THE CONSTRUCTED CHICANA IDENTITY AND MYTH IN THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET

Öz

This article deals with Sandra Cisneros’s (1954 – ) novel The House on Mango Street (1984) in terms of Chicana feminism, which emerged as a reaction against the male-dominated structure of Chicano Movement. In this sense, Cisneros’s novel can be regarded as a narration of how the Chicano society is built upon mythical constructions of gender roles, the paralyzed consciousness of women. The protagonist of the novel, Esperanza becomes aware of these myths in her society by observing the wrongful behaviors of both women and men and realizes these fossilized values, which suppress the women both spatially and intellectually. She sees that the women are treated like commodities and sexual objects and decides to react and find a new way to reconstruct the community. Cisneros reflects the constructed women images in the microcosmic Mango Street and her stand against this corrupted consideration. As a way of breaking the constructed roles, she implies awareness, remedy, change, and action for the women.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Chicana Feminism,Sandra Cisneros,The House on Mango Street,Myth,Woman

THE CONSTRUCTED CHICANA IDENTITY AND MYTH IN THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET

Öz

Bu makale Sandra Cisneros’un (1954–) Mango Sokağı’ndaki Ev (1984) isimli romanını Chicano Hareketi’nin erkek egemen yapısına karşı ortaya çıkan Chicana feminizm ışığı altında incelemektedir. Bu anlamda, Cisneros’un romanı Chicano toplumunun, cinsiyet rollerinin mitik bir şekilde kurgulanmasının ve uyuşturulmuş kadın bilinci üzerine nasıl kurulu olduğunun anlatısı olarak görülebilir. Romanın kahramanı Esperanza, hem kadın hem de erkeklerin haksız davranışlarını gözlemleyerek toplumunda bulunan bu mitlerin farkına varır ve kadınları yalnızca mekânsal değil, düşünsel boyutta da baskılayıp sınırlandıran fosilleşmiş değerleri görür. Kadınlara mal ve cinsel nesne olarak davranıldığını anlar ve buna karşı çıkarak toplum yapısını yeniden kurmada yeni yollar bulmaya karar verir. Cisneros, mikrokozmik Mango Sokağı’nda kurgulanmış kadın imgelerini ve bu bozuk anlayışa karşı duruşunu yansıtır. Kurgulanmış rolleri sonlandırmak adına, kadınlara farkındalık, çözüm üretme, değişim ve eylemi işaret eder.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Chicana Feminizm,Sandra Cisneros,Mango Sokağı'ndaki Ev,Mit,Kadın

Kaynakça

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