Only Daughter

Cisneros, Sandra.”Only Daughter”. Latina: Women's Voices From the Borderlands. Ed. Lillian

 Castillo-Speed. New York : Touchstone/Simon & Schuster, 1995. Print.

Read: http://www.tbaisd.k12.mi.us/departments/docs_gen/pacing/ela12-6/9thGrade/9-4/Only_Daughter.pdf

         This is a short story of a Mexican-American girl who grew up in a family of six sons. During her childhood she was never quite recognized or appreciated by her brothers or father because her father always claimed he had “siete ninos”. Growing up as the only daughter, she was isolated since her brothers received more attention. Her parent’s goal for her was to get married and have kids. However, she had other aspirations such as going to college and becoming a writer. Her father granted her desire to go to college but with the purpose of helping her find a husband. After finishing undergrad and grad school, she fails at obtaining a husband but continues to pursue her passion of writing. Eventually, she shares a piece of her work so her father can read and from that moment there is an instant connection between them. This short story shows the difficulties that come from growing up as the only girl in a household filled with boys. It demonstrates how Mexican families have different standards between males and females. Women in this case are enforced to get married while the men are influenced to study and work. Cisneros breaks those barriers and shows that women can become more than just housewives. Meanwhile, Cisneros also embraces the relationship between father and daughter through cultural writing.