Answer

Only Daughter” by Sandra Cisneros

            In “Only Daughter”, Sandra Cisneros introduces the reader to three significant conflicts between her father’s expectations and hers. The first conflict lies in Cisneros’ expectations for her education. While she wants to go to school so that she can become a better writer, her father wants her to go to school because he feels it will increase her chances of getting married by a good man (Cisneros, 4). The second conflict lies in her career. Cisneros is hopeful that she will become a great writer and values her writing so much so that she wishes her father would notice it. Her father, however, is content with his daughter being a teacher. Finally, Cisneros’ father is expectant about her daughter’s marriage and even worries when she spends 6 years in school and still comes out unmarried. Cisneros, unlike her father, is not worried about being unmarried.

            Cisneros’ family expectations are quite different from mine because while we do not despise marriage, we do not use it as a metric for measuring success. My parents have brought me up with the idea that I can become whoever I want to become and that they will always be right behind me, cheering me on. Cisneros’ father is so consumed with hopes that his daughter will find a suitor that he fails to recognize her writing abilities (Cisneros, 6). In fact, he only acknowledges her efforts after she wins an award and her story is translated into Spanish.

Conclusion

            In as much as Cisneros’ childhood is not ideal, her being the only daughter causes her father to pay too much attention to her brothers’ achievements at the expense of hers. Her father sets a destiny for Cisneros without considering her own expectations. He sees her as an ideal candidate for marriage and does his best to ensure that she does get married. Strangely, their conflicting expectations eventually work in her favor because she does get the education she needs.