The main character of Sandra Cisneros’ “The House on Mango Street” is Esperanza Cordero, a young Mexican-American girl growing up in a destitute Chicago neighbourhood. The book is made up of short stories that detail various interactions and experiences Esperanza has with the residents of her neighbourhood. As Esperanza navigates the difficulties of growing up in poverty and discrimination, her surroundings have a significant impact on how she sees herself throughout the entire book.

Community as a Source of Identity

Esperanza’s sense of self is inextricably linked to her neighbourhood on Mango Street. Her sense of self is influenced by the people she meets, the places she travels to, and the events she attends. Esperanza is a young girl who struggles with identity issues and finding her place in the world, but she finds comfort in her ties to her neighbourhood. In the vignette “Hairs,” she describes how her mother, much to her chagrin, cuts her hair, leaving it short and choppy. With my hair all short and no makeup, I look like a boy, she claims (Cisneros, 11).