1. In “The House on Mango Street”, a narrative by Sandra Cisneros, a theme of freedom and entrapment is revealed through the use of metaphors. In the vignette “Boys & Girls”, Esperanza craves for a friend to play and have fun with, but feels she is stuck with Nenny for now. She then uses the metaphor, “Until then I am a red balloon, a balloon tied to an anchor” (Cisneros 9). This metaphor helps reveal a theme of freedom and entrapment. Esperanza wants to be free to make friends as she pleases, but at this time, she feels like her younger sister Nenny is her responsibility, saying “Since she comes right after me, she is my responsibility” (8). This is where the metaphor and the theme come in. Esperanza wants to have freedom, like a balloon would have freedom to float away in the wind, but she is entrapped by her sister, who functions as the anchor. This anchor holds Esperanza, the balloon, from floating away as she pleases, but instead, she must stay grounded with Nenny, because she has a responsibility to her and her family. Later in the book, Esperanza reads one of her poems that says, “One day I’ll jump out of my own skin” (Cisneros 60). This metaphor also gives insight to the theme of freedom and entrapment. Esperanza feels that she is held back by prejudices and poverty, so one day she wants to jump out of her skin, leaving her race and poverty behind, and be free to live up to her full potential.