Annie John

Annie John is a coming of age story about a young girl in her adolescent years. A major theme in this book is the relationship between Annie and her mother. They seem to have a relationship not typical of a girl Annie's age. Annie spent most of her time with her mother and became very close. She spent her days admiring her mother. Annie was a good student and did not cause much trouble. When Annie started to lose the closeness with her mother, she decided to befriend Gwen and the Red Girl. Annie starts to act rebellious against her mother for making her feel left out of their relationship they once had. At the end of the book, when Annie is leaving, she goes through her memories of the town and the people. I think that Annie realized that she needed to go off on her own, and be away from her mother, even though they were not that close anymore. I believe that by her leaving, she will come to realize how much her family and her home town mean to her.

The House on Mango Street

"The House on Mango Street" is a year long description of the life of Esperanza. One of the main focuses in this book, is Esperanza's wish to move away from Mango Street and to have her own house. Esperanza is trying to identify herself, and comes to find exactly what she does not want to be identified with. She does not want to become part of Mango Street or like any of the other women living there. She does not want to marry and be under the control of a husband. Rafaela is an example of what Esperanza does not want to become. Rafaela, "gets locked indoors because her husband is afraid she will run away because she is too beautiful to look at."(p.79) Rafaela spends her time looking out the window, which is something that happens frequently by the women on Mango Street. Esperanza refuses to become Mango Street, and continues her push to leave.