Coming Of Age
Allison, Lucas, Kali, and Hailey
Esperanza's Innocence
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Gil’s Furniture Bought & Sold
“I have to turn around and pretend that I don’t care about the box so Nenny won’t see how stupid I am.” Page 20 Esperanza shows her innocence in Gil’s Furniture Store because she wants to call herself and Nenny stupid for wanted the music box.
A Rice Sandwich
“My home isn’t far but it’s not close either, and some-how got it in my head one day to ask my mother to make me a sandwich and write a note to the principal so I could eat in the canteen too.” Page 43 Esperanza shows her innocence in A Rice Sandwich, by wanting to eat in the canteen. She wanted to be like the ‘special’ kids and eat in the canteen, even if she knows that she can walk home for lunch.
Esperanza's Development
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Mango Says Goodbye Sometimes
“What I remember most is Mango Street, sad red house, the house I belong but do not belong to.” Page 110 She is changing her state of mind. She’s finally accepting the fact the house on Mango Street was hers. It might not have been her favorite but it made her the person she is today.
The Monkey Garden
“I wanted to go back with the other kids who were still jumping on cars, still chasing each other through the garden, but sally had her own game.” Page 96 In this moment Esperanza grew up. She realized that The Monkey Garden wasn’t a place to run and play like a child anymore. She was trying to hold onto her childhood but Sally was already moved on. Esperanza missed being a clueless little kid, she wanted to go back to when she was silly and young. She missed the old monkey garden.
Esperanza's Maturity
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The Family Of Little Feet
"We are tired of being beautiful. Lucy hides the lemon shoes and the red shoes and the shoes that used to be white but are now pale blue under a powerful bushel basket on the back porch, until one Tuesday her mother, who is very clean, throws them away. But no one complains.” Page 42 This is when Esperanza realizes the struggles of becoming older and gives up her shoes freely, she decides she is too young and needs to wait. This shows us that she has become mature enough to decide when she is ready to accomplish something, including her own actions.
Four Tiny Trees
“Four grew despite concrete. Four who reach and do not forget to reach. Four whose only reason is to be and be.” Page 75 Esperanza realizes that even though the trees have restrictions like concrete they keep growing and moving on. Which makes her realize that even though there are hard situations that will get in your way, you have to move on and keep growing.