Character Analysis
Cathy is a big snob. She befriends Esperanza when the Cordero family moves to Mango Street, but tells her their friendship will be short lived – her family is moving on Tuesday because the neighborhood is "getting bad" (5.3). Of course, Cathy is just as insecure as Esperanza about her family's status. But Cathy tries to cover up her humble origins by inventing a royal pedigree and explaining away her house's crookedness as an intentional element of the design. Cathy quickly abandons Esperanza's company when Esperanza befriends the girls from across the street, who, Cathy says, are smelly.