2304杨帆芒果街上的小屋

花不是向我开

Reading Notes: From "Geraldo No Last Name" to "Rafaela…Sally"

Summary
- Geraldo: An unnamed immigrant dies in a hit-and-run, reduced to invisibility.  
- Edna's Ruthie: A woman trapped in childhood, clinging to fleeting joys.  
- Rafaela: Confined by jealousy, she daydreams of freedom through sweet drinks.  
- Sally: Forced into marriage to escape abuse, only to trade one prison for another.  
- Four Skinny Trees: Symbolize resilience against oppression.  
- No Speak English: Mamacita’s grief over cultural loss.  

Evaluation
Cisneros uses sparse, poetic language to magnify silenced voices. Themes of invisibility (Geraldo), cultural displacement (Mamacita), and female entrapment (Sally, Rafaela) are sharpened through metaphors: trees “bite the sky,” windows frame longing. The fragmented structure mirrors the instability of marginalized lives.  

Reflection
These stories echo modern struggles: immigrant erasure, gender-based control. Geraldo’s anonymity parallels today’s dehumanization of migrants. Sally’s “escape” into marriage reflects how society still limits women’s choices. The trees’ defiance resonates—growth in hostile spaces demands relentless grit. Cisneros doesn’t sugarcoat survival; she forces us to see its cost.