Journal Five- Jacob Francis

The most meaningful chapter in The House on Mango Street in my opinion was Beautiful & Cruel. In this chapter Esperanza held her opinion on how she wanted to be different from anyone else in her family. She also said "I have decided not to grow up tame like the others who lay their necks on the threshold waiting for the ball and chain" (88). Esperanza shows that everyone else around her specifically the other girls around her, are in relationships that resemble slavery. This chapter stands out to me every time I read it.

My Brothers had an influence on me while I was growing up. Not in the sense of pressuring me to do thing, but to act as a role model for both of them. This kept me out of trouble growing up; always being there and looking out for my younger brothers. I kept myself to a high standard because of my brothers, my middle brother especially who liked and still does like to get in trouble. I remember when we would go out and around the neighborhood closer to dark and he would always want to do something that could get us in trouble. One night specifically he thought it was a good idea to try and egg a house of a friend of ours. I told him the repercussions of what he was about to do, even though egging the house would have be really fun to be completely honest.