For this blog post, I was required to read two chapters of “A House of My Own,” which was written by Sandra Cisneros and is a unique take on the autobiography genre. I say that because while Cisneros does recount important moments and events in her life, she doesn’t take the familiar route of an autobiography. What I mean by this is the fact she offers her pieces she’s written from 1984-2014 in an effort to illustrate what she was experiencing at the time of each piece and allows these stories, in her words, “as a way to document my own life.”(p. 5). What’s even more interesting about this autobiography is how Cisneros acknowledges her personal growth and how much she’s changed throughout the years, which is thanks in part to the way she arranged her writings in chronological order.

By the end of her introduction, Cisneros gives us what I assume is her latest piece of writing that she included in this book and it’s certainly a great way to kick off her autobiography. In this piece, she describes a firsthand account of one of many feast day celebrations that occurs where Cisneros was residing at the time in Guanajuato, Mexico. Here she explains how los castillos de carrizo (reed castles) were built in the town plaza so its residents could witness the extraordinary spectacle that was to come. One by one, she illustrates how each tier of the castle is ignited displaying their own small show with small but wonderful pinwheels that would eventually build up to the finale that every resident of the town has come for. As the top of the castle is reached, Cisneros is able to illustrate that small moment of peace among the residents; the calm before the storm. Then suddenly, through the chaos of sulfur and color, the holy figure appears. “It’s the Virgen de Guadalupe!… La Lupe blazing to life in sizzling pinwheels of green, white and red-el verde, blanco, y colorado-for the Mexican flag, but also, I believe, for the holy trinity of Mexican cuisine- chili, onion, tomato. Guadalupe begins to turn, slowly at first, a despiderse, to say goodbye, as is only proper. Then the Holy Virgin gains speed, pirouetting like an Olympic ice skater, whirling into the night sky, disappearing for a second before exploding like a dandelion and plummeting back to earth in a magnificent blessing of fireflies.” (p. 7). I found this first story by Cisneros to be an excellent indicator to her audience as to what they should expect within this unique and unorthodox autobiography. I look forward to reading more soon.