Analysis of “Eleven” by Cisneros Essay

Poet Maya Angelo aptly stated, I am convinced that most people do not grow up We carry accumulation of stratums in our bodies, and on our faces, but gener entirelyy our unfeigned selves, the children inside, are innocent and shy as magnolias. Similarly, Sandra Cisneross El all the same illuminates the enigmatic journey of growing up through the sagacious eyes of an football team family older child. As the speaker of this work asserts, the senescence process does not eradicate a persons earlier self. Instead, it accumulates layers of iodines former geezerhood and creates a realistic portrait of ones complete existence.Cisneross work illustrates humanitys maddening, internal struggle as it hop ons in this manner. When life demands maturity, one inadvertently becomes the sobbing trey year old, the introverted adolescent, or the awkward teen of ones past. The speaker of this literary work, Rachel, embodies this frustrative process of growing up. Undoubtedly, Cisneros employs similes, repeat, and imaginativeness as well as symbols and vocabulary to characterize Rachel as she matures. The similes, repeating, and imagery utilized throughout Eleven vividly portray the speaker.For example, Cisneros illuminates Rachels development with the following comparisons Growing old is kind of like an onion or like the rings inside a tree dead body or like my little wooden dolls that fit one inside the other. This illustrates the way in which each(prenominal) of Rachels long time develops atop the prior one. As a result, she body the quiet four year old who cannot express that the jump shot does not belong to her and the three year-old who desperately wants to release a runoff of tears as she is forced to wear the horrid red garment.Additionally, Cisneros characterizes Rachel as a child with hardly eleven years rattling inside her like pennies in a Band-Aid box. The randomness and disorder of rid change as it jiggles in its container mirrors Rachels interna l turmoil. Each of the speakers eleven years metaphorically clatter inside her fountainhead and struggle to become the master of her actions. Furthermore, the repetition of critical phrases takes to Rachels characterization. Cisneros restates the numbers, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, and one., to reiterate the concept that all of Rachels previous ten years remain a part of her. Interestingly, counting backwards from ten, a common juvenile chant, successfully demonstrates Rachels childlike character. Additionally, the repetition of the phrase today I am eleven reveals Rachels vehement desire to suppress the previous years of her youth which embody a maddening immaturity. However, the speakers resolute, repetitive assertion that she is eleven highlights Rachels struggle to remind herself that she is transitioning into her eleventh year.Thus, her apparently juvenile behavior illustrates that Rachel is a culmination of each of her prior years. In addition, the repetition of the phrase not mine further illuminates Rachels inner tot years. Finally, Cisneros use of imagery vividly depicts Rachel. For example, she describes her with the following vibrant lines My face all hot and spit advent out of my mouth because I cant stop making those little animal noises, my integral head hurts like when you drink milk too fast. This creates the portrait of the teary-eyed, red-faced Rachel and connects to the readers senses of touch, sight, taste, and hearing.Hence, literary devices masterfully demonstrate Rachels character throughout Eleven. Moreover, Cisneros employs symbols and choice of words to aptly characterize Rachel. First, the red sweater serves as a crucial symbol in this work of prose. Essentially, this contemptible garment embodies the previous years that remain within Rachel. Cisneros writes the following description of this repulsive sweater Its an ugly sweaterwith the grok and sleeves all stretched out like you could use it as a ju mp-rope. In addition, the speaker cringes as she places one arm through one sleeve of the sweater that smells like cottage cheese. As Rachel glares at this emblematical garb, its sleeves evidently illustrate the eight or nine year old child within her who enjoyed the childish pastime of jumping rope. Additionally, the cottage cheese stench of this garment is reminiscent of the peculiar scents that a younger child may often carry. Furthermore, as she shoves the sweater to the tippy-tip corner of her desk, it hangs over the edge like a waterfall. As this expression demonstrates, Rachels emotions spill from her just as the significant red garment tumbles from the desk. Moreover, the age of eleven is a symbolical element throughout the authors short story. This age is typically regarded as a frustrating period positioned amid the adolescent and teen years. Similarly, Rachel remains trapped between the maturity of her eleventh year and the juvenility of her previous self. For exampl e, Rachels eleven year old mind recognizes the blatant injustice of Mrs. expenses actions who forces her to accept thecontemptible red sweater. However, as Rachel opens her mouth, her four year old self stutters an ineffective denial. In addition, the diction of this work contributes to the authors portrayal of Rachel. Cisneros writes in the simple speech of a young girl. For instance, Rachel utilizes run-on sentences and childlike phrases such as not mine, tippy-tip, all itchy, and that stupid Phyllis Lopez. This deliberate style reminds the reader that Rachel is a little girl despite her wish to be one hundred and two. Also, one hundred and two exhibits typical childish exaggeration. Additionally, the authors diction allows readers to experience thisgh situation from the perspective of an eleven year old. For instance, Cisneros describes Rachels indignation with the following lines That stupid Phyllis Lopez, who is even dumber than Sylvia Saldivar, says she remembers the red swe ater is hers. I take it off right away and give it to her, only Mrs. Price pretends like everythings okay. This amplification of the incident allows readers to grasp the traumatic impact of this event on Rachel.Therefore, the symbols and diction of Eleven aptly depict Rachels character. Unquestionably, literary devices such as similes, repetition, imagery, symbols, and diction deftly contribute to the characterization of Rachel. Cisneros draws an enlightening parallel between development and the formation of layers within an onion or tree. Additionally, the repetition of childlike phrases such as not mine demonstrates that each of Rachels prior years remains within her as she matures.Also, the brilliant imagery of this literary work solidifies the readers visualization of Rachel. Moreover, the symbolic red sweater as well as the age of eleven further corroborates this central message. Finally, the childish diction of this writing masterfully allows readers to comprehend the confli ct that Rachel experiences in the tween year of eleven. Certainly, Cisneros effectively illustrates Rachels disillusion as she realizes that she can neither make her voice be heard nor silence her childlike instincts at age eleven.