Custom «Comparison and Contrast on the Role of Family» Essay Paper Sample

Reading as a scholar with aptitude opens the way to discover culture and understanding, to contribute in cultural life and to enjoy literature. Culture and knowledge form a very crucial part of our learning and are fundamental to our capability to think decisively on any topic. On the other hand, the study of literature plays a central role in budding of these skills. It equips and offers students opportunities to work on vigilantly chosen texts provided by the teacher. As part of horning the these essential skills and mastering the art of literature this paper, will try to examine the comparison and contrast the role of family works as depicted Sandra Cisneros' The House on Mango Street and the film I was Puerto Rican, My Family(1995).

There exists comparative semblance between Sandra Cisneros' biography, which reveals her Puerto Rican origin in relation to her own backdrop and Esperanza Cordero's condition in The House on Mango Street. Apparently, there are similarities linking the author's and the central character way of living which together "form a modified autobiographical structure." (Cisneros p. 107)

Taking a closer look at the captivating content of The House on Mango Street, the book primarily covers the story of Esperanza Cordero, narrated by herself from the perspective of a first-person speaker. We as the reader are able to gain knowledge of more about her, about her genesis, relatives, acquaintances, and livelihood conditions and especially about her imaginings and desires to flee from Mango Street and to walk the through the course to self-realization. In the itinerary of this main topic, a number of themes have been well developed, for instance, friendship, the subjugation of women, prejudice, customs, love, and sexuality.

"An understanding of the individual sensibility or individual problems presented by the text may thus lead to an understanding of the implicit system of values and the sense of the relation of human beings to the world." (SparkNotes Editors) Young Esperanza, the main character of "The House on Mango Street", has a very extraordinary relation to the world. While judging herself to others, she investigates her identity and develops her principles - that result in a deep yearning to break out from Mango Street.

The first-person raconteur (Esperanza) thinks, in the same way as the chapter "Boys and Girls", about her relation to her family members. Typically, she compares herself to others and weighs optimistic and depressing aspects. Exactly from the start, the reader discovers that she is underprivileged in regard to others: "I am an ugly daughter. I am the one nobody comes for." (Cisneros, p.88) As a woman, her vocation seems to be manifested: finding a fine spouse, having a child and working in the family circle. This is comparable to a scene in the film I was Puerto Rican, My Family (1995) when Jimmy and his wife fall in love again. The two scenes serves both as metaphors for the prolongation and perpetuation of both families.

Nevertheless, Esperanza's response is that she does not want to acknowledge such a way of life. In close disparity to her sister Nenny, she has "decided not to grow up tame like the others who lay their necks on the threshold waiting for the ball and chain." (Cisneros, 1991, p.88) in conclusion, she declares that she is going to whirl in opposition to the current and, thus, will not obey the rules regarding the conventional and iniquitous way of life.

The Woman's Role on Mango Street is brought to the spotlight mainly when Nenny wants to be on her own, which is an authentic aspiration in this context. Conversely, her mother wants her daughters to be superior and well-behaved girls, which is an added real wish. In a movie, Esperanza adores the effortless and untroubled life of a beautiful woman, which is perceptibly illusory. As a result, Esperanza herself strategizes to be like the lady in the movies. So, her stance can be described as a genuine desire, but at the instant it is still a rational concept which has to be translated partially into practice.

In great comparison, the film I was Puerto Rican, My Family (1995) also happens to be narrated in first persona by the family's eldest son, Pace. As the film unfolds film, the father of the family, José Sanchez, is on his way from Mexico to Los Angeles, on a journey that lasts for a cool one year. The is purposely travelling to Los Angeles to meet a distant relative known as El Californio, who was born in the city when it was still part of Mexico (My Family).

The act of brutality is quite evident, well thought and swiftly implemented. The perpetrators of such act face dire consequences. There is a tension build up in relation to family harmony and unity. For instance on a night at a dance hall, Chucho is who happens to be dancing with his girlfriend, is bothered and insulted by his major rival Butch Mejia. The outcome of the conflict between them is a bloody knife fight between the two, where Chucho unintentionally kills Mejia. After the incident Chucho becomes a fugitive by the police and unfortunately he is shot dead on the night while Jimmy is playing ball with his friends (My Family).

Unlike in The House on Mango Street where everything revolves around the themes of friendship, the oppression of women, racism, culture, love, sexuality and growing up, the central idea in this film revolves around situations such as acculturation, assimilation, and past problems of the family (SparkNotes Editors).