My Name / Geraldo No Last Name

My Name / Geraldo No Last Name: Short story by Sandra CisnerosWhat’s in a name? These two vignettes from Sandra Cisneros answer the question from different viewpoints. The narrator is unhappy with the anglicized spelling of her name (Esperanza) but proud of what it symbolizes — the strength of her great-grandmother who defied the Mexican stereotype of women being weak and subservient to their men. It provides a link to her heritage. Neighbor Geraldo, who illegally entered the USA for a better life, has no official name or identity. One moment, full of life and promise at a dance club. The next, dead with nobody to care or mourn his passing.

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