Trees

The novel “The House on Mango Street” by Sandra Cisneros, a compilations of vignettes, is narrated by a young Esperanza who has to overcome adversity and finds comfort and support from trees. She does this through many symbols, and one of them is trees. Trees are constantly seen throughout the book as being forced to stay in one spot.  Trees symbolize the loneliness of Esperanza and outcast.  For example in “Skinny Trees” Esperanza compares herself to the trees. “They are the only ones who understand me. I am the only one who understands them. Four skinny trees with skinny necks and pointy elbows like mine. Four who do not belong but are here... But Nenny just sleeps and doesn’t appreciate these things” (page 74).  This shows that she is very different, and looks at herself in a low esteem.  She dislikes the way she looks, even if it doesn’t affect the way others look at her.  She also shows her difference by mentioning that Nenny doesn’t look at these things, the things that she looks at.  Also, she says that the trees are the only ones who understand her, and she understands them. This mean they are alike and Cisneros plays with the fact that they are both outcasts.

Also, she proves her point with this quote on page 24:“The kids bend trees and bounce between cars and dangle upside down from knees and almost break like fancy museum vases u can’t replace. They think it’s funny. They are without respect for all things living, including themselves” she shows that she is a child, but she is different of how she sees them as disrespectful and observes the other children from afar. This shows her isolation from the others.

Also Cisneros writes, “And then I don’t know why but I had to run away. I had to hide myself at the other end of the garden, in the jungle part, under a tree that wouldn’t mind if I lay down and cried a long time” (Page 97).  She shows thsi relationship between Esperanza and trees again.  It portrays how they are tightly wound together and understand each other’s feelings.  Also, it shows up when she is feeling left out.  She is left out from the others, and finds comfort and support from her loving, much alike trees.