Sandra Cisneros “Only Daughter”

Sandra Cisneros “Only Daughter” describes the condition of an only daughter in a Mexican- American family of six sons. Cisneros thinks being an only daughter explains everything because historically, sons have been valued over daughters in most of the culture. So its difficult to for her to grow among her six brothers. In Mexican culture women are secondary to men. There are limited employment opportunities for women that results women’s financial dependency over men. Thus, Cisneros means that it was hard because you were the only one who was looked down upon among the children in your family, and all your brothers were seen as being more important. She is lonely and of less importance than her brothers in her family.
She differentiates two situations being the only daughter and only a daughter. These situations explain pros and cons of being a daughter. She finds herself in the both situations. She explains being the only daughter with 6 brothers, she is unique. Her brothers wouldn’t play with her. Eventually being the only daughter made it possible for her to be left by herself to think about things and start writing. Whereas being only a daughter meant that she would have to marry to have “value” in her father’s eyes. In both of the situations she could plan to become a writer that’s the advantage Cisneros sees.

Her father thinks she wasted her education because she didn’t get married when she was in college. Looking back, she was glad that he only saw worth in a woman who was to get married because he didn’t bother her when she wanted to pursue her own dreams of writing. He didn’t see that as important and therefore wouldn’t ask her any questions about it. For him she was just a daughter and daughters were meant for the husband.
She calls it a wonderful experience when her father asked her where they could get more copies to give to the rest of the family because all the time she was seeking approval of her father. She calls him a representative of the public majority. Through her writing, she wanted to woo his father and persons like him.

Cisneors uses Spanish words explaining them in English because she wants to go reach to non Spanish speaker as well. Her purpose is to showcase not only to Mexican-American readers, but also to American

Cisneros thesis states that being the only girl born in a Mexican American family of six boys is difficult. She has faced subtle obstacles in her life.

The incidents and details that support her thesis are;

Her brothers would not play or spend time with her

Her father would think her education has gone wasted.

This opportunity gave her the time to think, imagine, and read to herself.

Cisneros intends to convery a sympathetic impression of her father due to the fact that her father does not believe that a female can be well educated and become a writer. Her father’s thought of college was meant for a girl to find a suitable husband. She proved her father wrong by showing him that the value of education in college is more than just a place to find a suitable husband.