Every culture, race, and society has traits specific to itself and to the people who embody it. The Latino American culture portrayed by this book is no different having prominent themes and traits seen in the characters and repeated throughout the novel. Much underlying plot can be taken and interpreted from what Cisneros does not directly state through Esperanza. It is a combination of these hidden messages and the information Esperanza states directly that give the true account of how lower class Latino American families live.
Throughout the novel it seems man woman and child all have positions in society. These positions seem to never, or at least seldom change and their world revolves around a platform of survival and power. The men are generally dominant over the females and act accordingly as heads of the households if they even stay with their families. The position of power that embodies the male is shown repeatedly in the novel. The first example of the power men have in this book is when Esperanza comments, "The Chinese, like the Mexicans, don't like their women strong (p10)." Mexican males don't want any competition between themselves and their women and if the question of who has the power ever arises, it is explained with forcefulness of words or aggression that more often than not lead to violence. Esperanza continues to explain how her grandmother entered into marriage because her grandfather forced her to and the rest of her life she lived unhappily. This is the point in the novel where it becomes apparent that Esperanza wants to get out of the Latino American urban culture. Further more she wants to get out of this culture for reasons other than her desire for a larger house. Esperanza seems to symbolize many young girls who feel the same way. Fathers are just as dominant as boyfriends or husbands in many cases. They expect strict obedience from daughters and often become enraged or very upset when rules are broken or their expectations are let down.