‘To Be or Not to Be’: Liminal Spaces and Chicana Experiences in Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street

Abstract

Chicana literature, a burgeoning yet underrepresented field in Indian academic scene, encompasses the writings of Mexican-American women, providing a powerful framework for interrogating the complexities of ethnicity, migration and gender disparities. The paper undertakes an analysis of Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street, an influential text in Chicana literature, to examine the dilemmatic status Chicanas find themselves in, especially regarding the liminal spaces and experiences that often define their existence. Through a nuanced analysis of the protagonist’s involvements on the Mango Street, this study examines the ways in which liminality shapes the protagonist’s experiences and informs her navigation of identity and belonging within the complexities of Chicana experience. The paper locates three major metaphorical implications associated with the central image of Street – as a borderland space, as a patriarchal space, and as a transitional space, elucidating the complex intersections and implications of these concepts. By offering a contextualised exploration of liminality’s role in shaping identity, culture and belonging, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the transformative potential of liminal spaces, influencing individual and collective identity formation.

This study integrates two hitherto underexplored areas of inquiry in the Indian academic landscape–Chicana literature and liminality–thereby forging a new trajectory of discussion and engagement in existing scholarly discourse.