The house on Mango street.
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“I have gone away to come back. For the ones I left behind. For the ones who cannot out.” - Sandra Cisneros.
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Have you ever heard of a vignette? They're not your regular novels or even short stories. Vignettes are short description of important events or people. This was my first attempt at reading a vignette and I loved it. This book falls under young adult genre but can be read and enjoyed by all age groups. The house on Mango street is a beautiful representation of the Hispanic community in America.
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The house on mango street is about a young Latina girl's life. Esperanza Cordero and her family moves to the Mango street and from that very minute, she dreams of moving away. Each vignette reflects on her family, friends, neighbours and cousins while showing us a glimpse of their lives. The characters are not significant but merely a part of her life. Few of them are mentioned throughout the book while others fade away quickly. I remember laughing as I read few vignettes but also feeling sad while reading few which talks about poverty, disease and guilt. The lives of Hispanic women are portrayed beautifully through this book.
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Esperanza hates how her family has to change apartments every few years but she also knows that the Mango street will forever be a part of her no matter where she goes. She talks about silly childhood friendships and how she couldn't eat in the school canteen for lack of money. As you read along, you get an idea about how difficult life tends to get for people who move from their lands and settle down elsewhere. A superb book of just 110 pages which can be read in a single sitting. I wish they had made us read this book at schools here. If you haven't read any vignettes then start off with this one.
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Rating- 5/5.
💭 Have you read this one yet?