The Aztlánian Lens: Migrating Back to Mango Street

Abstract

In studying the post-civil rights canonized works of Latino American literature, it appears their historical and geographical relevance often lacks representation. Unlike the dominate literature, the voice of the Chicano appears as if from nowhere in the historical, textual landscape. Furthermore, with regard to geographical history in the U.S., the subtext of Latino novels asks us to consider an alternate trajectory, one that is not dependent solely on a westward expansion model. As a pre-text to understanding Aztlánian rhetoric and Latino migratory patterns, Gloria Anzaldúa's Borderlands serves as a lens to show how the “return-to-home” theme pervades many Latino American texts. Consequently, these migratory patterns allow us to understand the return-to-home themes inherent in Sandra Cisneros’ fictional The House on Mango Street. The construction of Cisneros text reveals the migratory narrative, which reinforces the Aztlanian lens. The story’s protagonist takes us through an eco-critical examination of how space constructs identity. Cisneros engages the voice of the narrator in a struggle to escape her barrio neighborhood by utilizing both a physical and emotional migration which ultimately returns her back home. Using narrative theory, this analysis focuses on how migratory themes in this novel, taught in most junior and senior high schools, link Chicano texts with an Aztlanian ideology and a commitment to community.