In Always Running, Luis Rodriguez reveals what it's like to be a male trapped in gang life, while Sandra Cisneros illustrates, in The House on Mango Street, the lives of women in the barrio and what they go through. Each author discusses the difficulties of being alienated by race, social norms, or a combination of the two. We see Luis, in Always Running, and Esperanza, from The House on Mango Street, trying to fit into the barrio, but realize the barrio isn't for them and leave. However, we are shown that Luis is able to find the true place where he belongs, while for Esperanza we are left in the dark about what happens after she leaves. But even if they leave the barrio, the barrio will always be a part of them since it shaped them to be who they are. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Children seek the approval and belonging that is their instinct, so Luis and Esperanza wanted to be part of a society. Luis has faced racism since moving to America and throughout his educational career. He was constantly reminded that he was not welcome at school, such as being put in a corner to play with blocks throughout the year. Realizing from a young age that he wasn't wanted, Luis turned to gang life, what he saw was the only place that would accept him. On the other hand, Esperanza faced pressure to conform to what was expected of girls in the barrio. She liked to write poetry, but the other girls liked boys. They wore short skirts and makeup, but she was dirty and stained with grass. Society considered them beautiful and told her to be just like them. Esperanza wanted to be like those girls who attracted boys' attention and made them silly; he wanted to fit in. In trying to belong in a place where he is alienated, Luis realizes that sometimes, no matter how much you want to belong, there are some places where you can't fit in. Luis leaves his books and education for gang life on the streets. Once inside, he becomes trapped in the barrio's web. He begins taking different types of drugs and stealing. However, there are moments when he would like to say "no", like when he is asked to hold the gun or when he goes to shoot the Sangras, but he doesn't do it because in a gang you don't say "no" to those who are more powerful. taller than you if you want to live. Even though Luis tries to be part of the gang, he doesn't fool everyone. People like Roberta and Frankie realize that he is not like most gang members, but that he is actually a "sweet kid" (Always Running). No matter how many years he spends with the gang and no matter how hard he tries, he will never truly be a part of it. In contrast, Esperanza realizes that submitting to the social norms imposed on her was not as sweet as fairy tales made it out to be. In the chapter “The Family of Little Feet”, Esperanza is given a pair of beautiful shoes that make her feel like Cinderella. She thinks that when she wears those shoes, it's like magic has been placed on her and she is a beautiful princess. However, reality quickly proves her wrong: she and her friends walk the streets in their shoes, they meet a homeless man who tries to force them to kiss. They hastily flee and she never wears those shoes again. Along with this, Esperanza's ideals of sweet romance, like the ones Sally told her about, turn to the dark truths of life. In "Red Clowns", Esperanza experiences her "love affair" that Sally had talked about and repeatedly says "Sally, you lied" because it wasn't like the beautiful..