The House on Mango Street is a wonderfully written coming-of-age novel. It’s filled with influential characters, heart-wrenching plots and emotions that can tug at your heartstrings. The book takes you on a journey through Mango Street to see the heroine’s life, struggles, dreams and more. It’s easy to read and teaches us much. Go through this post to explore the The House on Mango Street PDF, summary, quotes, symbols, and the review we give.
Basic Info about the Book
The House on Mango Street was first published in 1984 by Arte Público Press. The novel is in the bildungsroman fiction genre and is a classic of Chicano literature that discusses the complexities of the culture. The story is set or takes place in a Latino neighborhood in Chicago in the late 1960s.
The author Sandra Cisneros is a Mexican-American who draws from her own experience to write The House on Mango Street. The story is told in a series of vignettes. The book appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list and won literary awards including the American Book Award. It has sold over 6 million copies and has been translated into 20+ languages. There are a total of 103 Pages and 44 chapters in the 1st edition of its paperback.
Read the The House on Mango Street PDF
This book is loved by readers of broad age groups and taught in numerous high schools and universities thanks to the power of its story. If you need to study it, you might want a PDF version to work with on your computer or phone. The The House on Mango Street PDF is available to read online for free from digital libraries like Internet Archive using a free account and PDFSeva.Com. The site provides free PDF access and an audiobook to listen to. You can also read the book online by clicking "Continue Reading" below.
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The House on Mango Street Summary
Before starting your reading journey, it’s necessary to have a rough idea of what The House on Mango Street is about. A summary will help you sort out the relationship between characters and step into the storyline more quickly.
First, the main characters in The House on Mango Street include the novel's heroine and narrator Esperanza Cordero, Rachel and Lucy (Esperanza's best friends), Sally (a friend of the heroine), and Marin (a woman teaching Esperanza about boys).
This novel tells the story of Esperanza, a 12-year-old girl growing up in a Latino neighborhood in Chicago. It describes the life of her, her family, friends and neighbors with poverty, racism and sexism. Esperanza in The House on Mango Street is assaulted by men due to her friend Sally abandoning her at a carnival. Not only she but also her friends and neighbors on Mango Street suffer various hardships and difficult times.
All the sightings and encounters make her dream of getting away from here more than ever. Esperanza’s talent and ability in writing help her escape from Mango Street spiritually and she becomes more mature, confident and stronger. When leaving, she swears that she will come back to help others still here and make the place better.
The House on Mango Street Quotes
While reading The House on Mango Street PDF or physical book, you can mark up some thought-provoking quotes for learning or other purposes. Here are several example quotes from the novel.
“Butterflies are too few and so are flowers and most things that are beautiful. Still, we take what we can get and make the best of it.”
“All brown all around, we are safe.”
“You will always be Esperanza. You will always be Mango Street.”
“They grow up and they grow down and grab the earth between their hairy toes and bite the sky with violent teeth and never quit their anger.”
Symbols in The House on Mango Street
Symbolism is used in The House on Mango Street to depict the protagonist's growth and dreams. Take a look at the analysis for three key symbols if you’re interested.
Shoes: shoes in the book represent Esperanza’s growth and transition from a little girl to a woman. They indicate that the heroine is gradually becoming independent and symbolize freedom and hope.
House: the house is another important symbol in The House on Mango Street. Esperanza always wishes to have a house all her own because she lives with her parents and three siblings. She doesn’t have her privacy. Houses are symbolic of happiness and freedom and a life without economic issues.
Trees: trees symbolize indomitable and positive attitudes. The trees with tenacious vitality give Esperanza bravery and strength to live and thrive.
The monkey garden: a symbol of the Garden of Eden in the Bible that stands for an ideal place full of innocence but lost the innocence because of something.
The Book Review
The House on Mango Street touches on multiple themes including self-definition, abuse, gender, social class, dreams and hopes. Sandra Cisneros writes the novel in vivid and beautiful language and with excellent literary writing techniques. Metaphors, imagery, figurative language, and personification are well applied in the storytelling. The plot sometimes lets you feel heartbreaking and sometimes inspiring.
The main social issues reflected in The House on Mango Street, gender equality, poverty, and racism, have made the novel a good learning material. The theme of it mostly focuses on the struggle for self-definition and may give you insights into your life and self-development. Despite the harshness of reality, we should never stop fighting for a blooming future and try to rescue others if possible.
Conclusion
The House on Mango Street book by Sandra Cisneros is a story about self-growth and redemption and the heroin (a girl) dealing with challenges in life. It is one of the most vital books to read especially for those who want to learn about literary elements and Mexican-American culture. A PDF reading app is introduced to you if you obtained The House on Mango Street PDF.
FAQs
What age should read The House on Mango Street?
The novel contains sensitive content, such as domestic violence, sexual harassment, and racism, so it’s more suitable for the crowd of ages 15+. The high levels of meaning and language put the book at the 9th-grade level or higher.
