"In the movies there is always one with red red lips who is beautiful and cruel. She is the one who drives the men crazy and laughs them all away. her power is her own. She will not give it away.
I have begun my own quiet war. Simple. sure. I am one who leaves the table like a man, without putting back the chair or picking up the plate."
The House on Mango Street
-Sandra Cisneros
I love how this girl wants to be so independent. It is heartbreaking throughout the book to read of how limited the women are, how dependent they are of their spouses. You have Rafaela who is not allowed to leave her house because she is too pretty, you have Sally who is beaten by her father and can't even talk to boys, Minerva whose husband beats her but she can never completely kick him out, Mamacita who moved there because of the man and hates every minute of it.... It almost makes me happy that she is fighting against 'the system' and that she doesn't want to conform.
I know that machismo has been a huge part of most cultures in the past. The man is in charge, he provides and the women bears children and cooks and cleans. I know there have been a lot of changes in many societies, but this is still pretty normal in many places and it makes me sad. There is so much potential that never gets discovered, so many dreams that are squashed.
While I am not a hardcore feminist, I love cooking and want to be a stay at home mom if at all possible, this is too much for me. Everyone deserves some independence, space to realize their dreams and have a chance at doing what they want. Everyone should be allowed friends and should be able to voice their opinion and know that it is taken into consideration.
In what ways does our society limit people? We have many women in the workforce, stay at home fathers, opportunities to do what we want. Are there ways that we are being limited and stifled?
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