Social Issues in The House on Mango Street Essay Example

Many artists use their work to provide social commentary. Writers hope to promote change by informing the general populace about a given problem and appealing to people’s sense of justice as they comment on the world around them. This case is the House on Mango Street, a novel by Sandra Cisneros. Cisneros uses her book to make a claim about the problems of society. Cisneros explores the abuse of women and the negative treatment of those who don’t speak English. 

Cisneros is showing us how women who have been mistreated by men. For example, in “The First Job”  it reads, “I thought I would because he was so old and just as I was about to put my lips on his cheek, he grabs my face with both hands and kisses me hard on the mouth and doesn’t let go.” (Cisneros 55) Additionally, in “What Sally Said”, Esperanza’s friend Sally gets repeatedly abused by her father. Sally tells her “...he just went crazy, he forgot he was her father between the buckle and the belt.” (Cisneros 93) In “Beautiful and Cruel” (Cisneros 88-89), Esperanza says that she has started her own quiet war. Through Esperanza, Cisneros is showing the abuse of women and opposing it. She wants to fight society's views and behavior. 

Furthermore, Cisneros is mentioning the lower status for those who don’t speak the dominant language. In “Geraldo No Last Name”, Esperanza describes Geraldo as “just another baser who didn’t speak English. Just another wetback. You know the kind. The ones who always look ashamed.” (Cisneros 66) Geraldo lacks status and popularity because he doesn’t speak English. Unfortunately, he died without anyone knowing or caring. Similarly, in the vignette “No Speak English” the character Mamacita is isolated, trapped, and is in agony for not communicating in English. (Cisneros 76-78) Cisneros is demonstrating the life of those who do not speak the dominant language through the thoughts of Esperanza. She shows us the power they lack in their society.

Many other writers and artists criticize the things in society. They hope to promote change about a problem by commenting on the world around them. In this case, The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. In The House on Mango Street, she uses the main character Esparanza to comment on the discrimination of woman and the situations of those who don’t speak the dominent language.