House on Mango Street - 2nd Half

I would definitely consider this book both a feminist work and a coming-of-age story. Sandra Cisneros realistically captures the opression of the women in Esperanza's life - they're all trapped, and always by men. For example, Sally was trapped by her father and she married to escape, but then she was trapped again by her husband. What I don't understand is how all those women could just sit around and let themselves be pushed around. In their place...well, I wouldn't be in their place because I wouldn't be half as submissive. I'm a total feminist, and I don't like to be controlled by anyone else. I can't help but feel that if women like Esperanza (the great-grandmother, not the 12 year old protagonist), Sally, and Minerva (the woman who cries and writes poems at night, page 84 - interesting bit of info - Minerva was the Roman goddess of Wisdom, unfortunately this Minerva doesn't seem too wise) actually put up a fight and pressed for equality and their own rights, they wouldn't be treated like property instead of like people and wouldn't need stronger women like Esperanza to escape and then come back to help them all because they'd do it themselves. Other than the fact that I'm seriously miffed by all these women and their typical - and realistic - weakness, I did like the book a lot.