The very short chapter "Alicia Who Sees Mice" is a sketch of one of Esperanza's friends, who wants to escape her life and eventually does by going to college. Figurative language is part of the description of Alicia's early life:
a woman's place is sleeping so she can wake up early with the tortilla star . . .
This indicates that Alicia should forget about her fear of mice and relinquish her imagination in general, because her role is to cook. Her mother died, and her father wants Alicia to know that she is to make the tortillas for him now.
This quote is an example of both imagery (a "tortilla star") and metaphor—comparing a tortilla to a star.
In "A Rice Sandwich," Esperanza says, "I'm no Spartan and hold up an anemic wrist to prove it." She is trying to tell everyone that she doesn't want to suffer; she just wants to eat lunch in the school canteen.
She is using allusion, or reference to a historical or literary event, to prove a point. She refers to the ancient Greek Spartans, who were tough and lived spare lives. By saying that she isn't one, she shows how she needs comfort, especially when it comes to lunch. The "anemic wrist" is an example of a common literary device in The House on Mango Street: imagery. Anemia can't be seen in a wrist, but Esperanza makes the point that her wrist could be limp, or pale, or weak.
Figurative language is when an author uses specific tools, or devices, to help readers understand the story or connect with characters on a deeper level. A few examples of figurative language include the following: metaphors, similes, imagery, personification, symbolism, and allusions. Cisneros uses symbolism and allusions to help readers identify with people's specific daily activities in the vignettes "Alicia Who Sees Mice" and "A Rice Sandwich." First, in "Alicia Who Sees Mice," an allusion to a common saying is twisted to fit Alicia's home situation. The common expression, "A woman's place is in the home," becomes the following:
"And anyway, a woman's place is sleeping so she can wake up early with the tortilla star . . ." (31).
With this sentence, not only does the allusion imply that a woman's place is in the home, but Alicia's Latin heritage comes into play as she must rise with the "tortilla star." This star symbolizes the notion that Hispanic women should wake up early to make tortillas for their children's lunches. In Alicia's case, she wakes up early to make tortillas for her younger siblings because her mother is dead. Hence, the allusion to a popular expression is paired with a symbol from Alicia's culture which represents making tortillas early in the morning for her family.
Then in "A Rice Sandwich," Esperanza identifies special kids who get to sit in the canteen for lunch with the keys they wear around their necks. Apparently, these kids with the dangling keys live too far away to walk home for lunch, or their mothers aren't home. Esperanza wants to be special, too, and eat in the canteen rather than walk a few blocks home for lunch each day. Esperanza says the following about the kids with keys:
"The special kids, the ones who wear keys around their necks, get to eat in the canteen. The canteen! Even the name sounds important" (43).
The symbolism of eating in the lunchroom with the students who have keys around their necks represents being important.
Another allusion used in this vignette refers to the movie 300 Spartans, which the boys at school identify with being strong. Esperanza does not feel strong; therefore, she wishes to stay at school to eat lunch rather than brave the weather during her walks home for lunch each day.
After Sister Superior tells Esperanza that she can't stay for lunch each day, the canteen suddenly loses its importance, and she says that it is "nothing special" anymore (45). It can be inferred, then, that Esperanza doesn't feel strong, special, or important because of the symbolic allusions referenced throughout the vignette that apparently do not apply to her.
No comments:
Post a Comment