WIndows Symbolism

        In regular terms, a window is a transparent opening in the house encased by glass or something like that. In The House on Mango Street, the window is a symbol. What is this symbol? The window is mentioned in "My Name", "No Speak English", and "Rafaela Who Drinks Coconut and Papaya Juice on Tuesdays" as well as "Sally".
        The first mention is on page 11 in "My Name". Esperanza discusses about her great-grandmother and how she was kidnapped by her great-grandfather."Until my great-grandfather threw a sack over her head and carried her off. She looked out the window her whole life..." After I read these lines, I jumped to conclusions that the window represents a barrier between the two genders. It is the cause of gender inequality. The man is able to treat the woman like an item. However, I wanted to confirm this with other vignettes.
        "No Speak English" is a vignette about a fat woman named Mamacita who wants to move back to her homeland. The author says she doesn't come out of the house at all."She sits all day by the window and plays the Spanish radio show and sings all the homesick songs about her country..." This vignette sort of disproves the gender inequality proposal. The vignette is not about a man forcing a woman to stay in a confined place. In fact, it's about a son bringing his mother into a new country because she lives alone with a baby boy. She isn't forced to stay at home by her son. She chooses not to leave the apartment. At this point I propose that the window is a symbol of what the world looks like from isolation. It's an obstacle to freedom.
        "Sally" discusses an author's classmate. At first, Sally is a cheerful person. Then, she becomes disillusioned with her pupils. A window is included in a fantasy about the perfect house. "And if you opened the little window latch and gave it a shove, the windows would swing open..." After reading this, I decided to revise my proposal. I propose that windows symbolize a way to escape oppression and isolation. It is the path to freedom. This is my final answer.