House on Mango Street in Essay

Esperanza transforms into a girl who wants nothing else but to leave the house on Mango Street and all the neighbors behind into a woman with a real sense of responsibility to the people in her neighborhood. She goes from thinking only of herself to really considering the lives of those in her community. This sense of responsibility and her set of values show that Esperanza has transcended even herself.

Esperanza's most important transformation is, arguably, her transformation into a real writer. In the beginning of the story, Esperanza can only imagine stories in which she is one of the characters; however, by the end of the story, Esperanza is able to imagine stories that don't involve her -- and this denotes that she is becoming a real writer and a true artist. It is ironic that through her writing she is able to detach herself from her neighborhood while, at the same time, she has grown to love the people in her community. This is foreshadowed when Esperanza says:

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. One day I will pack my bags of books and paper. One day I will say goodbye to Mango. I am too strong for her to keep me here forever. One day I will go away (Cisneros 110).

The fact that Esperanza is able to be free from Mango via her writing is inspirational. The reader is able to watch Esperanza grow not only in her writing abilities and creative mind but also in the way that she is able to observe those around her. Through her observations she is able to hone her ability to understand them as well. This is a very important part of her creative soul -- of the artist in her. While she doesn't have her own house at the end of the story, in a way, she has found her home inside of herself -- a peacefulness that feels like….....