"Earl of Tennessee"-"Sally"

"The Earl of Tennessee"

In “The Earl of Tennessee”, Esperanza is narrating the life of another one of her neighbors. The title of the chapter is rather ironic, as an earl is a term for a noble or an aristocrat, but the Earl being discussed in the chapter is a crude, unkind man. This contrast demonstrates the theme of the differences between the lifestyles of independent people. Earl uses his independence to remain detached from any obligations, shown by his frequent change of female partners, whom the children of the neighborhood believe are his wives. This vignette evoked a disturbing feeling within me, because of the unrefined mannerisms of Earl and the way Esperanza describes his lifestyle.

"Sire"

            “Sire” is a vignette that illustrates the theme of the desire to grow up. Esperanza describes Sire, a boy that she often sees, and his girlfriend whom she envies. The beginning of the vignette describes Esperanza’s increasing self-confidence. She dares to look into the eyes of the boy, while the other girls avoid him and his friends by crossing the street. This symbolizes Esperanza’s effort to mature and enter adulthood. She then describes Sire’s girlfriend, Lois, and how she wishes she could obtain her lady-like features. Although Esperanza admires Lois for her boyfriend and lady-like features, it is apparent that she understands the significance of the more important things in life, such as education. Her childish desires do not completely take over her mind, as her parents and her logic influence bring her back into reality. This vignette is one of my favorites so far because it very clearly shows how Esperanza’s maturation affects the way she feels and thinks.

"Four Skinny Trees"

            “Four Skinny Trees” is an extremely powerful vignette. Esperanza’s conflicted mind seeks the comfort of trees, to whom she can relate. The reader can see how lonely and confused Esperanza feels, as she believes that the trees are the only beings that can understand her. Both do not belong in the environment that Mango Street provides. Both attempt to grow in a restricted space. These similarities support the theme of struggling to grow and adapt to one’s environment. The trees inspire Esperanza to continue to live. “When I am too sad and too skinny to keep keeping, when I am a tiny thing against so many bricks, then it is I look at the trees.” (Four Skinny Trees, Page 75) I believe that the complex idea of this vignette is influential to the story because it is the first times that Esperanza’s thoughts about the ugly part of growing up are revealed.

"No Speak English"

            “No Speak English” is a vignette that provides a contrast to Esperanza’s idea of home. Esperanza does not take pride in her house and she is uncomfortable with her financial and social status. Cisneros introduces Mamacita, the mother of one of Esperanza’s neighbors, as a contrast to Esperanza’s thoughts. Mamacita shares the same feelings about Mango Street as Esperanza, but for a different reason. She longs for the home to which she used to belong. This longing for her real home and pride in her heritage causes Mamacita to fear coming out of her house and emerging into the unknown world on Mango Street. Mamasita is similar to Esperanza because they both are living in places that restrict them from obtaining what they really want. I enjoyed this vignette because it differed from the others in that it did not just focus on the issues of young people, but rather focused on an issue that both the young and old encountered.

"Rafaela Who Drinks Coconut & Papaya Juice on Tuesdays"

            This subject of this vignette, Rafaela, is a character who resembles Esperanza’s grandmother. Both have led limited lives due to the way their husbands treat them. Esperanza frequently uses the image of a woman looking out the window to symbolize wanting something you currently do not have or cannot have. Esperanza states that Rafaela, while looking out the window, wishes that she could have someone who will take care of her and treat her fairly. This wish is similar to that of Esperanza’s neighbor, Marin. This vignette supports the theme of the unjust lifestyles and poor treatment of women. All Esperanza hopes to do is be able to live the life that she chooses to live, without having her heritage and gender hinder her desires. This vignette provides me with a feeling of despair because Esperanza’s description of Rafaela’s life is rather depressing and hopeless.

"Sally"

“Sally” demonstrates how Esperanza feels about her current self and who she wants to be while also showing how these feelings are affected by the restrictions of her environment. Sally is a girl at school whom Esperanza admires for her beauty and ability to be her own person. Esperanza does not personally know Sally, but the reader can see her infatuation with her through a conversation Esperanza has with her in her head. She asks Sally all the questions that possess her mind. Because of the admiration that Esperanza has for Sally, Esperanza might be able to sort through her troubles by talking, or pretending to talk, to her. She may begin to feel less lonesome, and finally be able relate to something or someone other than trees. I think the most powerful line in this vignette is, “…without the whole world waiting for you to make a mistake when all you wanted, all you wanted, Sally, was to love and to love and to love and to love, and no one could call that crazy.” (Sally, page 83) This quote shows Esperanza’s true desires. She wants to be free from the criticism of her community and be able to love others. This vignette evoked a feeling of warmth, as Esperanza’s longing for love and freedom is described openly and mightily.