Esperanza’s Characterization ANALYSIS

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CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS

In this chapter, the writer will answer the questions that have been formulated in Chapter I. This chapter is divided into three parts based on the number of the problems formulation. In the first part of the analysis, the writer will examine the characterization of Esperanza as the protagonist and also the narrator in the story. In the second part of the analysis, the writer will discuss how male domination is presented in this story. In the last part of the analysis, the writer will answer the question about how is the feminism value reflected through Esperanza’s response toward male domination.

A. Esperanza’s Characterization

Esperanza is the protagonist and she is also the narrator of the story. She is an adolescent Chicana who views her society through the eye of an adolescence girl. According to the theory of Flat and Round Character by M. H Abram, Esperanza is defined as a round character because she is complex in motivation and temperament and her characterization changes throughout the course of the story. In this analysis, the writer will show the progression of Esperanza’s characterization from the first half of the novel until the second half of the novel. According to the theory of characterization by M. J Murphy, there are nine ways how the author presents the character in literary works. In this analysis, the writer will only use four of them to describe Esperanza’s characterization. The characterization of Esperanza in this novel can be seen through her speech, reaction, thought, and her conversation to other characters. Since Esperanza is the narrator of this story, the dominant characterization that is presented by the author can be seen through her speech. Here the writer will show the characterization of Esperanza in the first half of the novel. In the first chapter of this novel, Esperanza feels disappointed with the housing condition in her house on Mango Street. It is not the house which she dreams of. It’s small and red with tight steps in front and windows so small you’d think they were holding their breath. Bricks are crumbling in places, and the front door is so swollen you have to push hard to get in. There is no front yard, only four little elms the city planted by the curb 1991: 4. Feeling disappointed with this housing condition, she has a dream to have a house of her own. “I knew then I had to have a house. A real house. One I could point to. But this isn’t it. The house on Mango Street isn’t it” 1991: 5. She lives with her mother, father, Carlos, Kiki, her sister Nenny. It can be seen from her speech that Esperanza is described as a person who has close and intimate relationship with her mother. In the chapter “Hairs” Esperanza describes about her family who has different hair. She describes about her hair, her father’s hair, Carlos’ hair, Nenny’s hair, and Kiki’s hair. My Papa’s hair is like a broom, all up in the air. And me, my hair is lazy. It never obeys barrettes or bands. Carlos’s hair is thick and straight. He doesn’t need to comb it. Nenny’s hair slippery – slides out of your hand. And Kiki, who is the youngest, has hair like fur 1991: 6. But, when she comes to describe her mother’s hair, she describes it differently. Through her description of her mother’s hair, it can be seen that she admires her mother’s hair. She feels comfortable and safe when she closes to her mother. A figure of a mother can give her comfortable and peaceful feeling. But my mother’s hair, my mother’s hair, like little rosettes, like little candy circles all curly and pretty because she pinned it in pincurls all day, sweet to put your nose into when she is holding you, holding you and you feel safe, is the warm smell of bread before you bake it, is the smell when she makes room for you on her side of the bed still warm with her skin, and you sleep near her 1991: 6-7. Furthermore in the chapter “And Some More”, when Esperanza and her friends playing game about mentioning different names of clouds, Esperanza is angry when her friend named Lucy says that Esperanza’s mother has an ugly face. It proves that mother is important figure for Esperanza. She is also the person that she admires. In this case, the characterization of Esperanza can be seen through her conversation to another character and her reaction. Not you. Your mama, that’s who. My mama? You better not be talking like that….else you can say goodbye to being my friend end forever. I’m saying your mama’s ugly like….ummm…..like bare feet in September That does it Both of yous better get out of my yard before I call my brothers 1991: 37. As an older sister, Esperanza is described as a responsible girl. It can be seen in the chapter “Boys and Girls” when she does not let Nenny play with Vargas kids. “She can’t play with those Vargas kids or she’ll turn out just like them. And since she comes right after me, she is my responsibility” 1991: 8. Esperanza is also described as a character that has strong will. It can be seen in the chapter “My Name”. In this chapter, Esperanza describes about her grandmother that her name is inherited by her. She describes her grandmother as a horse woman who would not want to marry. Until one day, there was a man who threw a sack over her head. She never forgave him in her whole life and every day she only looked out the window and hopeless. And the story goes and she never forgave him. She looked out the window her whole life, the way so many women sit their sadness on an elbow. I wonder if she made the best with what she got or was she sorry because she couldn’t be all the things she wanted to be. Esperanza, I have inherited her name, but I don’t want to inherit her place by the window 1991: 11. She thinks that if her grandmother forgave him, her story will be different. Although Esperanza is inherited her grandmother’s name, she does not want to be identified as a hopeless person like her grandmother. It proves her strong will of her. Like the other usual adolescence, Esperanza is described as an innocent girl at her age who likes to play child games and arguing about child matter. It can be seen in the chapter “Our Good Day”. Esperanza and her friends decided to take turn about who will ride their new bicycle. This bike is three ways ours, says Rachel who is thinking ahead already. Mine today, Lucy’s tomorrow and yours day after. But everybody wants to ride it today because the bike is new, so we decide to take turns after tomorrow. Today it belongs to all of us 1991: 15. Furthermore, it can be seen in the chapter “And Some More”. Esperanza and her friends are arguing about how many different names for clouds. There are different kinds of clouds. How many different kinds of clouds can you think of? Well, there’s these already that look like shaving cream…And what about the kind that looks like you combed its hair? Yes those are clouds too. […] there are clouds that look like big fields of sheep, Rachel says. Them are my favorite 1991: 36. Esperanza meets many people in the neighborhood of Mango Street. She learns many things about life from those people especially from other female characters. Esperanza learns many positive and negative things from them. It can be seen in the chapter “Marin”. Esperanza knows a person called Marin. She is older than Esperanza and Marin tells her many things. Esperanza learns many things from Marin. She knows how a woman gets pregnant and what cream is best to taking off moustache from Marin. I like Marin. She is older and knows lots of things. She is the one who told us how Davey the Baby’s sister got pregnant and what cream is best of taking off moustache hair and if you count the white flecks on your fingernails you can know how many boys are thinking of you and lots of other things I can’t remember now 1991: 27. Although she learns many things from Marin, she also learns that Marin is a dependent girl. In this story, Marin is described as a girl who concerns about her physical appearance. Her dream is getting a job in downtown where she can find a man to marry and where she can attract other people by using her physical appearance. Marin says that if she stays here next year, she’s going to get a real job downtown because that’s where the best jobs are, since you always get to look beautiful and get to wear nice clothes and can meet someone in the subway who might marry you and take you to live in a big house far away 1991: 26. It seems that she is only waiting for the hands of man to change her life. She does not have courage to do something for her life. This fact is learned by Esperanza and the proof is quoted as follow. “Marin, under the streetlight, dancing by herself, is singing the same song somewhere. I know. Is waiting for a car to stop, a star to fall, someone to change her life” 1991: 27. From all the facts about Marin, the writer may conclude that there are positive and negative sides of her. As adolescence, it seems that Esperanza is able to identify the positive and negative side that she can find in Marin. In the writer opinion, this fact shows that Esperanza actually is a wise girl because she can identify the positive and negative side in one person. In this chapter, it can also be said that Esperanza is aware that there is another female character that is dependent in the hands of men. Esperanza is described as a shy girl that is too afraid facing verbal conflict. She prefers to avoid facing conflict although she knows that it is not what she intends to say. The proof can be seen in the chapter “A Rice Sandwich”. This chapter tells us about how Esperanza wants to have lunch in her school canteen. Unfortunately, only those whose house is far from the school are allowed to eat. Esperanza’s house is not far but it is not close either. When the nun starts to question Esperanza, she does not say anything. Everything is fine until the nun who knows all the canteen kids by heart looks at me and says: You, who sent you here? And since I am shy, I don’t say anything, just hold out my hand with the letter. This is no good, she says, till Sister Superior gives the okay. Go Upstairs and see her. And so I went 1991: 44. Esperanza is questioned by the Sister Superior to point which is her house. To avoid confrontation with her, she admits what Sister Superior says to her. Esperanza admits that the house which Sister Superior points to is her house although it is not her house. It proves that Esperanza is afraid to face verbal conflict by admitting what other people say, although it is not true. She is too shy and scare to argue to the Sister Superior. That is why she prefers to avoid problem and admits what Sister Superior says to her. And then she made me stand up on a box of books and points. That one? she said, pointing to a row of ugly three-flats, the ones even the raggedy men are ashamed to go into. Yes, I nodded even though I knew that wasn’t my house and started to cry 1991: 45. Entering the second half of the novel, the characterization of Esperanza shows the progression. As have discussed in the first half of the novel, Esperanza is described as an innocent and shy girl. As an older sister, she is described as a responsible girl to her sister Nenny. She is described as a girl who has strong will and she is also described as a wise girl who is able to identify the positive and negative side in one person. In the first half of the story, Esperanza is aware that there is another female character that is dependent in the hands of men. In the second half of the novel the characterization of Esperanza shows progression. For example, Esperanza becomes more responsible and mature in her way of thinking and from a shy person, she becomes a brave person. There are other progressions of Esperanza’s characterization that the writer will show in the next paragraphs. Throughout some chapters of the second half of the novel, the writer will show the detail of the progression of Esperanza’s characterization. In the chapter “The First Job”, Esperanza realizes that her family faces financial problem. It wasn’t as if I didn’t want to work. I did. I had even gone to the social security office the month before to get my social security number. I needed money. The Catholic high school cost a lot, and Papa said nobody went to public school unless you wanted to turn out bad 1991: 53. Her aunt has found a job for her as a photo finisher. Her aunt told her to lie to the boss because Esperanza is still under age to work. “I went in and saw the boss of the Peter Pan Photo Finisher on North Broadway where Aunt Lala worked and lied about my age like she told me to and sure enough, I started the same day” 1991: 54. As it is explained in the first half of the novel, Esperanza is described as innocent girl at her age who likes playing child games and arguing child matter. In the first half of the novel Esperanza is also described as an older sister who is responsible for her younger sister Nenny. However, in this chapter she starts to think about her family financial problem. She is not an innocent girl anymore who likes to play child’s game and arguing about child matter; however she is more mature in her way of thinking. It is proved by her effort to help her family solving the financial problem. Esperanza feels that she is not only responsible for her younger sister, but also she feels responsible as a family member who helps to solve financial problem in her family. At this point, the writer can say that Esperanza’s level of responsibility has progressed. As mentioned before, Esperanza learns many good and bad things from other female characters in her neighborhood. There are positives and negatives things that can be learned by Esperanza. In the second half of the novel, there is one example of female character that gives positive advice for Esperanza. It can be seen in the chapter “Born Bad”, Esperanza admires her aunt Guadalupe. She is a beautiful woman. But it is told that she is sick. “Her name was Guadalupe and she was pretty like my mother. Dark. Good to look at. In her Joan Crawford dress and swimmer’s legs. Aunt Lupe of the Photographs” 1991: 58. Her aunt Guadalupe gives positive advice for Esperanza. Although she is sick, she gives advice for Esperanza to develop her talent in writing. She told Esperanza to keep writing and develop her talent in writing. “That’s nice. That’s very good, she said in her tired voice. You just remember to keep writing Esperanza. You must keep writing. It will keep you free, and I said yes” 1991: 61. Her advice is a good thing for Esperanza to follow. Her advice can motivate her to keep her talent in writing. In the first half of the story, Esperanza is described as a shy girl that is afraid to face verbal conflict, whereas in the second half she tries to be a brave girl. Although she feels scare, she does not want to show it. She does not let other people know her weakness. The proof can be seen in the chapter “Sire”. It is when Esperanza meets a boy whose name is Sire and she stares his eyes. They didn’t scare me. They did, but I wouldn’t let them know. I don’t cross the street like other girls. Straight ahead, straight eyes. I walked past. I knew he was looking. I had to prove to me I wasn’t scare of nobody’s eyes, not even his 1991: 72. She tries to prove to herself and to other people that she is not a girl who is usually scared to face such situation. She proves that as a girl she also has power and courage to overcome her fear. In the chapter “Beautiful and Cruel”, it can also be seen that the characterization of Esperanza has progressed. In this chapter, Esperanza is told by her mother about how she will be when she grows adult. “My mother says when I get older my dusty hair will settle and my blouse will learn to clean, but I have decided not to grow up tame like the others who lay their necks on the threshold waiting for the ball and chain” 1991: 88. The quotation shows that Esperanza is aware that many women and girls in her society are dependent and confined by men. But, she has her own attitude that she does not want to grow up like other women and girls in her neighborhood who are dependent and confined by men. In the first half of the novel, Esperanza is described as a girl who has strong will. In this chapter, her sense of strong will can also be seen. Her attitude that she does not want to grow up like the other women and girls in her neighborhood who are dependent and confined by men shows her strong will in the second half of the story. In the first half of the story, she is only aware that there is another female character that is dependent in the hands of men. However in the second half of the story, she is not only aware about the fact but she also decides her attitude of her life. As mentioned in the first half of the story, the example of a character that is dependent to the hands of man is Marin. She is only waiting for someone that can change her life. In the second half of the novel, another example can be seen in the chapter “Rafaela Who Drinks Coconut and Papaya Juice on Tuesday”. It tells about a woman called Rafaela that is afraid to come out from her house because her husband forbids her. “And then Rafaela, who is still young but getting old from leaning out the window so much, get locked indoors because her husband is afraid Rafaela will run away since she is too beautiful to look at” 1991: 79. Rafaela is limited by her husband and does not have courage to change her life. In the end of the chapter entitled “Mango Says Goodbye Sometimes”, the description of Esperanza’s artistic talent in writing is obviously shown. She likes to tell stories and she wants to make the story of her own life. “I like to tell stories. I tell them inside my head. I tell them after the mailman says, Here’s your mail. Here’s your mail he said” 1991: 109. She wants to tell story of her life. “I make a story for my life, for each step my brown shoe takes. I say, “And so she trudged up the wooden stairs, her sad brown shoes taking her to the house she never liked” 1991: 109. With her artistic talent in writing, one day she dreams to go away from Mango Street. “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. One day I will go away” 1991: 110. In the very beginning of the novel, Esperanza’s dream is to have a house of her own. But it can be noticed in last chapter of this story that her dream is not merely having the house of her own, but she also thinks about other female characters that are trapped in the male domination in the neighborhood. She decided to leave Mango Street one day, but she will come back for those people. It is another progression of Esperanza’s characterization in her motivation of life. “They will not know I have gone away to come back. For the ones I left behind. For the ones who cannot out” 1991: 110. From the description of Esperanza’s characterization, the writer may conclude that Esperanza’s characterization has progressed from the very beginning of the novel until the end of the novel. In the first half of the novel, Esperanza is described as innocent and shy girl. As an older sister, she is described as a responsible girl to her sister Nenny. She is described as a girl who has strong will and she is also described as a wise girl who is able to identify the positive and negative side in one person. In the first half of the novel, Esperanza is aware about the fact that there is another female character that is dependent by men. In the second half of the novel, Esperanza becomes more responsible and mature in her way of thinking. She is not an innocent girl anymore who likes to play child games and arguing about child matters. She feels that she is not only responsible for Nenny as an older sister, but also she feels responsible as a family member who helps to solve financial problem in her family. If in the first half of the novel Esperanza is described as a shy girl who is afraid to face verbal conflict, in the second half of the novel she tries to be brave girl and she tries to overcome her fear. In the first half of the story, Esperanza is aware that there is another female character that is dependent by men. Because of seeing more facts and facing more experiences about other female characters who are dependent and confined by men, in the second half of the novel she is not only aware but also she has decided her own attitude of her life that she does not want to grow up like the other female characters who do not have intention to come out from the male domination. It can also be said as a proof of her sense of strong will in the second half of the story. Her motivation of life is also developed. In the beginning of the novel, Esperanza’s dream is to have a house of her own. However, it can be seen in last chapter of this story that her dream is not merely having the house of her own, but she also thinks about other female characters that do not have intention to come out from the male domination. From the analysis about Esperanza characterization, the writer finds another point. Although most aspects of Esperanza’s characterizations show its progression in the second half of the novel, there is one characterization of Esperanza that does not change in the second half of the story. Esperanza is described as a girl who has strong will both in the first and in the second half of the novel.

B. Presentation of Male Domination in The House on Mango Street