“How can you be inspired if you don't surround yourself with the things that inspire you? » said EA Bucchianeri. To live a fulfilled life, it is necessary to be surrounded by a positive and safe environment that allows the individual to grow and mature. Unfortunately, this is often not the case. Often, the exact opposite happens, when the environment does not allow for adequate growth and maturity. An example that shows the impact of an inappropriate environment is Sandra Cisneros' novel, The House on Mango Street. The House on Mango Street is a series of vignettes that depict the life of a teenage girl named Esperanza and her experiences that take place over the course of a year while living on Mango Street. The book highlights the effects of being a Hispanic girl living in poverty surrounded by others who are in the same situation financially. Looking at the novel we can conclude that Esperanza's environment negatively shaped her identity due to her unfortunate circumstances, it caused her to hate herself and have a pessimistic view of the people and world around her . Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get an original essay In the novel Esperanza, it is adolescence and very early on she encounters many experiences and moments that force her to grow up more faster than most teenagers. His need to grow and mature quickly is not only based on his experiences with his environment, but also on his circumstances. His situation plays an important role in shaping his thought process and maturity. An example of her unfortunate situation is the age difference between her and her younger sister Nenny. Esperanza says, “Nenny is too young to be my friend. She's just my sister and it wasn't my fault. You don't choose your sisters, you just choose them and sometimes they come like Nenny. She can't play with these Vargas children, otherwise she will become like them. And since she comes right after me, she is my responsibility.” Esperanza, like any other child her age, wants to be free and play with girls her age. Instead, she is relegated to caring for her younger sister and never really gets the chance to experience what it means to be a child. With his need to grow up and mature quickly, his childhood innocence is taken away from him at a young age. Esperanza's need to grow and mature quickly can also be attributed to her family's socioeconomic status. Needing money to attend a Catholic high school, Esperanza is desperate for a job. With the help of her aunt, she gets a job at a printing company, but she has to lie about her age and pretend she is a year older than she really is. This turns out to be a mistake as his young age and inexperience in a work environment negatively affects his self-confidence. She struggles with some of the social aspects of her job and doesn't know whether to stand or sit while she works. She eats lunch in the bathroom and takes her break in the locker room. Esperanza's bad experience at work is only illustrated by her encounters with her colleagues. Esperanza says: “He said it was his birthday and could I give him a birthday kiss. I thought I would because he was so old and just as I was about to put my lips on his cheek, he grabs my face with both hands and kisses me hard on the mouth and doesn't let go." Esperanza is going through a transitional period in her life where she is exploring her sexuality and taking ownership of her own sexuality. A.