The House on Mango Street: Book Review | Teen Ink

The House on Mango Street: Book Review

July 19, 2018
By tchamberlin BRONZE, Agoura Hills, California
tchamberlin BRONZE, Agoura Hills, California
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The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros is a charming novel about an adolescent Mexican girl named Esperanza. It explores different aspects of what it's like to be welcomed into the world of woman hood. Like sexuality, body changes, mental changes, the feelings of being judged and along all this being a feminist. It is worth reading in my opinion, because of all this.


Esperanza moves around a lot. The house on mango street, is different it represents her upcoming release into the world of being a woman an a feminist. The house is crumbling and old, and there live Esperanza, Nenny (her little sister) and their parents. As she lives there Esperanza meets her neighbors and makes friends all over the place. With every friend she learns something about real life. Like poverty, greed and men driven by sexual things. While her female companions want boys and to be a good little housewife, Esperanza doesn't. Esperanza wants to own a house with a garden on a hill, a house of her own and never forgetting who she is, letting bums live in her attic. I didn't dislike anything in the book really, but I love Esperanza's will for independence and enjoying the small moments of life.


All in all, I being a "hippie type" who loves feminist beliefs recommend you to read The House on Mango Street. Where the book is full of symbols of womanhood and independence. Strong will and the sadness of growing up and realizing what the world is like are recurring themes. If you like the idea of a feminist world or even if you don't I suggest you read this.



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This article has 4 comments.


kianamjadi said...
on Feb. 12 2020 at 4:25 pm
kianamjadi, San Clemente, California
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House on mango street is a first person point of view book told in the eyes of Esperanza, a young teenage girl.she moved to mango street from chicago with her family She does not like it there very much she lives in a run down old home on mango street and esperanza could tell everyone living there was not happen felt “trapped” shes learned over the few years of living there that she is not as pretty and doesn't get the attention from all the boys like her friends doMultiple times in the story esperanza describes times where she has been abused like the time she got a job and a employ kisses her on the mouth the first day. Later on she meets a women who will tell her future she told her to not return to mango street and that she need to go help people in need of help by the end of the story she realizes she needs to escape and come back someday to help people.

Blureef98 said...
on Oct. 24 2019 at 12:31 pm
Blureef98, Carson, California
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The House On Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. I think people should read this book because it’s a weird but interesting book and if you are really into reading you have to pay really good attention to understand why and how the girls life is in the story. The setting is a house in Los Angeles and the girl in the story wants to grow up and live in a mansion and not sit at the window and stare out it all day like her grandmother does. The main character in this story is a girl that is names Esperanza. The story is mainly about her going through tough things during her childhood.

alij14 said...
on Aug. 1 2019 at 4:47 am
alij14, Long Beach, California
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The House on Mango Street is about a girl named Esperanza who has to go through many struggles during what is supposed to be her carefree childhood. This book has so many underlying themes and messages that are up to interpretation, one thing I think that makes this book all the more enjoyable. I loved The House on Mango Street for several reasons. One reason is because of its uniqueness and the author’s willingness to be honest and let her self reflect in her writing. I also love her writing style. I love short stories that can stand alone, and I feel that she has done so perfectly. Another reason I loved this book, is because anyone can relate to this book in one way or another.

Arojas1419 said...
on Jan. 15 2019 at 2:13 pm
Arojas1419, Rancho Cucamonga, California
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The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros is a good and interesting book. Esperanza meets all these interesting people and how they impacted her life some good ways and some bad. I liked how she described the characters it showed she really paid close attention to the people she meets. If your looking for a story that is interesting from beginning to end then this is the book for you. I would give this book a 9/10.