Summary--The First Job

In the story "The first Job," Esperanza felt she needed a job. She needed money to pay for her Catholic high school because it costs a lot of money. Esperanza thought she would find a simple job, one that wouldn't take a lot of work. She was looking for a job that most kids her age had. "I thought I'd find an easy job, the kind other kids had, working in the dime store or maybe a hot dog stand," said Esperanza. Esperanza's aunt found her a job at the Peter Pan Photo Finishers.

The first day on the Job, Esperanza had the need to look older. She put on a on a navy blue dress. Esperanza wanted to try and impress the  people at work because she was so young. "And borrowed money for lunch and bus fare" By having her own money, people wouldn't think of her as a child, although she is.

The first day on the job,  Esperanza was so afraid, she forgot to be confident in herself. She lacked her worth because she was afraid. She was afraid to ask questions. When she was unsure of something, she followed the crowd, rather than be sure of herself, and ask. She said, "when lunchtime came, I was scared to eat alone in the company lunchroom with all those men and ladies looking, so I ate real fast standing in one of the washroom stalls." Esperanza didn't know what to do at that situation, so she did what she thought was ok.

Esperanza tried as hard as she could not to stand out and have too much attention on her. She didn't want people to have their eyes on a child. But, that didn't stop other people from coming towards her. An older man came to her and immediately they started to connect. Suddenly, she didn't feel apprehensive anymore. Though, as time went on, the man completely  took advantage of poor Esperanza. He said to her it was his birthday and that he deserved a kiss. Esperanza thought she should kiss him, so just as she went for a kiss, he grabs her face and kissed her very hard. The man didn't let go.

 Esperanza was too young to understand that she shouldn't let anyone take advantage of her the way that man did. It was the first day on the job, so Esperanza needed someone to shake away her nerves. She didn't know it would be a man who doesn't really care for her.

-*Sidney Merine*

"Red balloon tied to an anchor"

In "The house on Mango Street," Esperanza feels as if she was a "red balloon tied to an anchor." In the story "Boys and Girls," Esperanza is talking about how no one understands her. No one gets the situation she struggles with, by moving around place to place and being a loner. She feels tied to an anchor because she doesn't have true friends that  truly understand her. She wants a best friend of her own who she can have fun with.

If we were in Esperanza's situation, we would  feel the exact same way Esperanza felt, lonesome and trapped in our own homes.We wouldn't feel we belonged because we are so lonely and fearful of not making friends, just like Esperanza. The weight on our shoulders of not having that true friend who loves us, would make us feel down and in pain.

-Chelsea, Sidney,Gina, Dennise

Team House

Hey, we are Team House! This is our name because we were assigned to cover the symbolic meaning of Esperanza's house in "The House On Mango Street" by Sandra Cisneros. We are looking at the relationship between Esperanza and her house on Mango Street in Chicago.

Houses represent many different things, especially for girls and women. Home should feel safe and secure.Many women feel comfort at home and love the peace that they feel. Most women take pride in their house. Most women try to find way to make their house look prettier based on the ideas presented in magazines. But for Esperanza, home is nothing like that. Her house does not feel like a home to her. Her house is old, crumbling down, and is nothing like she expected it to be like. She wanted a big house like the ones she would see in magazines with the wonderful stairs and beautiful lawn.  She does not feel safe in her neighborhood and her house isn't a place where she can feel comfort.

When you continue reading our blog, you will soon understand more of Esperanza's discomfort and how she reacts to it.

-Chelsea, Sidney, Gina, Dennise