Quote 46
Sally says she likes being married because now she gets to buy her own things when her husband gives her money. She is happy, except sometimes her husband gets angry and once he broke the door where his foot went through, though most days he is okay. Except he won't let her talk on the telephone. And he doesn't let her look out the window. (40.2)
In an attempt to escape her father's misogynistic violence, Sally marries another man. Esperanza's observations indicate to us that trading one patriarch for another did nothing to solve Sally's problems.
Quote 47
But my mother's hair, my mother's hair, like little rosettes, like little candy circles all curly and pretty because she pinned it in pincurls all day, sweet to put your nose into when she is holding you, holding you and you feel safe, is the warm smell of bread before you bake it, is the smell when she makes room for you on her side of the bed still warm with her skin, and you sleep near her, the rain outside falling and Papa snoring. (2.2)
This maternal image shows that Esperanza associates her mother with feelings of beauty and domesticity.
Quote 48
Her name is Marin or Maris or something like that, and she wears dark nylons all the time and lots of makeup she gets free from selling Avon. She can't come out – gotta baby-sit with Louie's sisters – but she stands in the doorway a lot, all the time singing (10.2)
Marin, Esperanza's neighbor, is dressed in all the trappings of femininity – makeup and sexy clothes. She's also confined to the house and in charge of taking care of the children – a traditionally feminine role.