In the stories about Sally, men are described as being dominant and above a woman. The text describes the hardship Sally had to go through while she lived with her father. Sally excused the fact that her father would beat her by saying “he never hits me hard”. However she thought that by getting married and “escaping” from the power her father had over her, things would be better. Although this did not actually happen because once she got married her husband was not any better. Even though she had what she needed, a beautiful house, her own pillow cases and plates, “she is afraid to go outside without his permission”. In the text women are suppose to get married and depend on their husband or their father.
Professor Laura Westengard
Email: lwestengard@citytech.cuny.edu
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Great observations, Wendy! You could also make a connection to the story in which Esperanza notes that she wants a house of her own, “not a Man’s house. Not a daddy’s.” This theme is pretty consistent throughout the whole novel.
I one hundred percent agreee with you. During class when we watched the little video about the author, I understood that this is excatly how the author grew up. She was raised to be a housewife and marry.
Yes, Esperanza wants to be independent and not “have to” depend on a man to be able to make a living. In the time Esperanza was growing up this seemed impossible because women were “suppose” to get married, have a family and be a “good” housewife. However, Esperanza did not want the same faith as many women around her had fallen into and the fact of owning things off her own strength meant a great deal to her, because it represented disattachement from the norms society had placed on women.