Family of Little Feet" by Essay

Total Length: 1114 words ( 4 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 3

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Chesla, pp. 1). Even though Hispanics have had to adapt to the American landscape if they wanted to thrive in the U.S., Hispanic communities have done a great job at keeping their customs and traditions.

One can actually say that Cisneros put a lot of her real life experiences into the character of Esperanza. The author has always felt that the men around her have attempted to impose themselves, pressing her to assume a typical female role. This is seen in "The Family of Little Feet" in several instances. Mr. Benny threatens the girls that he'll call the police if they don't leave. Also, he says that it is dangerous for them to be walking around with high-heeled shoes. It is obvious that Cisneros had had trouble developing in a community where women were not necessarily considered equal to men. Certain men have even went as far as comparing women to merchandise, as the drunken man knows that he can take advantage of the girls if he offers to pay them.

Similar to how Cisneros had managed to prevent herself from leading an ordinary life, Esperanza also feels the need to be different, taking advantage of several opportunities to prove this. Wearing high heeled shoes, or wanting to eat in the school's canteen, even though she lived close to the institution, are examples of her wanting to express herself freely.

Across her writing, the public is able to see how Cisneros had been mainly fueled by two factors: her gender and her ethnicity. "The House on Mango Street" has provided the American public with important information relating to the trouble encountered by Hispanic woman in a society that is inclined to discriminate.
While it may seem that Cisneros has been assimilated in the world of American writers, matters are actually different. The author has succeeded in creating her identity as a Mexican-American without having to betray her patriarchal culture by becoming anglicized. She is an example for virtually anyone that has come across great difficulties while attempting to express their cultural identity.

Works cited:

1. Chesla, Elizabeth L. Sandra Cisneros' The house on Mango Street. Research & Education Assoc., 1996.

2. "Sandra Cisneros." Gale Literary Databases. 2003. http://204.56.132.81:2071/servlet/GLD/hits?r=d&origSearch=true&o=DataType&n=10&l=d&c=1&locID=txshracd2501&secondary=false&u=CA&t=KW&s=2&NA=sandra+cisneros . 29 Mar. 2010.

3. "Sandra Cisneros (1954-)." Short Story Criticism. Ed. Anna Sheets. Vol. 32. Detroit: Gale, 1999. 1-53. Literature Criticism Online. Gale. Del Mar College. 27 March 2010

"Sandra Cisneros." Gale Literary Databases. 2003. http://204.56.132.81:2071/servlet/GLD/hits?r=d&origSearch=true&o=DataType&n=10&l=d&c=1&locID=txshracd2501&secondary=false&u=CA&t=KW&s=2&NA=sandra+cisneros . 29 Mar. 2010.

"Sandra Cisneros." Gale Literary Databases. 2003. http://204.56.132.81:2071/servlet/GLD/hits?r=d&origSearch=true&o=DataType&n=10&l=d&c=1&locID=txshracd2501&secondary=false&u=CA&t=KW&s=2&NA=sandra+cisneros . 29 Mar. 2010.

"Sandra Cisneros (1954-)." Short Story Criticism. Ed. Anna Sheets. Vol. 32. Detroit: Gale, 1999. 1-53. Literature Criticism Online. Gale. Del Mar College. 27 March 2010 ?

Chesla, Elizabeth L. Sandra Cisneros' The house on Mango Street. Research & Education Assoc., 1996......

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