books themselves are very similar, and deal wi th the main theme of oppression. 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