The Chicano Community Analysis in The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros Essay Example

The Chicano community has been persecuted and their needs have been neglected throughout the years and continues to be today. They were treated differently than any other community and had a significant impact on who they were as a culture. From being discriminated against, stereotypes and abuse of power you can see how difficult it was to identify as Chicano. The countless times that these incidents have occurred is inexcusable and need to be addressed due to the many affects. In the Chicano community there were many occasions that society mistreated them due to their identity, race, gender, and culture in general. 

In The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros it expresses the view of a Mexican American woman and her experiences being ethic and living in today’s society. She points out the harsh reality of coming from a large city that had diversity to a town that is less diverse and conservative. Throughout her experience you see that she struggles with her identity and what that means to a person of ethnic background in America. As a minority she learned how to survive but there were times where she tested her identity because society said otherwise. Cisneros explains an interaction between her and a woman when she asks about her home which was not in the best condition considering her circumstance. The women proceeded to say, “you live there ‘The way she said it made me feel nothing” (Cisneros, 21). It explains how she felt about her home and that it didn’t have any significance, but in Mexican culture the home means everything it is the foundation of their family. It just goes to show that she felt embarrassed to be associated with her home because she concludes that though by making a statement that she will get a house that she can be proud of. This subtle comment changes the way that minorities view themselves because it makes them feel like they are less just because they don’t have the same opportunities offered to them. Especially at a young age where image is such an importance to kids’ things like these change the perspective of what Mexicans think of themselves. 

As a member of the Chicano community Cisneros felt her identity of her culture escaping her. As she was put in this atmosphere where her being Hispanic was looked down upon and she felt the need to suppress it of course she would feel her identity running away from her. Cisneros begins to express this feeling by saying, “I would like to baptize myself under a new name, a name more like the real me, the one nobody sees.” (Ch.4). She is telling the readers of a wish of being someone new with no ties to any race or ethnicity that places her in a category but instead someone who is genuinely her or at least the image she wants of herself. She felt this way because she was so disconnected with her community to the point where she lost herself. Culture has such an importance to our identity and for most it’s what we revolve around because it gives people the stability to find out who they are without being lost.

Chicanos have had a bad rap and were seen as delinquents, immigrants which lead to them being mistreated and looked down upon. Chicanos feared being surrounded by other races due to previous inactions that lead to serious confrontations. The tension in the atmosphere between races filled the streets a great example of this is when Cisneros said, “All brown all around, we are safe. But watch us drive into a neighborhood of another color and our knees go shakity-shake and our car windows get rolled up tight and our eyes look straight.” (Chpt 12). This shows how them being a different ethnicity with a different colored skin tone meant that there was going to be some type of negative interaction. She describes being fearful to the point that there shaking and feel like they can’t move when their around white people. To always have that type of pressure on you at not feel comfortable unless you’re in your house and even then, you don’t feel safe tells you a lot about what situations Chicano families are put in. 

When it comes to being discriminated against a major factor to this is race. The Chicano community has felt the downpour of discrimination and racism. A key component to racism is education, it is more difficult for minorities to gain a higher education and when they do, they are still not given as many opportunities. As well as not being able to educate others about Latinx culture is a way of racism because they are not providing the equality that other races are provided. For instance, “Ten thousand East Los Angeles students charged into the streets to protest abysmal conditions in the local high schools.” (pg. 1). They protested because they advocated for classes that represented the Latinx community while they were providing classes for other cultures, they were not listening to what the students were advocating for. Their voices were being suppressed and considering that most of the school was Hispanic it should be important for them to educate and allow them to learn about their culture in the school system. The entire Hispanic population at this school felt isolated and excluded from the school community as they were not being properly represented and when they only way for them to see change was to protest. 

Not only was there racism towards Chicanos but sexism as well. In these Latinx cultures there are many traditional values that are the backbone of the culture for instance the women oversaw womanly duties like cleaning and taking care of the kids while the men where the bread winners. Cisneros “The boys and girls live in separate worlds. The boys in their universe and we in ours. My brothers for example. They’ve got plenty to say to me and Nenny inside the house. But outside they can’t be seen talking to girls.” (Cisneros, Pg 3). The social difference and liberty that men have in this culture differs so much from women that it makes it a double standard. They are grown up from a young age to respect the different roles of gender and what is expected from them. This does not only apply to the Hispanic culture is can also be applied to the Chinese as well. “In the Chinese year of the horse - which is supposed to be bad luck if you’re born female - but I think this is a Chines lie because the Chinese, like the Mexicans, don’t like their women strong.” (Cisneros, Pg.4). It shows that these gender roles are almost universal and tests the boundaries of what it means today. As Cisneros talks about these roles, she questions what it means to be a woman in this culture. This just brings to light how gender takes and effect on how they are perceived and their experiences. Being a woman in a Hispanic or Chicano family is totally different than a man because more is expected of woman. They are held to a different standard that at times can be unrealistic.

As expressed, the Chicano community has been oppressed and secluded from society. Sandra Cisneros describes her experience of being Chicano in a society that does not accept her or represent her. With the issue of generations losing their touch in culture and it leading to them being lost and rediscovering their identity. The need for them to be in touch with their culture is urgent now more than ever as people are distancing themselves from their culture the culture could potentially die out. The miseducation and misrepresentation in the education system allows for this distance to grow and allows for ignorance and racism to enter. It led to riots and advocating for needs of the minorities. You also see how not only in society is the Chicanos judged but as well as themselves. They put these gender roles that oppress the women and creates expectations that are sexists. It creates an environment where things can’t change or progress which can lead to the downfall of a community. Chicanos were mistreated and judged based on their identity, race, gender, and culture with no means to express themselves.