In Sandra Cisneros's The House on Mango Street, young Esperanza must deal with the trials and tribulations that come with growing up. This daunting task is made even more difficult by society's views on one's race and gender. As a Latina teenager living on Mango Street, Esperanza is expected to become a cookie-cutter version of the women she is exposed to on a daily basis. This is not the life Esperanza has in mind, however. Three major problems seem to plague the women of Mango Street: an excess of loneliness (which in turn leads to other excesses), the complete loss of potential, and an extreme distrust of men. These problems seem to give Esperanza even more motivation to leave Mango Street and follow her own path. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essayA dominant problem that seems to affect several women on Mango Street is an extreme feeling of loneliness. This is fueled by several factors. One of these factors is abandonment. Rosa Vargas must face every day of her life with this horrible feeling due to her husband's flight from the family: "These Vargas are bad, and how can they get by with just one mother who is all the time tired…and who cries every day for the man who left without even leaving a dollar for Bologna or a note explaining why” (Cisneros 29). She is forced to raise all her children alone. One can't help but feel alone after a situation like this happens in one's life. Another minor character who shows a telltale sign of loneliness is Cathy, the "cat queen" (13). She has something negative to say about everything and everyone on Mango Street. She has no friends and seems to compensate for this lack of companionship with an abundance of cats. This further reveals that although one may put on a facade of contentment, there may be deep-seated issues that need to be addressed within that person. Another handicap that gender and ethnicity impose on the women of Mango Street is total loss. of potential. This is evident in the lives of Ruthie and Esperanza's mother. Ruthie is very talented in the performing arts: “Not only is she a good whistler, but she can also sing and dance” (68). In the past, she has been offered several jobs, but has not accepted any of them. She married and moved out of town, but always seems to return with her mother Edna to Mango Street. It would seem that this street exerts a hold on her from which she cannot free herself. This makes Ruthie seem like nothing more than “the only person we know who likes to play” (67). But perhaps the biggest waste of potential comes in the form of Esperanza's mother in the vignette titled A Smart Cookie. In this episode, Esperanza's mother is described as a very complete woman, mastering many areas of practical knowledge. She is unhappy with her life because she had to drop out of school at a very young age. She expresses this feeling of regret in her statement: “I could have been somebody, you know? (90). She disgustedly explains to Esperanza that the only reason she had to drop out of school was because of her lack of nice clothes. We can't help but feel compassion for her in this situation; Due to circumstances she could not control, she was forced to abandon her formal education. This further illustrates the socio-economic struggles due to ethnicity and social class. The third and seemingly most relevant problem facing the women of Mango Street is complete distrust and, »..