The Transformation of House into Home in Sandra Cisneros‘s the House on Mango Street

Abstract

This study examines the German Philosopher Martin Heidegger‘s concept of ‗dwellingʼ, implementing his ideas in the analysis of the novel House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. The aim of the work is to investigate the difference between the concepts of "home" and "house", analysing them in detail. The study is mainly focused on exploring a deeper understanding of the concept of home, and how exactly it affects the human sense of belonging and identity. Besides, the study explores the French Philosopher Gaston Bachelard‘s poetic home to complement the investigation. The work can be extended in theories of homes and houses in the literary narratives. This study further focuses on the aspect of feminization of house and home, and how the stereotypes associated with these concepts directly affect the female characters in the novel.