The House on Mango Street

The House on Mango Street seems to be a component of many high school curriculum.  Of course the novel, being relatively new when I was in high school, was not a part of my required reading.  I am so glad I finally sat down and read this book.

The vignettes are so incredibly powerful.  Autobiographical in nature Sandra Cisneros tells the story of Esperanza Cordero, a young Latina girl growing up in Chicago.  We read of her dreams, hopes, aspirations and reality.  Cisneros is able to convey powerfully complex messages in simple, easy-to-reach language.  Her introduction to the 25th Anniversary edition she says, "... people who are busy working for a living deserve beautiful little stories, because they don't have much time and are often tired."  Her goal to touch the every day reader is definitely realized.

As an educator, I can definitely see the appeal of teaching this text.  There is such beautiful, rich language.  The stories are heart-wrenching, humorous and novel.  However, I can also see where the teaching of this collection of touching vignettes could be absolutely destroyed through over-teaching and analyzing.

As Billy Collins, US Poet Laureate from 2001 to 2003 said in his poem, "An Introduction to Poetry":

But all they want to do
is tie the poem to a chair with rope
and torture a confession out of it.

I can see thousands of teachers ruining The House on Mango Street for hundreds, maybe thousands, of students...

This is one novel that should just be savored, not tortured.