A Study Of Sandra Cisneros’ Fictions From The Perspective Of Feminism

Sandra Cisneros (1954-) is one of the most famous contemporary writers in America. Her Chicana identity provides her the original writing materials of literary creation. As a Chicana feminist writer she tells stories of Chicana’s by using simple and clear expressions. Themes such as feminism, race, class and culture are revealed fully and vividly in her fictions. The three fictions that Sandra Cisneros has written up to now are The House on Mango Street, Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories and Caramelo. This thesis mainly focuses on feminism that lies in the novels of Sandra Cisneros’. Through analysis and research, it aims to reveal the feminism theme that is covered under Cisneros’pure and delicate language in her fictions. Chicana’s double identities in gender and race differ them from the white females. So the feminism that is mentioned in this thesis is actually Chicana feminism which is different from the traditional white feminism and which includes culture, race and class.There are three parts in this thesis:introduction, body and conclusion.In the introduction the author gives a brief review on the research background at home and abroad as well as the research significance.The body of this thesis falls into three chapters. Chapter one introduces the theoretic background on the topic and gives a brief introduction to feminism and Chicana literature; contemporary Chicana literature and Chicana feminism; and Sandra Cisneros. Chapter two analyzes the symbolic meanings of house by adopting Virginia Woolf’s feminism, and declares that economic independence is the basis of women’s freedom. Chapter three takes two stories that are selected from Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories as examples to illustrate women’s disillusion and disappointment towards love and marriage and suggests women construct spiritual self in marriage. The fourth chapter analyzes Caramelo from the perspective of indispensable part of Chicana feminism-culture, and stats cultural attribute is an important component of Chicana identity.The last part of the thesis is conclusion. In this part the author gives a general view of the three fictions again; states briefly that the three fictions present the development of the author of the books; and rises solutions to solve the Chicana’s puzzle and dilemma on racial culture and gender issues-to cherish their own culture and pursue economic independence to obtain freedom and self-esteem.Because of the limit of the author’s research ability, there may be some defects in depth and scope in this essay. However, she hopes it can contribute to the research on Sandra Cisneros’fictions.