From the narrative, the vignette which made the strongest impression on me is “Hair.” Cisneros uses hair to describe the character traits of her family members. In the reading, mama’s hair is lengthly as a bond symbol between her and the author. Indeed, the description treats the mother as a kind person whose existence creates a feeling of safety. This vignette explains the importance of a mother’s love and the sense of belonging, “The snoring, the rain, and Mama’s hair that smells like bread” (Cisneros 7). On the other hand, the hair description of Nenny presents her as a responsible friend. Nenny makes the author realize the power of nature and agree that it is not her fault that she has a sister. The author uses Carlos and Papa’s hair to define age and environmental settings. In this approach, the broom-like hair indicates Papa is older. However, thick straight hair shows that Carlos is rough and prepared to tackle environmental challenges. This vignette resonates with me because it attracts familiar emotions based on environmental settings and inspires me to be ready for life.
Work Cited
Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street. McGraw-Hill College, 1984.
