The American Dream in The House On Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

Marco Rubio once said "The American Dream is a term that is often used but also often misunderstood. It isn't really about becoming rich or famous. It is about things much simpler and more fundamental than that." The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros is a book about Esperanza and the people on her street and their quest to have the American Dream. What is the biggest problem that prevents people from achieving the American Dream? The American Dream is the chance for equal opportunity for a better life. While language and discrimination are significant obstacles to reaching the American Dream in The House on Mango Street, poverty is the biggest obstacle.

Language is one obstacle to reaching the American Dream. For example, Mamacita’s husband felt so enervating of her refusal to speak English that he yelled, "¡Ay, caray! We are home. This is home. Here I am and here I stay. Speak English. Speak English. Christ!" This evidence helps explain why language is an obstacle to reaching the American Dream because the fear of speaking English is so strong for Mamacita that she is too afraid to even leave her apartment. Moreover Mamacita can’t speak English she does not want to stay, jeopardizing her family’s dream of achieving the American Dream. Another example, "My father says when he came to this country he ate hamandeggs for three months. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Hamandeggs. That was the only word he knew. He doesn’t eat “hamandeggs” anymore." Esperanza’s father had to eat the same meal everyday because it was the only meal he knew how to say in English, he became indefatigable by eating ham and eggs that he no longer eats them. This evidence supports why language is an obstacle to reaching the American Dream because the language barrier constructs an inability to speak English causing the well being of a person to be passable. As language continues being an ongoing issue, achieving the American Dream will be laborious. 

Discrimination is another obstacle to reaching the American Dream. Accordingly, Geraldo was perceived as "Just another brazer who didn’t speak English. Just another wetback." Terms like “brazer” and “wetback” are derogatory expressions to suppress Mexican immigrants like Geraldo. This evidence helps explain why discrimination is an obstacle to reaching the American Dream because neverthless Geraldo was just trying to make an honest living and the lack of inequity was significantly displaced towards him. Another point of comparison is how Geraldo made his honest living, "They never saw the kitchenettes. They never knew about the two-room flats and sleeping rooms he rented, the weekly money orders sent home, the currency exchange." No one recognized the adversities he had full responsibility for, causing the endeavor to achieve the American dream. This evidence helps explain why the effects of discrimination is an obstacle to reaching the American Dream because Geraldo never received the satisfaction of achieving his dream. There was no guidance and constant reassurance for him to maintain his aspirations.

Nonetheless, poverty is the most significant obstacle to reaching the American Dream. To evince poverty being a deterrent, "Papa talked about when he held a lottery ticket and this was the house Mama dreamed up in the stories she told us before we went to bed." (Doc A) Papa, Esperanza’s father, always dreamed of winning the lottery, he held the lottery ticket like it represented money and money is what he needs to afford the house of his dreams. Papa knows he will never get his dream house without winning the lottery, and Esperanza knows that this will never happen. A further explanation, "There. I had to look to where she pointed—the third floor, the paint peeling, wooden bars Papa had nailed on the windows so we wouldn’t fall out. You live there? The way she said it made me feel like nothing." (Doc A) This is a crucial illustration because Esperanza felt shame and embarrassment and was not proud to have her house be “pointed to.” This expands the point of poverty abstaining them to possess a house that is worth being pointed at. Poverty is a rigorous obstacle towards the American Dream and has demonstrated its effect. 

All the things considered, while asking “What is the biggest problem that prevents people from achieving the American Dream?”, many can conclude that poverty is the biggest obstacle. As language and discrimination have their consequences amongst achieving the American Dream it is agreeable that poverty demonstrated prominent effects. The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros illustrated how Esperanza and the people on her street experienced these effects and their journey to have the American Dream.