Vignette Analyses

"The Earl of Tennessee":  

The “Earl of Tennessee” is a chapter that explores yet another of Esperanza’s unique neighbors that potentially have an impact on Esperanza’s choices in character as she grows up. Here Earl is seen as a character that is obsessed with ambition and makes no room in his life for love. He is at work all day and “his blinds are always closed during the day.” (Cisneros, page 70). This shows how he has no interest in endeavors of the outside world. His boxes of moldy, damp 45 records are a testament to his is disinterest of beauty, and the fact that he so freely gives them away shows that he has no one with whom to share them. This can be likened to the music box in “Gil’s Furniture Bought and Sold,” in which Gil hoards his music box for the sake of his own personal attachment to its beauty, while Earl has no interest in them, except for the country and western which may play into his own personal identity that he keeps with him so far from the South. The introduction of his wife in by no means romantic and somewhat forceful, showing Earl’s attempt, and subsequent utter failure at love due to his ambition that dominants his life during the day.  

"Sire":

“Sire” marks a key step in Esperanza’s character development, specifically her sexual awakening. It presents a conflict between what is the best thing to do as opposed to what Esperanza secretly desires. She is originally afraid of Sire, as he stared at her. Her parents are disapproving of Sire, and advised Esperanza to stay away from him in protection of her personal safety: “He is a punk, Papa says, and Mama says not to talk to him.” (Cisneros, page 73). A great aspect of Esperanza’s interest is Sire’s girlfriend, Lois, who is beautiful, delicate, and practically helpless. She is unable to even tie her own shoes, making her dependent on Sire. While this is certainly not an ambition of Esperanza, the finds the romance desirable, and wants it guiltily. This is perhaps representative of the difficult choices youth are forced to make during adolescence between what they truly want and what they know is right. This alludes to the spirit of peer pressure.      

"Four Skinny Trees":

“Four Skinny Trees,” is a chapter on Esperanza’s perseverance. She likens herself to four intertwined, malnourished trees that are forced to grown in an environment in which they do not necessarily belong: “four who do not belong here but are here.” (Cisneros, page 74). This coincides with the fact that Mango Street is not Esperanza’s ideal environment in which to grow up, and she is constantly looking to the future to find a better place for herself. However, the permanence of the trees in their inability to seek other places represent Esperanza’s obligation to remain, and she must make the best of what she has and grow to be her “tallest” or best, despite the conditions that are set against here. When Cisneros says: “...and never quit their anger,” (Cisneros, page 74) this is much like how Esperanza must fight against the mold of the Chinese and Mexicans not liking their women strong. She must never stop fighting against all that oppress her from her ambitions. In saying “let one forget his reason for being, they'd all droop like tulips in a glass, each with their arms around each other,” any loss of direction could result in Esperanza’s irreparable failure, forcing her to concentrate on growing into the best person she can possibly be. It also alludes to the fact that it is often tiring and difficult to keep this up; however, it is necessary for Esperanza in order to achieve her goals, ambitions, and most importantly, the person whom she chooses to become.        

"No Speak English":

Mamacita in the vignette “No Speak English” is another prime example of a figure who Esperanza aspires not to be. Mamacita and her baby made a journey financed by her hardworking husband to Mango Street, which was probably her dream. Though she eventually got it, she soon realized that it was not what she expected it to be, triggering her disinterest and depression: “Home is a house in a photograph, a pink house, pink as hollyhocks with lots of startled light. THe man paints the walls of the apartment pink, but it’s not the same, you know. She still sighs for her pink house, and then I think she cries. I would.” (Cisneros, page 77). This correlates with Esperanza, because while Esperanza aspires for certain things, in particular, a house of which she can be proud, such aspirations are not all as they appear. While Mamacita got her wish, she realizes how much she loves her last home that she escaped. However, Mamacita is also partly to blame for her sadness, as she made the decision not to capitalize on her experience on Mango Street, hiding behind her fear and self-consciousness of her inability to speak English. She is contrasted to her husband: “My father says when he [her husband] came to this country he ate hamandeggs for three months. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Hamandeggs. That was the only word he knew. He doesn’t eat hamandeggs anymore.” (Cisneros, page 77). Thus, her husband decided to pursue an ambition and gained much from the experience. Mamacita serves as a warning to Esperanza to have ambition, but not to make assumptions on the other side where the grass is supposedly greener.     

"Rafaela Who Drinks Coconut & Papaya Juice on Tuesdays":

Rafaela in the vignette “Rafaela Who Drinks Coconut & Papaya Juice on Tuesdays” is another forlorn example of the perils of false steps in the decisions of her youth. Rafaela is a beautiful woman who is shut away by her husband lest she be unfaithful to him. However, in doing so, he keeps her from the joys of living, causing her to be depressed. The sweet coconut and papaya drinks symbolizes the joys of living she can never truly enjoy: “Rafaela who drinks and drinks coconut and papaya juice on Tuesdays and wishes where were sweeter drinks, not bitter like an empty room, but sweet sweet like the island, like the dance hall down the street where women much older than her throw green eyes easily like dice and open homes with keys.” (Cisneros, page 80). Creating a lonely and forlorn mood, this is likely to have a profound effect on Esperanza’s choices as she begins to shape her future in order to avoid a future of that sort.      

"Sally":  

Sally is a girl with whom Esperanza is friends. Esperanza looks up to her due to her maturity and precociousness. Despite her boldness that allude to her sexuality, Sally is not at all the sexualized character she is rumored to be, as well as what she visually appears to be. In fact, her boldness is simply a facade, and this, again, plays into the recurring theme: ‘things are not always as they seem.’ For example, Cisneros writes: “What do you think about when you close your eyes like that? And why do you always have to go straight home after school” You become a different Sally. You pull your skirt straight, you rub the blue paint off your eyelids. You don't laugh, Sally. You look at your feet and walk fast to the house you can’t come out from.” (Cisneros, page 82). This shows that Sally is by no means what others believe her to be, and she infact, hides behind her facade from domestic problems and insecurities. Sally is an example why one must not just others or make assumptions until they truly understand who they are and why they do the things that they do.