“Four [trees] who reach and do not forget to reach. Four whose only reason is to be and be.” (Cisneros 75)
My favorite chapter from The House on Mango Street
was “Four Skinny Trees.” This short description of four trees that are in her
neighborhood: “four who do not belong here but are here.” Every single sentence in this section struck
me as an important statement describing Esperanza’s life, feelings, and
maturity.
The description of these four lone trees and comparison to
herself encouraged me to think about the nature that surrounds me. What can I
see that connects to my own soul and personality? I wonder, what is it that draws
us to nature? Why do humans feel so connected to it? I just barely read in my
other class a letter written by the poet Petrarch, in which he described his
journey up a mountain. When he reached the top, his journey and the view both
contributed to inspiration on his life and his purpose. Just as he found out
new things about himself, Esperanza found out new things from those four trees
that she walked by probably every day. When she is feeling down, those trees
show her what is possible and perhaps desired, “to be and be.”
I love the quote that I began with, because I do feel as if
this should be a goal that we can strive for. To always be reaching for
something, never letting ourselves become just a stump, without progression. I
want to be something, and continue to be something even after I’m gone. I want
to be and be, reaching for something better until I've become it.
Have you ever seen a creature, a plant, a landscape, and
realized something about yourself? I imagine there are few who haven’t. What
was it for you? What gives you the most inspiration?
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