Eleven by sandra cisneros Rating:
6,6/10
1336
reviews
"Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros is a poignant and relatable short story that explores the complexities of growing up and finding one's identity. The story is narrated by a young girl named Rachel, who is celebrating her eleventh birthday. However, rather than feeling excited or joyful about this milestone, Rachel is overwhelmed with insecurity and self-doubt.
Throughout the story, Cisneros uses vivid imagery and descriptive language to paint a picture of Rachel's inner turmoil. She writes, "I have a good mind to stick my tongue out at it, this day I don't want, this birthday I don't want, this age I don't want." This quote perfectly captures the feeling of being trapped in a body and a life that one does not fully understand or feel comfortable in. Rachel's ambivalence about her age and her identity is a common experience for many young people as they navigate the complexities of adolescence.
One of the most striking aspects of "Eleven" is the way in which Cisneros illustrates the power dynamics at play in Rachel's life. Rachel is constantly at the mercy of the adults around her, who often make decisions for her without consulting her. For example, Rachel's mother gives her a "silly" dress as a birthday present, even though Rachel had specifically requested a different gift. This small but significant detail highlights the way in which adults often underestimate or dismiss the desires and needs of children.
Another powerful aspect of "Eleven" is the way in which Cisneros conveys the sense of isolation and alienation that Rachel feels. Despite being surrounded by family and friends, Rachel feels disconnected from the people around her. She writes, "I feel like I'm the only one who knows the truth about me, about how I'm not the kind of daughter my mother thinks I am, the kind of sister my sister thinks I am, the kind of friend Auraluz thinks I am." This sense of isolation is a common theme in literature, and Cisneros perfectly captures the feeling of being misunderstood and alone.
Overall, "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros is a powerful and thought-provoking short story that explores the complexities of growing up and finding one's identity. Through vivid imagery and descriptive language, Cisneros perfectly captures the feeling of being trapped in a body and a life that one does not fully understand or feel comfortable in. The story is a poignant reminder that growing up is a difficult and often confusing process, but that ultimately it is a journey worth taking.
A Summary and Analysis of Sandra Cisnerosâ âElevenâ
Or maybe you're so far removed from your eleven year old self that you can't remember ever having felt that way. I never thought about growing up in such a poignant and beautiful way, never thought about all the pretending we do and how at every stage of our life we wish we were This short story was a powerful read in my point of view, and I absolutely loved it. Price does not listen to Rachel and dominates their conversations. Rachel is non-confrontational, timid, and shy. . She leaves her childish immaturity behind in this one last tantrum, therefore rushing into the new experiences of adolescence.
Being accused of forgetfulness and bad taste and smelling like cottage cheese, and then being publicly reprimanded by an authority figure, in front of your peers, for denying all of the above. Such a hard age to begin with. I don't know why but all of a sudden I'm feeling sick inside, like the part of me that's three wants to come out of my eyes. Through my creative piece I wanted to emulate the figurative language Cisneros uses and also tries to write about a well-observed community that is out of the box. Eleven is one of my favorite short stories, although the last time I read it was about 25 years ago. Rachel has already noticed that birthdays are symbolic, but do not literally represent emotional evolution.
"Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros analysis Essay, Literature
Most eleven year old know how to use their words and says it 's not mine and handle it, at least I do. And I wish weren't so many years inside of me. . I've never thought about birthdays in the way it is described here. She realizes facing challenges is at the foundation of experience. On that fateful day, two airplanes were hijacked by terrorists and flew straight into the twin towers. Rachel is to shy to speak for herself.
Rachel displays that advanced maturity in her thoughts. All Over The Place By Jean Kilbourne Summary 260 Words 2 Pages As reflected in the readings of Reading Popular Culture: An Anthology for Writers 3rd Edition, present-day advertisements expand far beyond the endorsement of a product. This story is a little girl called Rachel din't know how to express her on opinion bravely. In other words, Rachel is the one narrating the story, rather than an omniscient narrator. She wishes she was older because maybe then, people would listen to her and believe her. This angers her teacher, who forces her to put the sweater on. Price is an adult, she is right, when Rachel knows she is actually wrong.
Cisneros uses her unique writing style of vignettes to illustrate various themes in her text. Major Themes Let's take a look at some major themes of 'Eleven. Another simile can be found in the last line of the story: "I wish I was anything but eleven, because I want today to be far away already, far away like a runaway balloon. Another simile occurs when Rachel has the sweater on her desk and wishes it away, but it is "sitting there like a big red mountain. She ultimately wishes she were older, because in her mind, being older would mean escape. Rachel thinks and speaks in a way that is very reminiscent of an eleven year old. This is true for Rachel:Because her teacher made her put on a sweater that wasnt hers.
Eleven by Sandra Cisneros Lesson Plan (Short Story Analysis)
Originally published in 1991, 'Eleven' is a popular staple on literature syllabi across America for its charm, universality, and rich language. Jalena holds an Oregon Teaching License with an endorsement in secondary English Language Arts. Like if she was 5,6,7,8,9, or even 10 she would probably say will find keepers!!!!! Cisneros encourages her readers to move past the hardships of growing up, despite the barriers in life. The complexity of an eleven-year-old girl who is almost a teenager, by the way is derived from the first-person style of narration. So she finally gets to take ti off. For a eleven years old girl, she suppose to express her opinion bravely, but she was too shy to say a word, it make her feel like a four year girl; however I really recommend you read this book because there are a lot of interesting thing you can learn from this book. The first example of when Rachel feels bullied is with Sylbia Saldivar.
That example shows how irresponsible she is. Power and Authority A majority of the frustration Rachel experiences in the story is due to the unfair power dynamic between student and teacher. Clearly, Rachel would know whether the sweater was hers or not, but her teacher has the final say. The unique characteristics of an eleven- year old have allowed her to make important discoveries about growing up. Symbols in Eleven The red sweater The main conflict in this story centers around a sweater left in a classroom coat closet. Price is an authority figure who has decided on a whim to sentence her to severe public humiliation and who is intolerant of her smallest protest. Change In Esperanza's The House On Mango Street 1095 Words 5 Pages The House on Mango Street is a touching and timeless tale told in short vignettes.
She ultimately wishes she were older, because in her mind, being older would mean escape. Because she describes things like runaway balloons, she is a believable eleven-year-old. On the other hand, unlike most older, or mature, people, she understands enough about life experience to know she does not have enough. Price 'pretends like everything is okay. Price 'pretends like everything is okay.
