Simple and poetic scenes that speak to the brutal and the beautiful all in one.
Summary:
Everything begins when Esperanza's family moves onto Mango Street. It's less than ideal but the young girl finds the beauty and fun in life. She's observant and watches the people as they come and go and how their lives move. There are few happy endings on Mango Street, but Esperanza is making this the beginning of her happy future.
Verdict: 9/10
I'm not a poetry person. Sure, I like description and artistry as much as the next person, but short disconnected stories aren't my cup of tea. So this book was a pleasant turn of events.
While the chapters skip around and aren't necessarily plot-driven, the characters catch your attention the same way they do for Esperanza. Everything's told in a simplistic way but the thoughts are complex and the meanings are ones that are felt deeply.
Cisneros can make you feel that adolescent embarrassment by talking about new clothes with old shoes or four trees. She discusses domestic abuse through a poem on juice. She shows class disparity and innocence through dreams on clouds. And none of this in the way of symbolism that stickler English teachers like to make up, but just by saying:
"Darius, who doesn't like school, who is sometimes stupid and mostly a fool, said something wise today, though most days he says nothing. Darius, who chases girls with firecrackers or a stick that touched a rat and thinks he's tough, today pointed up because the world was full of clouds, the kind like pillows." (pg. 33)
It's childlike but anything but childish. Some of the best revelations are through the simplest observations, like how high heels make young girls feel - good and grown-up until it attracts the wrong person's attention and then all they want to do is go back to their old tennis shoes. I loved every moment, even the more disturbing or heartbreaking.
I also sincerely recommend getting the anniversary edition of this book and reading the intro. I love authors that talk honestly about their writing. Cisneros wrestled through her own imposter syndrome and goes through her process, which was making it up as she went. Some authors can be so pompous in how they talk about themselves, but she stays the down-to-earth Chicago girl who just wanted to tell a story. And the writing on her family was so relatable and lovely and straightforward.
I still don't think I'm a poetry person, but I'd read this any day.
Comments