It’s difficult to ignore the light in which the author depicts societal problems in The House on Mango Street. Men hit some of the women in their family, a migrant dies of blood loss because the doctor does not show up, and the wealthy are blind to the crime and poverty that plagues the neighborhood, among many others.
Although the situation may sound depressing, the tone of the novel is encouraging. Esperanza has plans to better herself in the future. Even with everything she has been exposed to, she doesn't succumb to hopelessness. She plans to escape the vicious cycle. But while Esperanza sees herself living a better life in her own house, she is determined never to forget who she is or where she came from. As Esperanza realizes the impact she can potentially have on her neighborhood, the overarching tone of the novel begins to shift to one of endurance.…show more content… Esperanza, along with her family, moves into a poor, largely Latino neighborhood. It’s noticeable that only a fraction of Esperanza's story occurs inside their Mango Street home. The majority of the events she recounts happen elsewhere in the neighborhood – with her friends on the street, on Edna's back porch, at the junk shop, at the tree in Meme’s backyard, at the school, and in the garden next door. This essentially suggests that the community plays a more significant role in establishing what is, for Esperanza, Mango Street – a place that she will eventually recognize as her home.
Esperanza slowly introduces the characters of her neighborhood. She’s only a child, but even from her perspective we can understand that most of her neighbors are living difficult lives. Poverty and crime run rampant. Entire families are crammed into small apartment units. Single mothers are working hard to raise many