English Literature: Women Empowerment Essay - Analysis of Two Works

This essay provides a comparative and contrast analysis of women empowerment in two literary works, "Why I Live at the P.O." by Eudora Welty and "The House on Mango Street" by Sandra Cisneros. The essay explores the protagonists' struggles for livelihood, dignity, and the symbols of their confinement and dissatisfaction. It examines characterizations, contrasting endings, and the importance of women's awareness and determination. The analysis highlights the prejudiced opinions towards women and the impact of negative emotions like jealousy and sexual humiliation. Through the personification of objects, the essay delves into the protagonists' grief, anger, and depression, emphasizing the need for women to overcome adversity and achieve self-discovery. The essay underscores the significance of feminism and empowerment in creating a better future, offering insights into societal issues and the portrayal of women in literature.

ENGLISH: INTRODUCTION TO
LITERATURE

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
In today's scenario, women empowerment has become a burning issues on a in the
worldwide levels and has brought attention towards the conditions of the socio-economic
aspects. Herein, a comparative and contrast analysis would be done in gaining insights of two
renowned works which has contributed immensely in the society. It is devastating that 21st
century is still plaguing with the atrociousness of the women conditions and has no rights.
However, with time, this situation has steadily changed and is bringing eye-opening
modifications at the societal levels. This assignment is going to make the readers understand the
significance of feminism and the need of empowerment which can ultimately lead women in to a
better future and a more profound world to live in.
The poem “WHY I LIVE AT THE P.O.” has been written by Eudora Welby and “The
HOUSE ON MANGO STREET” has been written by Sandra Cisneros. Both the stories are
different in nature but shed light on the protagonists. These woman are struggling in their lives to
attain the livelihood with respect and dignity. Both the stories showed objects as the symbol of
their loneliness, confinement and inner dissatisfaction which was prevalent and affected their
lives in adverse manner. The character Sister is the narrator in the poem “WHY I LIVE AT THE
P.O.” and reflects on her Stella Rondo's indifferent attitude who played a perfect negative role in
sending her back to the workplace that is post office where Sister was working. Whereas In
““The HOUSE ON MANGO STREET” Esperanza Cordeo was a Latin teenager who had to
move out of her home with her parents and brothers due to an unforeseen incident. In both the
stories, the protagonists had to move out of their comfort zones and started living in other homes
that reflected upon their family lives. The P.O. (postal office) is the symbol of confinement in
this poem here and it was made worse by the series of quarrels occurring at Sister's home due to
the jealously and other ill emotions shown by her younger sister (Gretlund, 2015). Along with,
the House at Mango Street was the symbol of embarrassing living conditions felt and showed by
the protagonist. In both the stories, there is an emotional connect with the mentioned locations
which gave a defining encounter in both the females lives.
Regarding both the stories, the comparative analysis is given above. The analysis would
be done on the contrasting characterizations of the protagonists and their surrounding. It is
evident that both the stories have different endings and showed that women empowerment is

essential in leading the world towards a sustainable and progressive approach. Moreover, it
reflected on the prejudiced opinions and judgemental mind-sets of people towards women in
particular. “HOUSE ON MANGO STREET” by Sandra Cisneros highlighted the bitter relations
between Sally and the protagonist, Esperanza who not only exploited her mentally but also
sexually humiliated her. This brought out the weaknesses shown by her in overcoming her
insecurity and made her realize that Mango Street is her home (Burcar, 2018). On the other hand,
Sister who was constantly getting targeted by her own younger sister and was humiliated and
receiving ill treatment from of her family members. Although she never did tried to put anyone
down but she knew her sister, Stella Rondo's intentions behind the stories villains caused the
main character to move out of her home and started staying at her workplace that is post office.
Both the stories are set up in different eras and in different demographical and
geographical setting. However, both of the women mentioned showed immense strength and
epitomized the power of determination and self-awareness. It is important that women should be
aware of their surroundings and must have the courage to fight against the odds to survive in this
world which is full of negative emotions and humanly feelings of pulling each other down. There
is a notion attached with both the stories that where the authors put the protagonists in expansive
and inclusive forms. This directly put the metaphorical symbolization of objects such as homes
in terms of an expansion of one's identity. These objects were personified and led to the pathway
of self-discovery to live their lives and transformed the adversities into contemplating fulfilling
lives.
In conclusion, these stories reflected the essence of human emotions and the
personification of objects within respect to showing the protagonists' grief, anger and depression.
Both of these stories allowed the reader to understand the apathy that can be seen associated with
women and the notions that they are stuck with their lifestyles and behavioural gestures.
Moreover, it also forced the concept of darker sides of negative emotions like ealousy and sexual
humiliation occurred in both the stories respectively.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Gretlund, J. N., 2015. Eudora Welty Blows the Whistle on the Landowners. The Southern
Quarterly.52(2). pp.34-46.
Burcar, L., 2018. High heels as a disciplinary practice of femininity in Sandra Cisneros’s The
House on Mango Street.Journal of Gender Studies. pp.1-10.