A House Is Not a Home
A House is not a Home
People all around the world today live with the idea that one day they will be living in the perfect house with the perfect family. This represents a stereotypical view that has been viewed as a social norm for many years now in which society only thinks about the physical aspects of a home. There is much more tied in to living the so called ‘American Dream’ that goes way beyond the materialistic desires. In The House on Mango Street, one can assume that the narrator is a young child with a skewed view on life due to their young age. By indoctrinating youth with the idea that there can only be one ideal house for everyone it is making it more difficult for the future generations to find happiness if they are also wanting something that is difficult to achieve. The point of view present in The House on Mango Street can be seen as somewhat unreliable due to their lack of knowledge regarding the situations. By reading between the lines one is able to see that the parents have been modifying the truth due to their young age as to not worry them. By telling them that, “They had to leave quick because the pipes burst and the house was too old to fix them” (Cisneros), proves that there were ulterior reasons behind why they were forced to move so quickly. The lack of honesty between the parents and the children though it protects them from the less pleasant attributes of the world it also makes them naïve which can prove to be a deterrent as they grow older.
Another piece of evidence proving the unreliability of the narrator is the way he or she views owning a house of his or her own. The thought that, “…not having to pay rent, not sharing a yard, and being able to be as loud as they want” (Cisneros), shows an immature point of view as those things are not what proves to be important when owning a house. By believing such trivial things are the main things behind owning the dream home it is setting expectations way too high for the future. By
People all around the world today live with the idea that one day they will be living in the perfect house with the perfect family. This represents a stereotypical view that has been viewed as a social norm for many years now in which society only thinks about the physical aspects of a home. There is much more tied in to living the so called ‘American Dream’ that goes way beyond the materialistic desires. In The House on Mango Street, one can assume that the narrator is a young child with a skewed view on life due to their young age. By indoctrinating youth with the idea that there can only be one ideal house for everyone it is making it more difficult for the future generations to find happiness if they are also wanting something that is difficult to achieve. The point of view present in The House on Mango Street can be seen as somewhat unreliable due to their lack of knowledge regarding the situations. By reading between the lines one is able to see that the parents have been modifying the truth due to their young age as to not worry them. By telling them that, “They had to leave quick because the pipes burst and the house was too old to fix them” (Cisneros), proves that there were ulterior reasons behind why they were forced to move so quickly. The lack of honesty between the parents and the children though it protects them from the less pleasant attributes of the world it also makes them naïve which can prove to be a deterrent as they grow older.
Another piece of evidence proving the unreliability of the narrator is the way he or she views owning a house of his or her own. The thought that, “…not having to pay rent, not sharing a yard, and being able to be as loud as they want” (Cisneros), shows an immature point of view as those things are not what proves to be important when owning a house. By believing such trivial things are the main things behind owning the dream home it is setting expectations way too high for the future. By