Abstract: The House on Mango Street is written by Sandra Cisneros, one of the leading figures in Hispanic literature. It narrates the growth of a Mexican-American girl, Esperanza. Many Chinese and foreign scholars discuss it from various perspectives, most of them focusing on the perspectives of marginal identity, patriarchal oppression and racial discrimination. This paper interprets this novel from the initiation perspective and focuses on the growth of the protagonist. It analyzes Esperanza’s confusion about racial and sexual discrimination against her, discusses her epiphany after the awareness of her social responsibility and female consciousness, and expounds her maturity in the establishment of self-value and the development of her dreams. The thesis concludes that Esperanza’s growth represents the features of the growth pattern of a protagonist in a typical initiation novel. It shows the importance of understanding the living state of Mexican-American females in order to encourage ethnic women to achieve self-improvement and ethnic equality.

Key words: The House on Mango Street; Initiation Story; Esperanza; Growth

CONTENTS

Abstract

摘要

1. Introduction1

1.1 Introduction to The House on Mango Street

1.2 Introduction to Initiation Story

2. Esperanza’s Confusion3

2.1 The Confusion about Racial Discrimination

2.2 The Confusion about Sexual Discrimination

3. Esperanza’s Epiphany5

3.1 The Awareness of the Social Responsibility

3.2 The Awakening of the Female Consciousness

4. Esperanza’s Maturity7

4.1 The Maturity of Gender Awareness

4.2 Establishment of Self Value

4.3 The Development of Esperanza’s Dreams

5.Conclusion10

Bibliography.11

Acknowledgements12