Select a Chapter:

Darius & the Clouds

Summary
Darius, one of Esperanza's classmates, is usually silent, but one day he remarks on the clouds in the sky. He says that one particularly large and fluffy cloud is God. He does not elaborate.
 
Analysis
"You can never have too much sky," Esperanza tells us. The sky symbolizes freedom, safety, limitless opportunities. It also, apparently, symbolizes heaven for Darius, for he is able to pick out "God" among the clouds overhead. Esperanza tells us that, in the Mango Street neighborhood (and, perhaps, in the larger world), "there is too much sadness and not enough sky." There is not enough freedom, not enough safety-not enough, perhaps, of God's presence experienced. This vignette reinforces Esperanza's yearnings for beauty (see "Gil's Furniture Bought & Sold"), but also shows a character, Darius, who is able to find beauty, freedom, and God even in unlikely settings.�