As humans we simply aren’t capable of fully understanding the significance of each individual life. This quote, from the vignette, “Geraldo No Last Name,” strikes at the heart of this chapter’s meaning it is about the contrast between the meaningfulness of each individual life and the difficulty of empathizing with each person individually. They never knew about the two-room flats and sleeping rooms he rented, the weekly money orders sent home, the currency exchange. “What does it matter? They never saw the kitchenettes. She does not understand that Ruthie’s decisions may have a motive. She solely focuses on how she disagrees with Ruthie’s decisions. ![]() The quote also shows Esperanza’s childish view of the world. Esperanza talks about how she does not understand why Ruthie uses her independence to spend time in the place that she has to live in by force. Despite her privileges and possessions, Ruthie chooses to spend the majority of her time at Mango Street. Ruthie chose a path in her life that did not include getting a job, but rather getting a husband, and with that, a house of her own. Ruthie, the object of Esperanza’s admiration, is a grown woman who spends time with the children on Mango Street. The quote supports the theme of the desire to be independent. ![]() ![]() This quote demonstrates how Esperanza envies those who have the freedom to be independent while also revealing her naïve, childish character. “Only thing I can’t understand is why Ruthie is living on Mango Street if she doesn’t have to, why is she sleeping on a couch in her mother’s living room when she has a real house all her own, but she says she’s just visiting and next weekend her husband’s going to take her home.” (Edna’s Ruthie, page 69) It is also important that in this chapter Esperanza realizes the steadfast loyalty of her aunt, and her own unforgettable disrespect that she eventually learns from. Maybe we got tired,”(Cisneros 60) and “We didn’t know she was going to die,” (Cisneros 61). As children, they did not fully understand the seriousness of the sick and dying, displayed in the quote, “We didn’t know.” Her realization of her obliviousness to gravity of the situation is present in several lines during the chapter, including, “It was a game, that’s all,”(Cisneros 59) “I don’t know why we picked her. The recurring motif of “it is how it is”, in other words “it’s no one’s fault,” is present in this quote because the children were not predicting her death and were not purposely being disrespectful. Since this story is a coming of age story, it is pertinent that Esperanza makes mistakes because that is how she will learn. This demonstrates that Esperanza’s disrespect, as a result of her childishness, teaches her important lessons so that as she becomes older, she becomes aware of her behavior and can improve upon it to become an adult. She had been dying such a long time, we forgot”(Cisneros 61). An example of Esperanza’s immaturity and realization of wrongdoing occurs on page 61, “We didn’t know. Throughout The House on Mango Street, the theme of childish naivety is continuously portrayed as it is a significant element which helps the reader understand Esperanza’s character development. This is why Ruthie is such a good person for Esperanza to look up to. She is afraid of looking stupid because she likes something so old and individual. In the chapter "Gil's Furniture Bought & Sold", Nenny finds the old music box beautiful and unique and though Esperanza does to, she doesn't want to admit it. To be able to make something good out of nothing is a gift, Ruthie is a good role model for Esperanza because many times she has trouble letting herself see beauty. In the quote I picked, Ruthie sees simplicity as beauty which is something that can be hard to do. Many times, we believe that God is this complex being who can't be described with words, but really he is everything from the little spring flowers to the fields of tall grass. Described in the chapter "Darius and the Clouds", the little boy describes God as something simple, something that can be defined. This quote brings up the reoccurring theme we have seen in past chapters about seeing beauty in the simple things. "Ruthie sees lovely things everywhere." (Edna's Ruthie, pg 68)
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