Literary Analysis Essay from Feminist Perspective When Sandra Cisneros wrote “Women of Hollering Creek,” she reflected on her own life experiences. This is a story told from the female point of view from beginning to end. Like the main character, Cleofilas, Cisneros is Mexican-American and the only daughter in a family of seven children. Cisneros studied creative writing at the Iowa Writers' Workshop and received his Master of Fine Arts degree in 1978, (238). Growing up he traveled back and forth to Mexico to visit his father's family and Cleofilas escapes into his father's arms later in the story. He has a mixed cultural identity that is relevant in the story because of the way he uses Mexican and English words together. For example, when describing soap operas, he calls them by the Spanish name telenovela. This story made me reflect on my own life experiences as I read it. I thought about my parents' divorce, my aunt's extremely abusive eleven-year marriage, and why women, like me, tend to look for that silver lining when it comes to broken relationships. Cleofilas Engriqueta DeLeon Hernandez is the protagonist, the story focuses on her and how she manages life in a broken and abusive marriage. I have the impression that she is quite young because Cisneros used the word housework to describe her duties at home that she would never return to after saying her vows to Juan Pedro Martinez Sanchez. Cisneros writes: “…I dream of returning to the jobs that never ended, six good-for-nothing brothers and the lament of an old man” (246). This passage also shows a stereotype of some Spanish families without a wife or mother, the eldest woman in the house has to take on that role. Cleofilas must wear more than one... middle of paper...loudly, Cleofilas is amazed that a woman would behave this way. Cisneros describes Felice as not fitting the stereotype of women; she is not barefoot and pregnant, but working and single. He drives a pickup truck and screams like Tarzan every time he crosses the arroyo. I feel that Felice symbolizes hope, represents happiness. She doesn't care what a man thinks, at least enough to allow him to lower her self-esteem. Cleophila needed it; he needed to actually see a woman screaming! He needed to know that life is not a fairy tale and that you have to experience it, the good and the bad, to appreciate it and know what you want, so you can truly reach that fairytale ending of happiness. Cisneros wrote a fantastic story that contains a powerful message, love is the most beautiful feeling in the world when you can give it but also receive it.