Feminism values as reflected in Esperanza`s response to male domination in Sandra Cisneros` The House on Mango Street.

ix ABSTRACT

PAULUS GENTUR UTOMO. Feminism Values as Reflected in Esperanza’s Response to Male Domination in Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2010.

Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street tells about the main adolescence Chicana character Esperanza who lives in Mango Street. It is poor Chicano neighborhood. Living in the neighborhood, she learns many things and faces experiences from the surroundings. She finds fact that there are many women and girls who are trapped in male domination and they do not have courage to come out from the domination.

The research focuses on finding feminism values that are reflected through Esperanza’s response to male domination. There are three questions related to the topic. The first question is about Esperanza’s characterization, the second question is about the presentation of male domination in the novel, and the last question is about feminism values that are reflected through Esperanza’s response toward male domination.

The writer uses library research method as the primary source. The writer also collects the data from the internet to support the thesis. The approach that is used in this thesis is feminism approach. The reason why the writer uses feminism approach is because the main goal of this thesis is to find feminism values, so feminism approach is suitable to use.

From the analysis, the writer finds that the characterization of Esperanza is developed from the first half to the second half of the story. In the first half of the story, she is described as an innocent, shy, responsible, wise, and strong will girl. Her motivation is having a house of her own dream. In the second half of the story, she is more mature in her way of thinking and she is more responsible. She is brave and still has the strong will. Her motivation is not merely having a house, but she also thinks about other female characters like Marin, Rafaela, and Sally that do not have the courage to come out from male domination. The male domination portrayed in this novel happens both in the family life and in the neighborhood of Mango Street. Violence is the dominant form of male domination toward women and girls in the story. When it happens in the neighborhood, it is in the form of sexual violence while, when it happens within the family life, the head of the family practices patriarchal culture. Furthermore, they often use physical violence. Since it is related to Chicano social group, the male domination contains Mexican norms and heritage. The feminism value that is reflected through Esperanza’s response toward male domination is girls or women have same dignity with men. They have to be willing to defend and struggle for their dignity and honor. The second value is about the consciousness of women or girls subordination.

x ABSTRAK

PAULUS GENTUR UTOMO. Feminism Values as Reflected in Esperanza’s Response to Male Domination in Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2010.

Novel yang berjudul The House on Mango Street karangan Sandra Cisneros menceritakan tentang tokoh utama remaja Chicana bernama Esperanza yang tinggal di Mango Street. Tempat ini adalah lingkungan orang – orang Chicano yang miskin. Hidup di lingkungan ini, Esperanza belajar banyak hal dan mengalami banyak pengalaman. Dia menemukan realita bahwa banyak wanita dan gadis terjebak dalam dominasi pria dan mereka tidak punya kemauan untuk lepas dari dominasi tersebut.

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menemukan nilai feminism yang tercermin melalui respon Esperanza pada dominasi pria. Ada tiga pertanyaan yang berhubungan dengan topik. Pertanyaan pertama adalah tentang penokohan Esperanza, pertanyaan kedua adalah tentang pemaparan dominasi pria dalam novel ini, dan pertanyaan terakhir adalah tentang nilai feminism yang tercermin melalui respon Esperanza pada dominasi pria.

Penulis menggunakan metode studi pustaka sebagai bahan utama. Penulis juga mengumpulkan data dari internet untuk mendukung skripsi ini. Pendekatan yang digunakan adalah pendekatan feminism. Alasan mengapa penulis menggunakan pendekatan tersebut adalah karena tujuan utama dari skripsi ini adalah untuk menemukan nilai feminism. Maka dari itu, pendekatan ini cocok untuk digunakan.

Dari hasil analisa, penulis menemukan bahwa penokohan Esperanza berkembang dari tengah bagian pertama, sampai tengah bagian kedua cerita. Pada tengah bagian pertama, dia digambarkan sebagai tokoh yang polos, pemalu, bertanggung jawab, bijaksana, dan berkemauan keras. Motivasinya adalah memiliki rumah impiannya. Di tengah bagian kedua cerita, jalan pikiranya lebih dewasa dan dia lebih bertanggung jawab. Dia berani dan tetap berkemauan keras. Motivasinya tidak hanya sekedar memiliki rumah impian, tetapi dia juga berpikir tentang tokoh wanita lainya seperti Marin, Rafaela, dan Sally yang tidak mempunyai keinginan untuk lepas dari dominasi pria. Dominasi pria terjadi baik dalam kehidupan keluarga maupun di lingkungan Mango Street. Kekerasan adalah bentuk dominan dominasi pria terhadap para wanita dan gadis dalam cerita ini. Kekerasan yang terjadi di lingkungan Mango Street dalam bentuk kekerasan seksual, sedangkan ketika kekerasan terjadi di dalam kehidupan keluarga, kepala keluarga menerapkan budaya patriarki. Terlebih lagi, mereka sering menggunakan kekerasan fisik. Karena berhubungan dengan kelompok sosial Chicano, dominasi pria dalam novel ini mengandung norma and kebudayaan Mexico. Nilai feminism yang tercermin melalui respon Esperanza terhadap dominasi pria adalah para wanita dan gadis mempunyai martabat yang sama dengan pria. Mereka harus mau membela dan memperjuangkan martabat dan kehormatan mereka. Nilai feminism yang kedua adalah tentang kesadaran terhadap perlakuan yang lebih rendah terhadap para wanita atau gadis.

FEMINISM VALUES AS REFLECTED IN ESPERANZA’S

RESPONSE TO MALE DOMINATION IN SANDRA

CISNEROS’

THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By

PAULUS GENTUR UTOMO Student Number: 064214050

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA 2010

i

FEMINISM VALUES AS REFLECTED IN ESPERANZA’S

RESPONSE TO MALE DOMINATION IN SANDRA

CISNEROS’

THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By

PAULUS GENTUR UTOMO Student Number: 064214050

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA 2010

iv

Yesterday's the past, tomorrow's the future, but today is a

gift. That's why it's called the present

~Bil Keane

Our greatest glory is in never failing, but in rising up every

time we fail

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

If you have made mistakes, there is always another chance

for you. You may have a fresh start any moment you

choose, for this thing we call 'failure' is not the falling

down, but the staying down

~ Mary Pickford

Risk more than others think is safe. Care more than others

think is wise. Dream more than others think is practical.

Expect more than others think is possible

~ Cadet Maxim

v

I DEDICATE MY

UNDERGRADUATE THESIS TO

JESUS CHRIST, MY SAVIOR AND

GUIDANCE

MY BELOVED PARENTS

MY DEAREST BROTHER AND SISTER,

vi

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN

PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTIGAN AKADEMIS

Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:

Nama : Paulus Gentur Utomo

Nomor Mahasiswa : 064214050

Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:

Feminism Values as Reflected in Esperanza’s Response to Male Domination in Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street

beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan kepada Perpusatakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelola dalam bentuk pangkalan data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di Internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya maupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.

Demikian pernyataan ini yang saya buat dengan sebenarnya. Dibuat di Yogyakarta

Pada tanggal : 04 Oktober 2010

Yang menyatakan

vii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to express my biggest gratitude to Jesus Christ for the blessings throughout my life and for guiding me in writing and completing my undergraduate thesis.

My deep gratitude goes to my advisor, Ni Luh Putu Rosiandani, S.S., M.Hum who never stops encouraging me to finish my undergraduate thesis. Without your patience and kindness in advising me, I cannot finish my undergraduate thesis. My deep gratitude also goes to my co-advisor Elisa Dwi Wardani, S.S., M.Hum who has given her precious time to read and check my undergraduate thesis.

I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to my beloved parents, FX. Joko Pitoyo and CA. Rusliyatiningsih, for all their affection, trust, support, and prayer. For my younger brother Winengku Aji and my younger sister Leela Laksita who never end to support me. Also my grandmother Soekirmo, my aunt Retno and my cousin Seto and Mas Dibyo who always give motivation to me.

My special thanks for my best friends Handoko, Wulan, Gaby, Tere, Sukma, Achied, Siska, Pipit, Asti, Ketut, Feby, Mbak Sasha and Mas Rilo. Thanks for your endless support to make me finish this undergraduate thesis.

Finally, I want to say thank you for all my friends in English Letters Department especially for the students of 2006. Thanks for accompanying me as my friend and I would never forget our friendship.

viii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE ………..……… i

APPROVAL PAGE ………..………. …… ii

ACCEPTANCE PAGE ………... iii

MOTTO PAGE …………...……… iv

DEDICATION PAGE ……… ……… v

STATEMENT PAGE... vi

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ……….. vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS ……… viii

ABSTRACT ………. ix

ABSTRAK ……… x

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ……….. 1

A. Background of the Study ……….. 1

B. Problem Formulation ……… 5

C. Objectives of the Study ………. 5

D. Definition of Terms ……….. 5

CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW ……….. 7

A. Review of Related Studies ……… 7

B. Review of Related Theories ……….. 11

1. Theory of Character and Characterization ……….. 11

2. Theory of Patriarchy and Theory of Violence ……… 14

3. Theory of Feminism ……..……... 17

C. Theoretical Framework ……….. 23

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ………... 25

A. Object of the Study ……… 25

B. Approach of the Study ………... 26

C. Method of the Study ……….. 27

CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ……….………... 29

A. Esperanza’s Characterization………. 29

B. Presentation of Male Domination in The House on Mango Street 41 C. Feminism Values Reflected through Esperanza’s Response toward Male Domination……… 49

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ………... 59

BIBLIOGRAPHY ……… 63

APPENDIX ……….. 65

ix ABSTRACT

PAULUS GENTUR UTOMO. Feminism Values as Reflected in Esperanza’s Response to Male Domination in Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2010.

Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street tells about the main adolescence Chicana character Esperanza who lives in Mango Street. It is poor Chicano neighborhood. Living in the neighborhood, she learns many things and faces experiences from the surroundings. She finds fact that there are many women and girls who are trapped in male domination and they do not have courage to come out from the domination.

The research focuses on finding feminism values that are reflected through Esperanza’s response to male domination. There are three questions related to the topic. The first question is about Esperanza’s characterization, the second question is about the presentation of male domination in the novel, and the last question is about feminism values that are reflected through Esperanza’s response toward male domination.

The writer uses library research method as the primary source. The writer also collects the data from the internet to support the thesis. The approach that is used in this thesis is feminism approach. The reason why the writer uses feminism approach is because the main goal of this thesis is to find feminism values, so feminism approach is suitable to use.

From the analysis, the writer finds that the characterization of Esperanza is developed from the first half to the second half of the story. In the first half of the story, she is described as an innocent, shy, responsible, wise, and strong will girl. Her motivation is having a house of her own dream. In the second half of the story, she is more mature in her way of thinking and she is more responsible. She is brave and still has the strong will. Her motivation is not merely having a house, but she also thinks about other female characters like Marin, Rafaela, and Sally that do not have the courage to come out from male domination. The male domination portrayed in this novel happens both in the family life and in the neighborhood of Mango Street. Violence is the dominant form of male domination toward women and girls in the story. When it happens in the neighborhood, it is in the form of sexual violence while, when it happens within the family life, the head of the family practices patriarchal culture. Furthermore, they often use physical violence. Since it is related to Chicano social group, the male domination contains Mexican norms and heritage. The feminism value that is reflected through Esperanza’s response toward male domination is girls or women have same dignity with men. They have to be willing to defend and struggle for their dignity and honor. The second value is about the consciousness of women or girls subordination.

x ABSTRAK

PAULUS GENTUR UTOMO. Feminism Values as Reflected in Esperanza’s Response to Male Domination in Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2010.

Novel yang berjudul The House on Mango Street karangan Sandra Cisneros menceritakan tentang tokoh utama remaja Chicana bernama Esperanza yang tinggal di Mango Street. Tempat ini adalah lingkungan orang – orang Chicano yang miskin. Hidup di lingkungan ini, Esperanza belajar banyak hal dan mengalami banyak pengalaman. Dia menemukan realita bahwa banyak wanita dan gadis terjebak dalam dominasi pria dan mereka tidak punya kemauan untuk lepas dari dominasi tersebut.

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menemukan nilai feminism yang tercermin melalui respon Esperanza pada dominasi pria. Ada tiga pertanyaan yang berhubungan dengan topik. Pertanyaan pertama adalah tentang penokohan Esperanza, pertanyaan kedua adalah tentang pemaparan dominasi pria dalam novel ini, dan pertanyaan terakhir adalah tentang nilai feminism yang tercermin melalui respon Esperanza pada dominasi pria.

Penulis menggunakan metode studi pustaka sebagai bahan utama. Penulis juga mengumpulkan data dari internet untuk mendukung skripsi ini. Pendekatan yang digunakan adalah pendekatan feminism. Alasan mengapa penulis menggunakan pendekatan tersebut adalah karena tujuan utama dari skripsi ini adalah untuk menemukan nilai feminism. Maka dari itu, pendekatan ini cocok untuk digunakan.

Dari hasil analisa, penulis menemukan bahwa penokohan Esperanza berkembang dari tengah bagian pertama, sampai tengah bagian kedua cerita. Pada tengah bagian pertama, dia digambarkan sebagai tokoh yang polos, pemalu, bertanggung jawab, bijaksana, dan berkemauan keras. Motivasinya adalah memiliki rumah impiannya. Di tengah bagian kedua cerita, jalan pikiranya lebih dewasa dan dia lebih bertanggung jawab. Dia berani dan tetap berkemauan keras. Motivasinya tidak hanya sekedar memiliki rumah impian, tetapi dia juga berpikir tentang tokoh wanita lainya seperti Marin, Rafaela, dan Sally yang tidak mempunyai keinginan untuk lepas dari dominasi pria. Dominasi pria terjadi baik dalam kehidupan keluarga maupun di lingkungan Mango Street. Kekerasan adalah bentuk dominan dominasi pria terhadap para wanita dan gadis dalam cerita ini. Kekerasan yang terjadi di lingkungan Mango Street dalam bentuk kekerasan seksual, sedangkan ketika kekerasan terjadi di dalam kehidupan keluarga, kepala keluarga menerapkan budaya patriarki. Terlebih lagi, mereka sering menggunakan kekerasan fisik. Karena berhubungan dengan kelompok sosial Chicano, dominasi pria dalam novel ini mengandung norma and kebudayaan Mexico. Nilai feminism yang tercermin melalui respon Esperanza terhadap dominasi pria adalah para wanita dan gadis mempunyai martabat yang sama dengan pria. Mereka harus mau membela dan memperjuangkan martabat dan kehormatan mereka. Nilai feminism yang kedua adalah tentang kesadaran terhadap perlakuan yang lebih rendah terhadap para wanita atau gadis.

1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

There are many benefits of reading literary works. Moral value, social life, and historical background can be learned through literary work. It will give more understanding to the reader throughout the content in literary works. The way the author views the world, the idea and the ideology are presented through literary works. So, literary works can be said as the representation of the way the author views the world.

It is a fact that for centuries women are treated unequal. They are trapped in male domination where men gain more power than women. Women are limited in many aspects of life such as social aspects, political aspects, economic aspects, legal aspects, etc. It seems to be culturally conditioned. Ashley Montagu in The Natural Superiority of Women stated that “In most of the cultures of which we have any knowledge, women are considered to be a sort of lower being, a creature human enough, but not as quite so human as male; certainly not as wise, nor as intelligent […] ” (1953:27).

Those stigma for women, make them like a second class creature that have lower ability than men. This condition creates strict stratification between men and women. Their inferiority makes their roles in society are limited. Men are considered as bread winners whereas women are care givers. Ashley Montagu in the same book stated that “Woman’s place is in the home, and man’s place is in

the countinghouse and on the board of directors” (1953:23). Furthermore, she also stated that:

Women bear children and nurse them, they are forced to be much sedentary than men. Woman is the cricket on the hearth; man is the eagle on the wing. Women stay at home to nurse and care for their children, to prepare food. Men leave the hearth for the hunt (1953:28).

From the quotation above, the discrimination between men and women become clearer. Realizing this subordinate condition to men’s power, there is a term called feminism. Feminism is a weapon to fight men’s domination in society. It fights men’s domination in order to release women from inferiority. Maggie Humm in The Dictionary of Feminist Theory stated that:

A fundamental goal of feminist theory is to understand women’s oppression in terms of race, gender, class and sexual preference and how to change it. Feminist theory reveals the importance of women’s individual and shared experiences and our struggles. It analyses how sexual difference is constructed within any intellectual and social world and builds accounts of experiences from these differences (1990: x).

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros is a novel which consists of many parts. At the first glance, this novel is like a collection of short stories. But actually each part of the novel is connected each other. Ellen McCraken in Breaking Boundaries Latina Writing and Critical Reading stated that “The book has been classified as a novel by some because, [….], there is character and plot development throughout the episodes” (1989:63).

In this thesis, the writer will primarily focus on finding feminism value in this novel. In order to reach deep understanding, it is necessary for the writer to review at the social background.

In this novel, Esperanza is a protagonist and also the narrator of the story. She is a Mexican-American girl (Chicana)

Chicana refers to a woman who embraces her Mexican culture and heritage, but simultaneously, recognizes the fact that she is an American. It is a self-selected term that usually applies to those Mexican-American women who acknowledge a dominance of males in society, and a history of discrimination and neglect in both the household and the workplace.

(www.umich.edu/~ac213/student_projects07/.../whatisit.html )

From the quotation above, Mexican-American women or so called Chicana embrace the Mexican culture and heritage. They acknowledge the domination of men in society, whereas a Mexican-American man is called Chicano. Harry H. L Kitano in Race Relation stated that “At the present a great number of terms are used to refer to persons of Mexican descent. […] The most commonly used term currently is Chicano, which refers to a multiracial group with Spanish and Indian roots” (1985: 164-165).

The pattern of Mexican-American family allows the men to have more authority than women. The father’s duty is to work and protect his wife and daughters, whereas wife’s duty is to manage everything related to the house hold matter such as cook, raising children, and serve the husband.

The traditional family is arranged hierarchically: the father occupies the top, followed by the sons; together they shelter and protect the wife and daughters. The women are expected to cook, raise the children, and serve the needs for the men. Male and female roles tend to be clearly proscribed; masculinity (machismo) is a great of importance, even outside marriage (1985:172).

The reflection of the social facts above can be seen in this novel. Esperanza is a young Chicana who observes women and girls in her society. She lives in a patriarchal culture in her society that allows men to have more authority

and domination toward women and girls. She discovers that many girls and women in the novel do not have intention to defy the male domination. In this thesis, the writer will show the attitude of Esperanza as a young Chicana who responds the male domination portrayed in her society that confronts her idea.

The story begins when she and her family have moved in many places by renting a house before finally they decided to live in Mango Street. She lives with her mother, father, Carlos, Kiki, and her sister Nenny. Mango Street is a poor Chicano neighborhood. In this neighborhood, men are more superior to women. They have authority toward women because of practicing patriarchal culture in the neighborhood. Male domination is the manifestation of the patriarchal culture in this novel. The dominant form of male domination that is portrayed in the novel is violence. Women and girls are limited in the house hold sphere and often get violence from men. Furthermore, they often get the violence in the neighborhood either.

From the beginning of the story until the end, Esperanza faces many experiences that show male domination to the women and girls. They are treated differently in Chicano society. She proves that as a young Chicana, Esperanza has attitude toward male domination. She is different from the other Chicana girls in this story that are unable to defy the male domination. She is aware and conscious that many women and girls in this novel are subordinated and treated unequal. Later, Esperanza has her own attitude to defy the domination. Her attitude toward male domination is shown with her response. Later in the analysis, the writer will show that Esperanza’s response to male domination reflect feminism value.

B. Problems Formulation

These are problems formulations which are the guidance to analyze this novel. 1. How is Esperanza characterized?

2. How is male domination presented in the story?

3. How is feminism value reflected through Esperanza’s response toward male domination?

C. Objectives of the Study

Related to the problem formulation that the writer has been stated above, the study on Feminism Values as Reflected in Esperanza’s Response to Male Domination in Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street aims primarily at finding the feminism values as reflected in Esperanza’s response to male domination in this novel.

D. Definition of Terms

In order to avoid ambiguity, the writer will list and explain some terms that will be used in this thesis.

1. Feminism Value

Maggie Humm in The Dictionary of Feminist Theory stated her point her point of view about feminism as quoted below.

The definition incorporates both a doctrine of equal rights for women (the organized movement to attain women’s right) and an ideology of social transformation aiming to create a world for women beyond simple social equality. […] In general, feminism is the women’s liberation […] (1995:94).

So, Feminism is an ideology or belief that women and men should be treated equal in gaining their rights and opportunity.

According to Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of The English Language, value is “to consider with respect to worth, excellence, usefulness, or importance” (1989: 1578). So, feminism value is the idea that contains the equality between women and men in society.

2. Response

According to Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of The English Language, response is “an answer or reply, as in words or in some action” (1989: 1222).

3. Patriarchal

According to Maggie Humm in The Dictionary of Feminist Theory, patriarchy is “A system of male authority which oppresses women through its social, political, and economic institutions” (1995: 200). So, Patriarchal is related to or being patriarchy.

4. Male Domination

According to Maggie Humm in The Dictionary of Feminist Theory, Male dominance is “a part of a system of dual or multiple systems of dominance: capitalism, patriarchy, heterosexism, racism, imperialism” (1995: 69). In this thesis, the concept of Male Domination is on the patriarchy.

7 CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL REVIEW

A. Review of Related Studies

Janet Sarbanes in his essay stated that Sandra Cisneros, the author of The House on Mango Street, is a Chicago-born Chicana activist, poet, and fiction writer. She has published two collections of poems, Bad Boys (1980) and My Wicked Wicked Ways (1987), and a collection of short stories entitled Woman Hollering Creek (1991). Her novel, The House on Mango Street (1983), was awarded the Before Columbus American Book Award. (http://www.answers.com/topic/the-house-on-mango-street-novel-7). He also stated that:

The House on Mango Street is the fictional autobiography of Esperanza Cordera, an adolescent Mexican American girl who wants to be a writer. Unlike the chapters in a conventional novel, the forty-four vignettes, or literary sketches, which make up the novel could each stand on its own as a short story. Read together, they paint a striking portrait of a young Chicana struggling to find a place in her community without relinquishing her sense of self. (http://www.answers.com/topic/the-house-on-mango-street-novel-7)

The House on Mango Street is a fiction novel which tells about the life experiences of Esperanza Cordera. If we notice at the first glance of this novel, it is like a collection of short stories. But it is the style of the author Sandra Cisneros to create a novel made of interconnected vignettes. Christine C. Cepeda in her thesis entitled The Construction of Chicana Identity in The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, stated the definition of vignette quoted as follow: “A vignette is defined as “a short usually descriptive literary sketch” or “a short scene

or incident,” but since this vignettes put together to tell a story, it is also very similar to a short novel” (2006:10).

(http://scholarship.rice.edu/bitstream/handle/1911/17868/1435715.PDF?sequence =1)

Each part of the story can stand on its own but it also has connection with other parts. Esperanza, an adolescence Chicana, is the central character in this novel. She is the protagonist and also the narrator of the story.

In this story, the characterization of Esperanza is evolved throughout the story. Cisneros shows us that Esperanza’s characterization is developed through each part of the story. The experiences that she faces in the neighborhood make the character developed.

In his criticism on The House on Mango Street, James Errera states that there are two types of character in The House on Mango Street. The main character Esperanza changes throughout of course of the novel. Because of this fact, she can be said as a dynamic character. At the beginning of the story, she is described as a shy girl with low self-esteem. It can be seen when she asks permission to the nun to stay in school for lunch. The nun starts to question Esperanza, to avoid confrontation, she just agrees with what the nun says and she begins to cry. As the readers get closer to the end of the story, they start to notice a change in Esperanza’s character. She gets clear and aware of her identity. She knows that it was wrong for mimicking her sick aunt. She also understands the concept of heaven and hell. This is a big progression from the way she was earlier in the novel.

(http://www.iona.edu/faculty/dwilliams/130/charactersA.html)

James Errera also states about the example of character that does not change. It is Sally. Because of the fact, she is considered as a static character. Sally’s father always uses physical abuse to her and he controls everything she does. Once, Sally married a man just like her father who always abuses her. Sally’s husband does not let her talking on the phone and look out the window. Sally leaves her home but ends up in the same situation.

(http://www.iona.edu/faculty/dwilliams/130/charactersA.html)

The quotations above show that there are two kinds of character in the The House on Mango Street. They are static and dynamic character. James Errera shows that the character Esperanza is a dynamic character. Dynamic character means that the character undergoes changes throughout the story. Esperanza is an example of dynamic character because from the very beginning until the end of the story, her characterization changes. For example, in the first half of the novel she is still innocent, whereas in the second half of the novel she starts to grow her maturity. Another kind of character in this novel is static character. It is a character which is static throughout the novel. The example of static character in The House on Mango Street is Sally. She often gets violence from her father and when she leaves home, she married with a man but the situation still same for her. She often gets violence from her husband too. That is why she is considered as an example of static character.

Another criticism stated by Christine C. Cepeda in her thesis is that Esperanza as the protagonist living in the community which is a mixture between

two cultures Mexican-American culture and American culture. Those two cultures have different point of view toward the life of women. This condition causes problem to Esperanza in her introduction to womanhood.

Esperanza is a Mexican American girl also hovering in that grey area between two cultures, the Mexican culture inherited through her parents and the American culture that she lives in. This constant juggling of two cultures poses problems for Esperanza in her introduction to womanhood because the Mexican ideals of women as wives and mothers compete with the American ideals of individuality and the ability for women to pursue a career (2006:11).

(http://scholarship.rice.edu/bitstream/handle/1911/17868/1435715.PDF?seq uence=1)

Esperanza as the protagonist of the story views many women and girls in her community as her role models. There are positive and negative female role models. Ellen McCraken in Breaking Boundaries Latina Writing and Critical Readings stated that

The House on Mango Street presents clusters of women characters through the sometimes naive and sometimes wise vision of the adolescent protagonist. There are positive and negative female role models and, in addition, several key incidents that focus the reader’s attention on the contradictions of patriarchal social organization (1989:66).

Furthermore, Ellen McCraken in the same book also stated that Sandra Cisneros does not only show women victimization in this story, but she also points several positive role models that help Esperanza to develop.

Cisneros does not merely delineate women’s victimization in this collection, however. Several positive female role models help to guide Esperanza’s development. Minerva, for the example, although a victim of her husband’s violence, makes time to write poetry (1989: 69).

The writer agrees with all of the review and criticism above. It will help the writer to analyze the novel. Esperanza as the protagonist of the story faces many experiences in her community. Male domination is presented through her

experiences. She observes many girls and women as her role models. There are positives and negatives role models in this novel that contributes to Esperanza’s characterization and encourages her to respond the male domination in her community. This thesis is development of those review and criticism above. This thesis is different because the writer will analyze the feminism value that is reflected through Esperanza’s response toward male domination in her community. Since the writer raises the feminism value as the theme, this thesis will be viewed through feminism point of view. Hopefully, this thesis will help the reader to understand this novel better.

B. Review of Related Theories

1. Theory of Character and Characterization

Character in literary works is one of intrinsic elements which are significant. It can be in form of human being, animal, etc. According to M. H. Abrams in A Glossary of Literary Terms, characters are “the persons presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral, dispositional, and emotional qualities that are expressed in what they say and by what they do” (1985: 23). He also stated another point of view about characters. There are two kinds of characters as quoted in the following.

A flat character is built around “a single idea or quality” and is presented without much individualizing detail, and therefore can be fairly adequately described in a single phrase or sentence. A round character is complex in temperament and motivation and is represented with subtle particularly; such a character therefore is as difficult to describe with any adequacy as a person in real life, and like real person, is capable of surprising us (1985: 24).

From the quotation above, a flat character is defined as a character which is presented generally without much individualizing detail. The emphasis is not in the individual depth and details but in the general characterization of the character. So, it is possible to be described in a one sentence even a phrase. On the contrary, round character is defined as a character which is more complex than flat character. The complexity is in term of motivation, and temperament. Round character is able to surprise the reader because its complexities. It is a character which is not stable.

Murphy in Understanding Unseen: An Introduction to English Poetry and the English Novel for Overseas Student stated nine ways how the author presents the character in literary works as quoted below:

(a) Personal description. The author can describe the character’s appearance and clothes (1972:161).

(b) Characters as seen by another. The author can describe the character through the eyes and opinions of other characters, so that the reader will get the reflected image (1972: 162).

(c) Speech. The author can give us an insight into the characters in the book through what the character says. It can be seen wherever he speaks, having conversation or giving opinion (1972: 164).

(d) Past life. The author gives clue that helps to shape a person’s character by letting the reader knowing the past life of the character. It can be done by direct comment from the author, through the person’s thoughts, through his conversation or through the medium of another person (1972: 166).

(e) Conversation of others. The author gives the reader clues to a person’s characters through the conversation of other people and the things they say about the character (1972: 167).

(f) Reactions. The author gives the reader clue to a person’s character by knowing how the character reacts to various situations and events (1972: 168).

(g) Direct comment. The author can describe or comment on the character directly (1972: 170).

(h) Thoughts. The author can give the reader direct knowledge of what a person is thinking about. In this respect the character is able to do what we cannot do in real life. The character can tell us what different people are thinking. In the novel the readers accept this (1972: 171).

(i) Mannerism. The author describes a person’s mannerism, habits or idiosyncrasies which may also tell us something about the character (1972: 173).

Holman & Harmon in their book A Handbook to Literature stated that characterization is the creation of the imagery persons who exist for the readers as lifelike. Both character and characterization are related each other. There are three basic method of characterization in fiction:

1. The explicit presentation of the character by the author through direct explanation whether in a book’s introduction or throughout the work, illustrated by action.

2. The presentation of the character in action; therefore the reader will be able to conclude the attributes of the character from its actions.

3. The presentation from within a character – without comment on the character by the author – of the impact of actions and emotions on the character’s inner self, with the expectation that the readers will come to the clear understanding of the attributes of the character (1986: 81).

2. Theory of Patriarchy and Theory of Violence

In writing these theories, the writer refers to a book. It is entitled Fifty Key Concepts in Gender Studies by Jane Philcher and Imelda Whelehan. These theories will explain two parts, which are theory about Patriarchy and the theory about Violence. It is needed to show the presentation of male domination in this novel. Male domination is the manifestation of patriarchal culture in this novel. That is why Theory of Patriarchy is necessary to give general overview about patriarchy. It will also explain that the practice of patriarchal culture is different among social groups.

As mentioned in Chapter I that violence is the dominant form of male domination portrayed in the novel, it is necessary for the writer to review about Theory of Violence.

a. Theory of Patriarchy

Jane Philcher and Imelda Whelehan in their book stated that, patriarchy means rule by the male head of a social unit (for example a family or tribe). The

patriarch, typically a societal elder, has legitimate power over others in the social unit especially younger men, all women and children. However, since the early twentieth century, feminist writers have used the concept to refer to the social system of masculine domination over women (2004: 93).

According to Jane Philcher and Imelda Whelehan in the same book, masculinity itself is the set of social practices and cultural representations associated with being a man. The plural ‘masculinities’ is also used in recognition that ways of being a man and cultural representations about men vary, both historically and culturally, between societies and between different groupings of men within any one society (2004: 82-83). Since Patriarchy is defined as a social system of masculine domination over women and since masculinities is different among social groups both culturally and historically, it can be said that each social group has their own way in practicing their patriarchal culture in their communities. It can also be said that the existence of male domination is the result of practicing patriarchal culture.

According to Walby, patriarchy is a system of social structures and practices, in which men dominate, oppress and exploit women. Walby identifies six structures of patriarchy (household production, paid work, the state, male violence, sexuality, culture) that together are means to capture the depth, pervasiveness of women’s subordination. According to her, patriarchy is divided into two which are Private Patriarchy and Public Patriarchy. Private Patriarchy is based around the family and the household and involves individual men exploiting the labour of individual women. Women are largely confined to the

household sphere and have limited participation in public life. In Public patriarchy, women are not excluded from public life but face inequality and discrimination within it, for example, in paid work (Walby in Philcher & Whelehan, 2004: 95).

b. Theory of Violence

Jane Philcher and Imelda Whelehan in the same book stated that violence may be narrowly defined, as in the legal sense of it being the unlawful use of physical force by an individual against others. A broader approach defines violence as behavior which harms others, either physically or emotionally. Whether a narrow or broader concept of violence prevails, however, it remains the case that violence is gendered. Meaning to say, it exhibits pattern of difference between men and women, being especially associated with the behavior of men (2004: 173).

Connell identifies a range of ways in which men ‘predominate across the spectrum of violence’, whether as members of the armed forces, as violent criminals under the law, as abusers of family members, or as participants in and audiences of the various contact sports which centre around the use of physical force (Connell in Philcher & Whelehan, 2004: 173).

Official criminal statistics for Europe, Australia and the United States suggest that men are held to be responsible for around 85 per cent of all violent crimes. Such evidence is suggestive of the important role played by violent

behavior in contemporary constructions of masculinities (Brenies in Philcher & Whelehan, 2004: 173).

It is men’s violence against women that has especially been the concern of feminist researchers. Conceptualized as a broad range of men’s harmful behavior toward women, including rape, domestic violence and sexual harassment, violence has been identified as a key mechanism in the subordination of women by men (Philcher & Whelehan, 2004: 173).

One manifestation of the subordinating effect of violence against women is indicated by survey evidence which shows that women are more fearful about violent crime than men, and that this fear impact upon their freedom of movement when outside the home. (Simmons in Philcher & Whelehan, 2004: 173).

3. Theory of Feminism

This theory is divided into four parts that will explain about The First Wave of Feminism, The Second Wave of Feminism, The Third Wave of Feminism, and Feminism of Color. The theory about First Wave, Second Wave, and Third Wave of Feminism will explain about the development of feminism goals, whereas the Feminism of Color will explain about Chicana Feminism. Maggie Humm in her book entitled Feminism: A Reader stated that

The first idea that is likely to occur in the course of any historical thinking about feminism is that feminism is a social force. The emergence of feminist ideas and feminist politics depends on the understanding that, in all societies which divide sexes into differing cultural, economic or political spheres, women are less valued than men. Feminism also depends on the premise that women can consciously and collectively change their social place (1992: 1).

a. First Wave Feminism

The earlier period (dating from at least the mid to late nineteenth century up until about the 1920s), became First Wave Feminism. The concern of The First Wave Feminism is women’s attainment of equality with men. It struggles to gain the right of women in political aspects such as gaining political identity for women, legal advance, and public emancipation. Therefore feminist analyses and campaigning centered on securing legislational change (Philcher & Whelehan, 2004: 52).

It is supported by Maggie Humm in Feminism: A Reader who stated that First Wave Feminism created a new political identity of women and won for women legal advances and public emancipation. The struggle for the vote, and the later battles for family allowance, contraception, abortion and welfare rights, twists around several axes: women’s domestic labor, the endowment of motherhood, protective legislation, and women’s legal status (1992: 14).

James Philcher and Imelda Whelehan in Fifty Key Concepts of Gender Studies also stated their point of view about First Wave of Feminism. According to them, the Fist Wave Feminist movement is also a means that brings change to against Public Patriarchy via the struggle for the vote, access to education and the profession, right to own property, and the legal rights for women in marriage and divorce (2004: 53).

b. Second Wave Feminism

Second wave feminism is a term used to describe a new period of feminist collective political activism and militancy which emerged in the late 1960s. Whereas the first wave lobbied for women’s enfranchisement via the vote and access to the professions as well as the right to own property, the second wave feminism talked in terms of ‘liberation’ from the oppressiveness of a patriarchal society. Second wave feminists were committed to building a body of knowledge which specifically addressed the ways in which women have historically been marginalized, both culturally and socially (Philcher & Whelehan, 2004: 145).

In the first moment women are objects, sometime victims of mistaken social knowledge. In the second moment women are challenging that ‘knowledge’ from the strength of their own experience (Humm, 1992:11). Yet what remains constant throughout both waves of feminism is the idea that women are unequal to men because men create the meaning of equality. (Humm, 1992: 13).

c. Third Wave Feminism

According to Jane Philcher and Imelda Whelehan, the Third Wave Feminism has numerous definitions. The definition that is best to describe this term is that it is the feminist movement of a younger generation of women who acknowledge the legacy of the second wave feminism, but also identify what they see as its limitations. These limitations include the sense that it remained too exclusively white and middle class (2004: 169).

The above quotation shows that the Second Wave Feminist movement does not accommodate all of the feminist movement. It only covers the white and middle class women. Realizing the fact, the Third Wave Feminist movement emerges a kind of feminist movement that is called Feminism of Color. It is supported by Jane Philcher and Imelda Whelehan in the same book who stated that much of the impetus of the Third Wave Feminism movement derives from the writings of women of color (2004: 170).

d. Feminism of Color

Deborah L. Madsen in her book entitled Feminist Theory and Literary Practice stated her point of view about Feminism of color quoted as follow. “Feminist of colour point to the emergence of Black Feminism, Chicana/Hispana Feminism, Native Feminism, and Asian Feminism as distinct theoretical perspective upon the oppression of women by virtue of their racialized sexuality” (2000: 213). Since the writer will only focus on Chicana/Hispana Feminism, in this theory the writer will only write the theory about Feminism of Color that is related to Chicana/Hispana Feminism.

Colored women were excluded from position of public influence in both the black male-dominated Civil Rights movement, and the Women’s Movement which was dominated by white women. All feminists of color insist upon recognition of the relationship between class and race as they crucially affect the experience of gender and sexualized power relationship (Madsen, 2000: 215).

Yvonne Yarbro-Bejarano stated about the principle of Chicana feminist criticism that the most important principle of Chicana feminist criticism is the realization that the Chicana’s experience as a woman can not be separated from their experience as a member of an oppressed working-class racial minority and a subordination within their own culture which is not the dominant culture (Yarbro-Bejarano in Madsen, 2000: 216-217).

It is supported by Karen Anderson in A History of Racial Ethnic Women in Modern America. Referring to the social background, she stated that Chicana have complicated position as working-class, minority women within the dominant Anglo culture and their problematical gender status within their own and larger culture (1996: 92). So, it can be said that Chicana has been subordinated both in working class ethnic minority and in their own ethnic group.

For women, the experience of feminine sexuality is different according to ethnic or racial identity: to take the example of religion, Chicanas may be subject to the traditional gender constraints of Catholicism (Madsen, 2000: 217).

In Borderlands / La Frontera, Gloria Anzaldúa explains that there are very few cultural roles available for Chicanas; women were confined to the roles of ‘wife’, ‘prostitute’, or ‘nun’. Only recent access to education has opened up teaching as a profession to Hispanic-Women, providing an alternative to traditional, sexually-defined feminine roles. In patriarchal Chicano culture, femininity is identified with the carnal body and so women must be protected against the power of their own sexuality. First, the Catholic Church places controls upon feminine sexuality by forbidding birth control and abortion; then

the traditional Hispanic family structure strictly regulates feminine behavior, especially sexual behavior. Correspondingly, masculinity is constructed differently according to each racial or ethnic group – for example, Chicanos invented the term ‘machismo’ – and femininity is defined in opposition to these dominant images of masculine gender identity (Gloria Anzaldúa in Madsen, 2000: 217).

Gloria Anzaldúa explains the manner in which Chicanas are oppressed by the cultural imperatives that women remain silent, unquestioning, invisible, within traditional Chicano culture; even the language that is available to these women expresses masculine rather than feminine consciousness: ‘Chicanas use nosotros whether we’re male or female. We are robbed of female being by masculine plural (Gloria Anzaldúa in Madsen, 2000: 219).

From all of the quotations above that explain about Feminism theory, the writer may conclude that there is different goal between First Wave, The Second Wave, and The Third Wave Feminism. The first feminist movement or so called First Wave Feminism aims at gaining political equalities for women. It helps women to get new political identity for women and get legal advance, whereas the second feminism movement or the Second Wave of Feminism is aimed to get the liberation from patriarchal pattern society. It is a struggle to find equality for women since historically women has been marginalized culturally or socially. The Third Wave Feminism also brings the goal of the Second Wave Feminism. However, it acknowledges that the second wave only accommodate for white and middle class women movement. That is why The Third Wave Feminism rises to

accommodate other feminist movement and the result is the emergence of Feminism of Color.

Feminism of Color points to many emergences of feminist movements such as Black Feminism, Chicana/Hispana Feminism, Native Feminism, and Asian Feminism. The writer will only focus on Chicana Feminism. The principle of Chicana Feminism is a realization that Chicana has been subordinated both in working class ethnic minority and in their own ethnic group.

C. Theoretical Framework

The first theory is Theory of Character and Characterization. It is used to answer the first problem formulation that is to describe Esperanza’s characterization. By using these theories, the writer will be able to know the characterization of Esperanza in this novel. The writer uses many sources to write this theory. The writer uses theory of character from M. H. Abrams and theory of characterization is taken from M. J. Murphy and Holman & Horman.

The second theory is theory of Patriarchy and Violence. It is used to answer the second problem formulation in this thesis that is to show how male domination is presented in the novel. The writer uses theory of Patriarchy and Violence from Jane Philcher and Imelda Whelehan.

The focus of this study is about to find the Feminism value presented in this novel. Therefore, the third theory that is used by the writer is theory on Feminism. It is used to answer the third problem formulation that is to find feminism value as seen in Esperanza’s response to male domination. The writer

uses theory of feminism from Maggie Humm, Deborah L. Madsen, and from Philcher & Whelehan. This theory consists of four parts that is theory of First Wave Feminism, theory of Second Wave Feminism, theory of Third Wave Feminism and theory of Feminism of Color.

25 CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY

A. Object of the Study

The object of the study is a novel entitled The House on Mango Street written by Sandra Cisneros. This novel consists of 110 pages divided into 44 chapters. It is a novel made of interconnected vignettes. At the first glance, this book seems like a collection of a short story, but actually each part of the story is connected each other. It is the style of the author in writing this book. The House on Mango Street is written by Sandra Cisneros and published in 1984. After the publication of the book, The House on Mango Street was awarded “The Before Columbus American Book Award”. That is why the book is worth to be studied.

The novel itself tells us about the portrayal of adolescent Mexican – American girl (Chicana) named Esperanza that lives in Mango Street. Her characterization develops throughout the course of the novel. In the first half of the novel, Esperanza is described as a shy and innocent girl. But in the second half of the novel, she starts to be more mature in her way of thinking and realize what her goal of her life is.

From the beginning of the novel until the end, she faces many experiences that show male domination toward girls and women in her society. Esperanza observes many female characters in her neighborhood. Esperanza learns positive and negative things from the other female characters. There are positive examples of female characters that help Esperanza to develop. For example, they help her to

develop her artistic talent in writing poetry, understand the concept of heaven and hell, etc. But, there are also negative examples of female characters that do not have intention to come out from the male domination. Esperanza is different from other female characters in this story that do not have intention to defy the male domination. The male domination that she has faced through her experiences and the male domination that she has seen through other female character’s experiences will encourage her to respond it. Esperanza’s response toward male domination in this story reflects feminism value. Later in the analysis, the writer will show how male domination is presented and how feminism value is reflected through Esperanza’s response toward male domination in this novel.

B. Approach of the Study

Since the primary objective of the analysis is to find feminism values, the approach that will be used by the writer in this analysis is feminism approach. It is to find feminism value in the protagonist character Esperanza. Her response toward male domination reflects feminism value. Therefore, feminism approach is suitable to be used in the analysis.

Wilfred L. Guerin in A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature, stated that feminism has often focused upon what is absent rather that what is present. It is a reflecting concern with the silencing and marginalization of women in patriarchal culture. It is a culture that is organized in the favor of men (2005: 222-223).

Feminism approach is used to explore the literary works in which it contains the women’s role and position in society that is marginalized and oppressed by patriarchal culture.

Lizbeth Goodman in Approaching Literature: Literature and Gender stated that “Feminism literary criticism is an academic approach to the study of the literature which applies feminist thought to the analysis of the literary texts and the contexts of their production and reception” (1996: xi).

Furthermore, Deborah L. Madsen in Feminist Theory and Literary Practice stated that “feminist perspectives focus upon how women’s writing attempts to create a feminist consciousness of the oppression and injustice suffered by women” (2000: 37). So, the key of feminism approach is the consciousness of the subordination and the marginalization of women in society.

C. Method of the Study

The method that is used to analyze The House on Mango Street is library research. This study uses sources that are divided into primary and secondary sources. The primary source is taken from the novel itself, The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. Whereas the secondary source is taken from many books of theory such as A Glossary of Literary Terms by M.H. Abrams, Understanding Unseen: An Introduction to English Poetry and the English Novel for Overseas Student by J.J Murphy and A Handbook to Literature by William Harman and C. Hugh Holman to write about theory of Character and Characterization. Theory of Patriarchy and Violence is taken from Fifty Key

Concepts in Gender Studies by Jane Philcher and Imelda Whelehan and theory of Feminism is taken from Feminism: A Reader by Maggie Humm, Feminist Theory and Literary Pratice by Deborah L. Madsen, and also from Fifty Key Concepts in Gender Studies by Jane Philcher and Imelda Whelehan. A book entitled Race Relation by Harry H. L. Kitano is used to know the social background of the Chicano social group.

There were several steps taken in analyzing this novel. The first step was reading the primary source, The House on Mango Street, several times to understand the story and to get the main idea. After that, the writer created problem formulation that was used as a guidance to analyze this novel. The second step was searching the references and theories related such as theory of Character and Characterization, theory of Patriarchy and Violence, and theory of Feminism that were used in answering the problem formulation and after that was reading those theories and references to know how it should be applied. The third step was applying those theories to analyze the novel. Theory of Character and Characterization were used to describe Esperanza’s characterization in this novel. Theory of Patriarchy and theory of Violence were used to know how male domination is presented in this novel, and theory of Feminism was used to know how feminism value is reflected through Esperanza’s response toward male domination in this story. The last step was making the conclusion based on the analysis.

29 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.

Mexican norms and heritage. The dominant form of male domination is violence toward women and girls.

The male domination happens within the family life and in the neighborhood of Mango Street. When it happens within the family life, the head of the family practices the male domination that contains the patriarchal culture. Since it happens within the Chicano family life, the male domination in the family life contains Mexican norms and heritage. Furthermore, the head of the family also uses physical violence. When the male domination happens in the neighborhood, men use sexual violence. The male domination that is presented in this novel makes the women and girls subordinated. They are the victims of patriarchal culture that allows men to have authority toward women and girls. Although many women and girls are trapped in the male superiority, they do not have courage and intention to come out from the situation.

The last problem formulation discusses about feminism values as seen in Esperanza’s response toward male domination in this novel. As mentioned, Esperanza has seen and faced many kinds of experiences in the Mango Street. She learns that there are many females character that do not have courage and intention to come out from the male domination. However unlike the other female characters in the story, Esperanza has an attitude toward male domination in her neighborhood. She has decided her attitude of her life that she does not want to grow up like the other female characters that do not have courage in intention to come out from the male domination.

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Esperanza’s response toward male domination is presented in many ways. Esperanza’s response can be seen through Esperanza’s action. It can also be seen from her comment. The writer finds that knowing the characterization of one character, it will help the writer to know how he or she will react to certain situation. After analyzing Esperanza’s response toward male domination, the writer finds some values of feminism. The first value of feminism is that girls or women should be honored. They have same dignity with men. Girls or women have to be willing to defend and struggle for their dignity and honor. The second value of feminism that the writer finds is about consciousness of women or girls subordination.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Abrams, M.H. A Glossary of Literary Terms. Forth Worth: Hardcourt Brace Jovanovic College Publisher, 1985.

Cepeda, Christine C. “The Construction of Chicana Identity in The House on

Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros”. <http://scholarship.rice.edu/bitstream/handle/1911/17868/1435715.PD

F?sequence=1>. (October 29th 2009)

Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street. New York: A Division of Random House, Inc, 1991.

Errera, James. The House on Mango Street (Criticism). <http://www.iona.edu/faculty/dwilliams/130/charactersA.html>.

(October 29th 2009)

“Exploring the Chicana Feminist Movement”. <www.umich.edu/~ac213/student_projects07/.../whatisit.html>.

(August 28th 2009)  

Holman, C. Hugh and William Harmon. A Handbook to Literature Fifth Edition. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1986.

Humm, Maggie. Feminism: A Reader. New York: Harvester Wheatsheaf, 1992. Humm, Maggie. The Dictionary of Feminist Theory Second Edition. Colombus:

Ohio State University Press, 1995.

Kitano, Harry H. L. Race Relation. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc, 1974.

L. Guerin, Wilfred. A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature Fifth Edition. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005.

Madsen, Deborah L. Feminist Theory and Literary Pratice. London: Pluto Press, 2000.

 

Mc Craken, Ellen. Breaking Boundaries Latina Writing and Critical Readings. Amherst: The University of Massachusets Press, 1989.

 

Montagu, Ashley. The Natural Superiority of Women. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1953.

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Murphy, M.J. Understanding Unseen: An Introduction to English Poetry and the English Novel for Overseas Student. London: Ruskin House Museum Street George Allen and Unwin, Ltd, 1972.

 

Pilcher, Jane and Imelda Whelehan. Fifty Key Concepts in Gender Studies. London: SAGE Publication Ltd, 2004.

 

Sarbanes, Janet. “The House on Mango Street (Criticism)”. <http://www.answers.com/topic/the-house-on-mango-street-novel-7>.

(October 29th 2009)

Webster Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language. New York: Portland House, 1989.

 

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APPENDIX

Summary of The House on Mango Street

This novel tells us about a main character named Esperanza. She is adolescence Chicana girl. She is the main character and also the narrator of the story. The story begins when she and her family lives in Mango Street. It is poor Latino neighborhood. In Mango Street, Esperanza lives with her mother, father, Carlos, Kiki, and her sister Nenny. The house on Mango Street is the real house that she and her family own. It is a house with poor housing condition. Before living in Mango Street, they had rent and moved to many places and finally they live in Mango Street. Although it is the real house that Esperanza owns, however it is not the house that she dreams of.

Reading the novel from the first half to the second half of the novel, readers will notice a development of Esperanza’s characterization. The experiences that she faces will lead Esperanza to her character’s development. Mango Street itself is a kind of neighborhood that is not comfortable and safe for women and girls. For example, in her first day of work, Esperanza faces sexual violence by being kissed by older oriental man. Another example is when Esperanza is at the carnival. At the carnival, she also faces sexual assault.

The experiences that she faces in the neighborhood show the male domination toward women and girls. Although women and girls face the male domination, they do not have courage to release themselves from the domination. Even, they seem to be dependent with men. Esperanza is both facing the

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experiences by herself and seeing the experiences from other female characters. For example, she has a friend named Marin. She learns that Marin is a dependent to the hands men. Her motivation is attracts the men with her physical beauty and later she can find a man to marry and get financial freedom from it. Esperanza also learns a character named Rafaela who is afraid to come from the house without the permission from her husband. Another female character named Sally is often brutally beaten by her father. She ends up in the same situation when she has married. Her husband does not let her come out from her house and talking on the phone with his permission.

Facing and seeing the experiences above, Esperanza decides her attitude in her life. She does not want to grow up like ordinary women and girls in the neighborhood who do not have intention to come out from the male domination.