Four Skinny Trees: An Unlikely Teacher

    In “Four Skinny Trees”, the speaker uses an extended metaphor of comparing herself to the four trees outside her house to develop the theme of never giving up on a dream. This theme starts to develop when the speaker says, “Four skinny trees with skinny necks and pointy elbows like mine”(Cisneros). This passage from the text shows how the family and the trees alike are trying to survive in a tough environment with little resources like food and water. Later in the passage it says, “When there is nothing left to look at on this street. Four who grew despite concrete. Four who reach and do not forget to reach. Four whose only reason is to be and be,”(Cisneros). This shows how both the trees and the family are surviving off of pure willpower and refusing to give up on their dreams, like Esperanza’s to have a house and help the homeless. This extended metaphor shows how Esperanza and her family refuse to die and give up on their dreams because the trees refuse to stop growing even in a rough environment.