Of Estrella In Helena Maria Viramontes Under The Feet Of Jesus

The author's attitude towards the boys in this novel is ignorant and emotional. This novel is composed of vignettes that show Esperanza learn about the true power of language and the struggle for self- definition. While befriending Sally, she learns more about boys and matures sexually. During the year, Esperanza develops her first crush and even endures sexual assault. From this, her first impression and ignorance over the topic of boys and having the thought process that girls and boys live in different worlds, awakens Esperanza and teaches her an important lesson and becomes to an eyeopening experience.

In the novel, the image of a barn is one that is used repeatedly to introduce new concepts in Estrella’s life, symbolizing her discovery of a new sense of self and voice. The barn may also be a symbol of the collective experiences of a generation of Hispanic migrant workers, portraying their hardships and collective journey as well as Estrella’s personal development. More than a decrepit building, the barn represents a space where Estrella can complete her transformation and empowerment. The structure is described as a "cathedral," a place of religious contemplation (Viramontes 9). Estrella continues to use the building as a place for reflection. By the end of the novel, Estrella uses the barn as a platform, realizing her own power and believing herself strong enough

Things starts when Estrella comes upon Perfecto’s red tool chest. When she opened the box she was disoriented because she did not understand what were the functions of the the tools. The words “funny-shaped” and “foreign” reveals that she was unfamiliar with the objects inside of the box, and it also gives to the reader a tone of confusion. “Estrella hated when things were kept from her.” she disliked the fact that she was ignorant to the things she wanted to know. She desired to learn and when she became aware that she was far from it “For days she was silent with rage.”

Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan is told in 3rd person limited. The narrator tells the reader what the main character, Esperanza is thinking and feeling. “Esperanza felt that sinking feeling again.”(p.74) Esperanza Ortega is rich, elegant, and not used to hard labor and being a poor peasant. Esperanza is 12 years old and always thought her life would be wonderful with many fancy dresses and servants. "Esperanza looked at her Mama in surprise. Why was she apologizing to these people? She and Mama shouldn't even be sitting in this car." (p.69)

In “Wildwood”, Junot Diaz presents a troubled teenager by the name Lola to have distinct conflicting values with her mother. Her mother has controversial Dominican norms and responsibilities. These norms are not what Lola wants to be. Her mother soon gets sick and increases Lola’s feelings to take action on how she wants to live her life. When Lola and her mom continue to carry their abusive conflict, Lola decides to run away to Wildwood. Lola does this because she is a lost soul with no foundation of who she really is. As she runs away from her “Domincaness” that she desperately needed change from, her mother finds her in Wildwood and returns her to the origin of a “perfect Dominican daughter” which is the Dominican Republic. Once there she

Through careful use of detail, figurative language, and tone, Viramonte is able to showcase the character development of Estrella, who starts off as an angsty, confused young girl, but transforms into a being who is now content and understanding, seen through her prior life experiences and

“In the meantime they’ll just have to move a little farther north from Mango Street, a little farther away every time people like us keep moving in (Cisneros 13).”

“The First Day” by Edward P. Jones is a short story written in 1992. The short story is about an African American mother taking her young daughter to school for the first time. The daughter becomes ashamed of her mother because she sees where her education level is at. The mother is also ashamed of herself because she didn’t get education throughout her life. In “The First Day” the opening scene sets the tone for challenging the status quo and creating a life of success.

Esperanza and her family are always moving because they do not have much money, but they finally moved into a house on Mango Street where they “Don’t have to pay rent to anybody, or share the yard with the people downstairs, or be careful not to make too much noise” (703). Although it sounded like a nice place, when a nun from her school saw where Esperanza lived, she said, “You live there?” (703). That made Esperanza feel like nothing and made her realize she needs a real house, one that is really nice. Esperanza wants to change her life and make the best of what she has. She dreams “One day I will pack my bags of books and paper. One day I will say goodbye to Mango. I am too strong for her to keep me here forever” (707). Esperanza believes that she can change the way she is living and live a better life. She is trying to get a good education to become a more improved and intelligent person so one day she does not have to be poor. Just by having a positive attitude and trying so hard, already makes Esperanza overcome the obstacle of being out of place in her

Estrella's character changes as the novel progresses from being angry at the what she did not understand to wanting to know and learn. Through the use of selection of detail and figurative language the author was able to show the development of Estrella's character into a more accepting person which reveals that knowing and understating is

Doubt, a film taking place in New York during the 1960s, focuses on the accusation of a priest, Father Flynn, being a child predator by a nun, Sister Aloysius. The credibility of Sister Aloysius and Father Flynn are often brought into question throughout the film. As the evidence gathered was mostly circumstantial and created through assumptions, Father Flynn did not harm Donald Miller at any instance despite the constant pressure from Aloysius to admit his guilt by leaving the parish.

Esperanza begins to notice she is being watched by a boy in the neighborhood. This boy, Sire, evokes mixed emotions from Esperanza. Part of Esperanza feels afraid of Sire’s attention. “They didn’t scare me. They did, but I wouldn’t let them know” (72). Esperanza tries to fight this ‘childish’ fear of boys, and she doesn’t cross the street like the other girls. Esperanza attempts to get over her fear, and looks back at him, straight into his eyes. “I had to look back hard, just once, like he was glass. And I did. I did once” (72). She wants to overcome her childish tendencies and transition into womanhood. When Esperanza sees Sire’s girlfriend her interest in Sire and his relationship increases. She even begins to imagine what it would feel like to have a boyfriend. “I want to sit bad at night, a boy around my neck and the wind under my skirt” (73). This represents the arrival of puberty, which is demonstrated by Esperanza’s desire to behave in a grown-up way. Cisneros goes on to describe Esperanza’s hormonal changes when Esperanza says “Everything is holding its breath inside me… waiting to explode like Christmas” (73). Esperanza feels excited for her first romantic encounter with a boy, yet her excitement gets shattered when the encounter occurs. Sally takes Esperanza to the carnival, but Sally leaves with another boy. Some type of sexual encounter takes places, and although we don’t know

Interestingly, she seems to lose this confidence when speaking to adults outside of her immediate family. Perhaps this points to some traumatic incident with a stranger? But I digress. Esperanza pesters her mother for three days, asking for a note to eat in the canteen. She tells her mother “You will see me less, and like me more.” This tactic seems to be rooted in making her mother feel like Esperanza feels unloved, which to a child’s mind will make the adult in question bestow gifts and reassurance upon the child to prove their love. In Esperanza’s case, this comes in the form of a note to eat with the “special”

This journal is in response to the novel Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. As a coming-of-age contemporary novel, Speak discusses many sensitive issues that are still prominent even today. In this story, we explore the life of Melinda Sordino, a fourteen-year-old girl who is beginning high school right after experiencing an utterly traumatic event: rape. Melinda is left friendless, with no one to help and support her after what happened. She tries to navigate through her first year of high school, and it seems like the entire student body despises her; she feels more alone than ever. I will be analyzing and making connections to three specific elements in this novel: the search for one’s identity, Melinda’s inner conflict,

“Do angels wear brassieres?" is a short story written by Olive Senior. In analyzing this story the main theme emanating from this story was one of self-identity where traditional stereotypes about women’s and their identities will be contested. This story is set in Jamaica where the author denotes issues of hierarchy and class stratification in a family which is female centered. The main character are; a girl named Rebecca aka Beccka, her mother Cherry, and aunt Mary. The unfolding story was based in a rural village located in Jamaica. The characters speak a dialect which is rich and colorful, and this is shaped and controlled by humor and comedy, allowing the reader a great insight into their way of life. Olive Senior short story “Do angels wear brassieres?" demonstrates a strong cultural and social reference where the emphasis is on women, and there identity as women.