In “The House on Mango Street” by Sandra Cisneros, the author establishes many important quotes that are thought-provoking and deliver real-world messages to the audience. One quote, in particular, captures my attention. For example, Esperanza states that, “Until [my sister grows older] I am a red balloon, a balloon tied to an anchor” (Cisneros 9). This quote, I believe, is a five star quote because it relates to what many people feel like in the real world. Everyone at one point or another feels trapped and can’t be released to do and say whatever they want. They are tied down and want to be free. The reason Esperanza states that she is a “red balloon” is because she believes she stands out from the rest of the neighborhood and, since she just moved in, she doesn’t have any new friends. She can’t tell her secrets to anyone because her sister is too young and she doesn’t have anyone whom she can trust. She is a suspenseful balloon isolated from the rest of the world. Even though Esperanza becomes friends with Lucy and Rachel later in the story, she is still that same red balloon that can’t tell her best friends even her darkest secrets. These secrets and thoughts she can’t tell her friends are anchoring her down into despair and making her feel as if she doesn’t belong to Mango. She feels as if she is different than everyone else at Mango Street and wants to float away from Mango. She finds out by the end of the story that she is like everyone else and realizes that she cannot float away from her neighborhood. She will leave Mango Street temporarily but will never leave it forever.