In “The House on Mango Street”, Esperanza is a young girl who navigates her identity and aspirations in an impoverished neighborhood. Her community serves as a microcosm of Latinos in America, and her own identity is interwoven with the identity of the neighborhood. Esperanza’s self-identity is based largely upon her culture, neighborhood, and family’s economic status. Her physical appearance plays a significant role in shaping her experiences and interactions with others.
Ethnicity, cultural heritage, sexuality, and gender play a part in forming her identity. Esperanza’s family holds various values that shape their lives and experiences, deeply embedded in her. As a child, Esperanza wants to escape Mango, but her growth and memories connected to the house reveal how they have impacted her.
One of Esperanza’s social identities is her lower socioeconomic class, living on Mango Street, which is characterized by poverty and limited resources. Her mother and Alicia are the most influenced by her, teaching her to rely on herself to escape Mango. Esperanza’s relationship with her family, particularly her mother and sister, highlights universal themes of love, support, and sacrifice.
As the thirteen-year-old daughter of wealthy Mexican landowners, Esperanza loves her family and the land, even the servants, but her attitude is one of defiance. The extent to which Esperanza defies her culture, social orientation, and falls from the trap of feminism is a clear indication of a successful identity. Esperanza’s reflections on her family dynamics emphasize her yearning for autonomy and a sense of belonging in both her family and community.
In conclusion, “The House on Mango Street” explores the complex relationships between Esperanza’s family, her cultural heritage, and her desire for autonomy and belonging. By defying her cultural and social orientation, Esperanza demonstrates a successful identity and a strong connection to her community.
| Article | Description | Site |
|---|---|---|
| The House on Mango Street | Esperanza is a member of many cultures, and she feels affinity for and experiences others. She is Latina, as her family comes from Mexico, and she is also a … | enotes.com |
| Esperanza Character Analysis in The House on Mango … | Esperanza’s moral sense develops from an intense individualism to a feeling of responsibility toward the people in her community. As a child, Esperanza wants … | sparknotes.com |
| How Does Esperanza’s Culture Shape Her Identity | In the “The house on Mango Street” written by Sandra Cisneros, a girl named Esperanza, shaped her identity because of everything she experienced while living … | bartleby.com |
📹 Activities That Can Be Traced Back to Pagan Culture
Links between holiday traditions and pagan culture are well established – and occasionally celebrated – but there are also a lot of …
Who Influenced Esperanza?
Alicia serves as a significant source of inspiration for Esperanza, offering a listening ear during her moments of sadness and discontent. Esperanza learns from Alicia's determination to pursue education rather than conform to traditional roles in factories or households. The Hispanic culture surrounding Esperanza is a profound influence, as depicted through her relationships with her Mexican-American neighbors, Rachel and Lucy, who embody different aspects of this culture. While Rachel and Lucy represent varying experiences of identity, Esperanza's friendships evolve as she grows, eventually gravitating toward Sally, a more sexually mature figure.
Throughout the narrative, Esperanza endures various awakenings, especially a sexual awakening, shaping her understanding of independence and ambition. Alicia and Esperanza's mother are paramount influences, guiding her vision for the future. Additionally, Marin, a Puerto Rican girl, embodies aspirations beyond their circumstances, impacting Esperanza's worldview. In "Those Who Don't," Esperanza navigates cultural stereotypes, emphasizing the complexities of Latinx identities and their societal perceptions.
Esperanza, who yearns for a different name, grapples with her identity marked by cultural nuances while also drawing insights from magical women in her society. Through these reflections and interactions with characters, Esperanza articulates her lived experiences, emphasizing her environment's role in shaping her journey toward self-empowerment and independence. The House on Mango Street remains a significant literary work that has remarkably influenced readers, resonating profoundly with those navigating similar cultural landscapes.
How Does Esperanza Feel About Her Family?
Esperanza, a typical adolescent, often feels distanced from her family members. She perceives her younger sister Nenny as a burden, dismisses her parents' ambitious dreams of winning the lottery, and dreads visiting her sick aunt in her unpleasant apartment. Despite these feelings, family connections play a crucial role in Esperanza’s sense of belonging. Though she feels ashamed of their home on Mango Street, she still finds comfort in racial familiarity, as they are "all brown all around." Esperanza's understanding of family evolves throughout the novel, reflecting her complex relationships with her parents and siblings.
Her mother's honesty about regrets surprises her, indicating that their relationship lacks openness. This complexity also extends to her youthful innocence and emerging maturity, as she navigates childhood and adult experiences, experiencing moments of joy and confusion.
As the narrative progresses, Esperanza grapples with issues of identity, responsibility, and aspirations. Her individualism gives way to a deeper connection with her community and family. The novel illustrates her development from a self-oriented perspective to recognizing her moral obligations toward others. Ultimately, Esperanza's intricate relationships, particularly with Nenny and her mother, significantly influence her journey, as she simultaneously embraces and struggles with her family dynamics and cultural identity on Mango Street.
How Does Esperanza'S Neighborhood Affect Her Life?
Esperanza's experiences in her neighborhood reveal the humorous, moving, and tragic aspects of life within a Latino community in America. As she becomes acquainted with her neighbors, her feelings shift from mere observations to a deep affection and sense of responsibility for them. The neighborhood shapes her identity and views on life, causing her to understand that aiding the women around her will be a lifelong endeavor.
Through conversations with characters like the three sisters and Alicia, Esperanza gains insight into the complex dynamics of her surroundings, particularly the objectification from boys that creates an oppressive atmosphere.
Following personal losses, she becomes more attuned to the struggles of the women in her community. Despite dreams of escaping her environment, she ultimately realizes she belongs there. Esperanza's childhood perspective affects her understanding of societal barriers, including those related to gender and culture. Through her journey, the narrative highlights the tensions of isolation while emphasizing her aspirations for self-empowerment.
The community, including her home on Mango Street, serves as a microcosm of her broader Mexican identity, illustrating her growth amidst cultural stereotypes and systemic limitations. Ultimately, her journey underscores the importance of creating personal space within a challenging environment.
Is Esperanza Ready To Emerge From The Asexuality Of Childhood?
At the beginning of The House on Mango Street, Esperanza is hesitant to leave behind the innocence of childhood. She remains largely ignorant of sex, believing that boys and girls inhabit separate worlds. Her lack of maturity is evident in her inability to engage with her brothers, emphasizing her childlike nature. As the story progresses, Esperanza undergoes significant personal growth, experiencing various awakenings, particularly a sexual awakening. Despite this, she grapples with the pressure to conform to societal expectations while yearning for independence and self-identity. She feels an innate desire to break free from her current life and the expectations tied to her family, seeking to become a pioneer among the women in her community. Esperanza's evolution represents a struggle between embracing her emerging sexuality and clinging to the safety of childhood. Throughout the narrative, themes of isolation and identity surface, as Esperanza observes the disconnect between herself and her neighbors. Ultimately, she begins to recognize her asexuality, understanding that she experiences minimal sexual attraction, which sets her apart from the conventional paths others may follow. This realization leads her to reassess her desires and the world around her, highlighting her complex journey toward self-discovery and maturity.
What Does The House On Mango Street Represent To Esperanza And Her Family?
In "The House on Mango Street," the house symbolizes deep emotional conflicts for Esperanza. It reflects her family's limited opportunities and instills feelings of shame about her heritage. Esperanza's desire to escape Mango Street stems from her perception of the low expectations held by its residents. When asked about her home by a nun, for instance, Esperanza's response highlights her embarrassment about her living situation.
The family's tight-knit bond contrasts with the burden of poverty, shaping Esperanza's identity, particularly regarding her name, which means "sad" and "waiting." This connection to her great-grandmother's life further intensifies her sense of shame.
Throughout the narrative, Esperanza is acutely aware of her surroundings and yearns for a different life. While her family's home signifies their first ownership of property, it simultaneously embodies their socioeconomic limitations. Esperanza admires the beauty of trees and longs for independence and financial freedom, yet her reality confines her. The house represents not just a place of living but also her struggles and aspirations.
Ultimately, she dreams of reinventing herself and breaking free from societal constraints. Through the symbolism of the house, Esperanza's journey toward self-identity and empowerment becomes a central theme in her narrative of hope and resilience.
What Is Esperanza'S Culture In The House On Mango Street?
In "The House on Mango Street," Esperanza Cordero, a young Latina girl, navigates her identity in a Chicago barrio shaped by her mixed cultural heritage—her mother is Latina, and her father is Mexican. The house symbolizes both her family's past and her confusing cultural identity. Initially, Esperanza remains in a state of childhood innocence, perceiving boys and girls as living in entirely different worlds. She struggles with communication even with her own brothers, highlighting her isolation.
The narrative acts as a microcosm of the Latino experience in America, where the community interconnects with Esperanza's identity. Names in the novel reveal deeper meanings about the characters and their struggles. Raised in poverty, Esperanza witnesses societal gender roles that confine women, while she dreams of owning her own house and achieving independence. Her desire for autonomy and self-empowerment drives her quest to escape the limitations imposed by her environment.
As she confronts the constraints of her surroundings, she also grapples with her place within her family and community, ultimately aspiring for a life where she can exercise control over her choices. Through Esperanza's experiences, Sandra Cisneros illuminates themes of identity, ethnicity, and the pursuit of freedom in the face of socio-economic challenges.
Who Is Esperanza'S Family In Esperanza Rising?
The Ortega family is composed of Esperanza, a 13-year-old girl, her parents Sixto (Papa) and Ramona (Mama), and her maternal grandmother Abuelita. They live in Aguascalientes, Mexico, where Esperanza enjoys a privileged life as the only child of wealthy landowners. However, this idyllic existence is shattered when her father is killed by bandits, leading Esperanza and her mother to flee to California. In California, they face poverty and must adapt to their new lives as farm workers.
Ramona, a strong-willed woman, initially supports Esperanza but becomes ill, forcing Esperanza to take on family responsibilities. Miguel, the son of the family’s housekeeper Hortensia, also plays an important role in their lives. Throughout her journey, Esperanza grows from a sheltered girl into a mature young woman, navigating the challenges of her new life while remaining connected to her roots and family.
Abuelita and the love from her family become her support as she learns resilience and strength. Esperanza Rising explores themes of identity, belonging, and the importance of family support amidst adversity, portraying Esperanza’s transformation and her understanding of her place in the world.
What Happened To Esperanza And Her Family?
The book primarily revolves around the sorrowful journey of Esperanza and her family as they confront significant hardships. Esperanza's father is murdered by bandits while fixing a fence, which propels the family into turmoil. They are forced to leave their cherished home in Mexico, struggle with communication barriers with their grandmother, and handle the severe illness of Esperanza's mother, Ramona. Despite the overwhelming sadness throughout much of the story—highlighted by struggles with poverty and the loss of their old life—there is a sense of hope that emerges by the book's conclusion.
On her 14th birthday, Esperanza experiences a transformative realization as her family reunites, her mother recovers, and her grandmother joins them in California. She learns to cherish her loved ones, despite the dismal circumstances they face in the agricultural labor camp where they now live. The story captures Esperanza's emotional growth, as she moves from a life of privilege to one of hard work and resilience.
As her family navigates their new reality, Esperanza promises to support them, demonstrating her newfound maturity. Events such as her falling out with Miguel and witnessing her mother's frailty instill in her a deep sense of responsibility and gratitude for the bonds of family and the small joys in life.
Why Did Esperanza'S Family Move To Mango Street?
Esperanza's family moved to the house on Mango Street after the pipes broke in their previous apartment, and the landlord refused to repair them. Prior to Mango Street, they had frequently changed residences, each one no better than the last, as they depended on the landlords’ whims. Esperanza's family consists of her parents, her brothers Carlos and Kiki, and her sister Nenny. Their relocation to Mango Street, in a run-down area of Chicago, was also motivated by her parents' desire to own a home.
Although living in the new house was an improvement, it was meant to be a temporary solution. Esperanza reflects on how Cathy, a neighbor, claimed her family was moving away to escape "people like us," highlighting underlying racial tensions, as Cathy is implied to be white in contrast to the predominantly Hispanic community. Throughout her experiences, Esperanza observes the struggles of women like her mother, who feel trapped by their circumstances and unfulfilled dreams.
As the story progresses, Esperanza expresses her desire for independence and dreams of owning a house of her own, which she articulates in the later vignettes. Overall, the narrative captures the challenges of Esperanza's family as they navigate life on Mango Street and her aspirations for a better future.
Why Is Esperanza Embarrassed About Her Living Conditions?
Esperanza feels embarrassed about her family's living conditions in their new home, which they own for the first time. Despite her parents’ promises of a dream house, the reality is far less appealing, resembling horse stalls and worse than the servants' quarters they had in Mexico. She struggles with basic household tasks, like washing diapers and sweeping, and experiences deep shame regarding her lack of skills. Additionally, the simple food they are provided adds to her feelings of embarrassment, especially during lunch breaks.
Esperanza is acutely aware of the gap between her expectations and her unglamorous reality, which intensifies her disappointment in her new life. The drastic shift comes amid her father's death, her uncles’ betrayal, and her mother's illness, requiring her to take on greater responsibilities. She feels a sense of defeat as she grapples with mounting challenges, including the tensions among migrant workers, which she does not fully comprehend. This journey reveals her vulnerability and the impact of socioeconomic status on her identity.
Esperanza yearns for a better future, one that offers dignity and pride, contrasting sharply with her current situation. Through these experiences, she not only learns about survival but also navigates her evolving sense of self amidst a landscape of shame and aspiration.
How Does Esperanza'S Family Influence Her?
In "The House on Mango Street," Esperanza Cordero navigates her identity through her relationships with the women in her life, particularly her mother and Alicia, who instill in her the belief that she can transcend the limitations of their Chicago neighborhood. Esperanza's family serves as a foundation for her sense of self, influenced by her kind father's absence due to work and her talented mother, who represents the struggle and strength of their cultural heritage.
The dynamics of her family and neighborhood shape her views, fostering a growing sense of affection and responsibility for those around her. Esperanza grapples with her identity, recognizing that it is intertwined with her ethnicity, familial relationships, and socio-economic status. Despite feeling tethered to her community, she aspires for more, with her surroundings impacting her self-perception, especially regarding her physical appearance. Through Esperanza's youthful perspective, Sandra Cisneros creates an accessible narrative that challenges readers to reflect on identity formation influenced by family ties and cultural background.
Her familial relationships, particularly with her mother and younger sister Nenny, are both supportive and complex, providing her with a sense of belonging, despite her occasional denial. As Esperanza contemplates her dreams and the stark realities of her home, she learns to embrace her cultural identity while seeking to redefine her future beyond Mango Street.
How Does Esperanza'S Physical Appearance Affect Her Identity?
In "The House on Mango Street," Esperanza’s physical appearance significantly influences her identity and how others perceive her. Often judged for having "brown skin" and "shiny black hair," she experiences assumptions of being "stupid" or "incapable," which markedly shapes her interactions. Her appearance acts as both an anchor to her cultural heritage and a barrier to self-acceptance, as she struggles with obsessive comparisons to her "prettier" sister, Nenny.
This fixation on beauty intertwines with her desire to escape her impoverished surroundings, implied by her attraction to the illusion of power that shoes and physical beauty could provide. As Esperanza navigates her environment, characterized by economic limitations and cultural expectations, she observes the lives of those around her who seem trapped and powerless, fueling her quest for autonomy. Her identity is intrinsically linked to her home, neighborhood, and her ethnicity as a Latina in America.
The struggle for self-definition is mirrored through her connection to the four skinny trees, representing strength and displacement. Eventually, she learns to embrace her individuality, recognizing that true empowerment stems from self-awareness rather than outward appearance. Through writing and reflection, Esperanza begins to understand her identity, emphasizing that self-acceptance is crucial to overcoming societal pressures and personal insecurities.
📹 The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros Summary & Analysis
Course Hero Literature Instructor Russell Jaffe provides an in-depth analysis of the plot, characters, symbols, themes, and motifs …
One i found out recently, are you aware of the saying “The stinking rich” this apparently comes from many years ago when rich people could afford to be buried in sealed lead caskets beneath the stone floors of churches and cathedrals. Very frequently the caskets would over time burst open and the smell of their decay would rise up inot the church where it would stink the place out. just lovely
I read about this on a pagan page I follow on Facebook. There’s actually a story about the hare. It was originally a bird that the goddess of spring saved from dying by changing it into a hare (though, it could still lay eggs). Later, at a festival, everyone presented their offerings of gold and precious items. However, the hare felt like its gift paled in comparison to the others, so it withheld it’s offering… Until finally, it gave in and presented the goddess with it’s eggs. The goddess was so moved by the humble gift, that she placed it by her side; thus, how the hare became her symbol.
As a Brit who is also into paganism and loves Halloween, I cringe every time I hear other Brits say, “Halloween is an American thing. Why should we celebrate it over here?” The modern Halloween as we know it today is American. However, the origin of Halloween comes from Samhain, a pagan holiday celebrated traditionally in Celtic Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland.
The idea that yawning drains your vitality sort of makes sense because people usually only yawn when they are bored and/or tired. In other words, they are either lethargic or in the process of becoming so. However, the irony here is that modern theories suggest yawning is a reflex we have to stave off tiredness and remain active and attentive, and the fact that it’s “contagious” means its probably an evolutionary trait to keep ourselves and our family/tribe awake in case of danger. So instead of draining our vitality it is actually trying to give us some.
A lot of this continuance of pagan customs was done purposefully by Christian authorities to lessen resistance to conversion from paganism to Christianity. This was seen with the preemption of some pagan sites for use as churches (e.g. the Parthenon). Also, Christmas coincides not just with Yule but with a festival associated with the Roman god Mithras and the Roman festival of Saturnalia. Halloween’s history is very complicated, and it may not even be directly derived from Samhain. The most accurate description of Halloween you can give is that it’s a mixture of paganism, Christianity and folk customs which have been overlaid with fairly modern pop culture.
Frigg’s day, she and Freyja may or may not be based off the same origin, but by that time they were separate goddesses. Frigg is Thor’s mother and Odin’s wife, hence why she got Friday. Freyja is badass though, she gets half of those who die in battle; whereas half go to Odin in Valhalla. She also assembles the valkyries and whatnot. No day though
While visiting Xochicalco—a Mexican archeological site—our tour guide told us that the so-called “Gregorian” calendar has its roots in mesoamerican cultures. I can’t remember which group of mesoamericans it was. But they figured out how to systematise the length of the year by adding a day to the calendar every four years. European explorers brought this innovation back to Europe. So, if what he says is accurate, the Gregorian calendar is also “pagan.”
Making celebrations around seasons due to their impacts is pretty universal. In mainstream cultures or otherwise. It’s also the case that just because two cultures celebrate during similar times, it doesn’t mean they’re celebrating the same thing, regardless of surface level similaritius. The same obviously goes for today.
I’ve also heard that the Easter bunny isn’t a bunny. It would make sense on several levels. Female hares typically fend off amorous males by boxing during March (the mad March hare), the ornithologist Bill Odie pointed out that hares also lay up where lapwings next thus also (possibly) associating hares with eggs. Many churches have carvings depicting The Green Man, a pagan character. Personally, I like a good Wassail although how old that tradition is, I’ve no idea.
Weekday names are cool. Polish names for weekdays are: Niedziela (Sunday “No-work/no-action” because of church) Poniedziałek (Monday is literally “After the no-work (sunday)”) Wtorek (Tuesday “The second”) Środa (Wednesday “the middle”, even germans call it mittwoch “mid-week”) Czwartek (Thursday “the fourth”) Piątkek (Friday “the fifth”) Sobota (Saturday “Shabbat” because of judaism) Notice that wednesday is called the middle day because sunday used to be the most important so it was placed first but it was moved to the last day for convenience of counting days. And russians have almost identical names for weekdays except for sunday which translates to “resurrection”. And the word “week” is called the same as polish for sunday. Polish calls word for week “tydzień” which stems from “ten dzień” literally translated “this-day”. That is because after 7 days pass it is still the same weekday, so a cycle of 7 is called that.
I had a very Catholic aunt who chided me for making merry around Christmas when I was a professed atheist. I said I was just observing a lifelong tradition for a day that had many happy childhood memories. She said sure, you can celebrate whatever you choose but you wouldn’t be celebrating at this time without Jesus. I scoffed at that notion because it is no accident that Christmas and Hannukah are both celebrated so close to the winter solstice. It is a common practice for the promoters of some new paradigm to hijack existing traditions in order to make it easier to induce the masses to make the changeover. The original holiday was on the solstice to celebrate the return of the sun. Keeping the sun up in the sky was and still is kind of important to humans. The ancients could tell that the days were getting shorter and shorter and, if the hours of sunlight continued to diminish at the rate they do in the fall, the sun would vanish altogether in a matter of months. If the cessation of the sun’s disappearing act is not something to celebrate, I don’t know what is. Axial tilt is the reason for the season.
I had heard about wedding rings being an ancient tradition and that the ring finger was supposed to lead directly to the heart. So charming! Years ago, I read “The Dictionary of Superstitions” and it claimed that the right index finger, not the ring finger, was the “medicine” finger. This is the reason why it’s rude to point. The “medicine” finger was pointed at someone who was receiving a curse.
I’m atheist and I still celebrate most “normal” holidays.. not because I believe in X, Y, or Z.. but because I enjoy every opportunity to have fun, hang out with family, and spoil loved ones.. So as far as I can see.. it doesn’t matter why people celebrate the things they do.. so long as it’s making everyone that participates happy..
Most of Christendon is full of pagan traditions and practices… that’s why pure Christianity based solely on the bible is not common… maybe Jehovah’s Witnesses. Please do one for Islam and other religions showing how the cultures that influenced their modern religions differ from the ancient forms
Thank you for giving the Pagans some love. We’ve always been persecuted or dismissed entirely. And it’s been increasingly frustrating in this sudden surge of religious tolerance and acceptance to see other non-christian religions getting all this new attention and acceptance, while the Pagans are still getting mocked, ridiculed and ignored.
Some Pagan holidays such as Valentine’s Day came from the Roman Lupercalia. Easter which is based on the Eostre and eggs and rabbits were part of the fertility Goddess. Halloween has many customs from the Celtic Samhain based on a day of the dead and may go back to the flood of Noah’s Day. Christmas is based on the Roman Saturnalia in the period of the Winter Solstice.
I remember finished reading the Bible, couldn’t believe there was no Easter or Christmas in there,..what it did say was, they cut a tree from the forest,deck it with silver and gold,but their worship is in vain,.it also says don’t take part in man made tradition, it’s well known the tree in the house is pagan earth worship, but also the Ivey over the door,the giving of gifts, all pagan, and Easter was originally called, Ishtar,a pagan fertility celebration, I also found the statue of liberty, is actually a statue of the ancient false goddess Diana but some say it’s ISIS, ..🤔
I think the term “Pagan” refers to some sort of rituals, or ceremonies that are not considered in the Christian premises. Usually, our rites and/or ceremonies have been established by early Christian institutions which have endured throughout the centuries. However, there have always been kind of religious practices that weren’t gone completely. They have been practiced by people who intend to preserve their own culture. In fact, the term “Pagan” was created by early Christians in order to establish such a difference between the Christian rituals and other religious practices. At least, that’s what I assume. The more I know about our current rituals’ origins; the more sentimental I feel about mother nature’s worship. In fertility festivals it was such a gratitude to Nature for allowing the earth to keep producing fruits and vegetables for mankind’s survival.
A+ article! So fascinating learning the origins of the traditions we have today. Speaking of traditions….I think I am going to watch the Weird History Food articles of Stories About Your Favorite Halloween Candy, Bologna Or Baloney: The History Of Your Favorite Lunchmeat, and Dishes That Are Much Older Than We Realized.
Once pranked a boyfriend by convincing him I was a Druid and would be celebrating the Summer Solstice while we were camping. Told him I’d be painting my body blue and would be cavorting naked around the camp fire at midnight! Brought along several bottles of blue food colouring to convince him. He was actually trying to figure out how to escape this crazy woman when I told him he’d been pranked. Used this to embarrass him numerous times. Best prank ever! 🇨🇦🖖🏻🇨🇦
I’ve got a Norwegian forest cat named sam, Sam is a forest spirit. I didn’t know pagans said that first, but like, can confirm they’re right. Sam just showed up one day as a kitten, missing a toe, a piece of his ear, and part of his tail. He’s usually black, sometimes he’s gray, and sometimes he’s brown. Don’t ask me, dude changes his coats. He’s got vampire teeth yellow eyes and long hair, and is majestic as the fuck with the fluffy paws. Rather ironically though, he’s afraid of his shadow and he meows like a kitten, super high pitched, even though he’s an old man now. He kind of just manifests in random places napping. Like I was going to put a cigarette out in the planter and there’s Sam. Or I was gonna get a box of cereal from the pantry and there’s Sam on the second shelf. Lastly, we have many pictures of Sam in the middle of a circle of deer in the yard with the circle bowing down to em. Forest spirit, plane and simple amiright?
Pagan is what WASP chicks new to college call themselves after a semester or two Easter is connected to the Jewish Passover. While there was a pagan holiday around that time, the resurrection of Christ is linked to the Jewish Passover because of the timing of Christ’s death. It wasn’t as if Christians said, “oh another pagan holiday we can randomly swap to be a celebration of something else.” That’s pretty much the story of Xmas, but not Easter
I didn’t know that about the tooth fairy 😊 I love it lol I have always made the tooth fairy special for my kids I even leave a “fairy dust” trail of holographic glitter dust for them to follow and I tell them that happens because our cats make her nervous 😅 what is even more kewl now is knowing that she has roots in from Norse folktale we found out a couple years ago that we are almost 100% Norwegian and have been getting into the religious traditions and beliefs it’s really amazing to learn about the way our ancestors lived 😊
Well done! As a modern pagan feels nice to see that subject be more talked about. I was wondering tho, what are your sources about Eostre? From my understanding, there wasn’t a firm conviction about scholars that she was a real goddess that was worshiped in ancient time. Did some new research came to contradict that statement? 🤔
In actual fact, the Abrahamic religions including Christianity all have pagan roots. Judaism was originally polytheistic with many gods until the it evolved over many centuries into monotheism from the influence of Zoroastrianism which asserted there was one supreme god “Ahura Mazda” the creator of the world, after the Persian conquest of the Babalonian empire under Cyrus the Great in 539 BCE. Zoroastrianism also introduced the concept of “Hell” and “Satan” into Judaism, which transferred into Islam and Christianity, originally inspired by the Zoroastrian Angra Mainyu and his hellish realm of Druj Demana where wayward souls would be sent. The original Hebrew god of war “Yahweh” gradually evolved into their supreme god and eventually their one god. Zoroastrianism also held that a messiah would come at some future date (known as the Saoshyant – One Who Brings Benefit) to redeem humanity in an event known as the Frashokereti which was the end of time and brought reunion with Ahura Mazda. These concepts would also influence Judaism and of course it’s messianic offshoot Christianity. However, it is also known that ancient Mesopotamian and Egyptian religions also had dying and resurrecting gods or sons of gods, one example being Osiris, the god of death, afterlife and resurrection. Hence, Easter itself is of Pagan origin.
It wasn’t mentioned in the months section, but September, October, November, and December were named for their numerical placement in the sequence of months. Sept being 7th, Oct-8th, etc. But Julius Caesar moved the new year with his calendar. It was originally in March when spring begins. But he thought it would be cute if the new year was associated with Janus (January) who had two faces, so that he could look back on the previous year, and forward to the next. It threw those afore mentioned months out of sequence, and why our new year is in the middle of a season instead of the end of one.
ALL “religious” & other holidays nowadays can be traced back to Paganism, only the names have been changed! Yule > Christmas, Ostara > Easter, Litha, Samhain > Halloween, Midsummer > St John’s feast (also still called Midsummer is some coutnries), Beltane > May Day celebrations (in many countries).
i heared about two other possible origins of knocking an wood. The one is from sailors, they where allowed to knock on the main ship mast. The sound would tell if its a good or bad (like he is rotten) mast. So you knock on wood in order to prevent something bad to happen. The other story is the one with the spirits, ghosts or demons. You knock on something so the spirits will not hear what you are talking about so they cant sabotage it. A big activity is here Carneval, which is half pagan and half cristian. Here, It has a lot of names, but they are all technically meaning the same, the days bevore fasting, to take away the meat or beginning of the fast days. That’s the Christian part, before the fasting days they throw a big party and eat all the meat so it doesn’t spoil during the meatless days (yes, THAT meat was forbidden too) The pagan part was, dressing up as demons, witches and other spooky stuff and make a lot of noise with rattling, wood sticks and other stuff they found in order to “scare away” the winter.
Amazed to know that Halloween is celebrated in month known as Sawan in Ancient Rome, in India, we Hindu we too have a month called Sawan which is from August to September, we is followed by month of dead called “Sradh” of 20 days. It amazes me how ancient world was more interconnected than that of today and I am proud that Hindus around world still follow their beautiful ancient culture.
even in hinduism, monday – somavara refers to moon god(chandra(soma)) tuesday – mangalavara refers to mars god(mangala) wednesday – budhavara refers to mercury god(budha) thursday – guruvara refers to jupiter god(brihaspati(guru)) friday – shukravara refers to teacher of demons(shukracharya) saturday – shanivara refers to saturn god(shani) sunday – ravivara refers to sun god(ravi)
Monday in Spanish is Lunes, Luna is a moon goddess, Tuesday is Martes in Spanish, Marte is Mars, Wednesday is Miércoles, Mercury (messenger of the gods), Thursday is Jueves and it comes from the god Jupiter, Friday is Viernes – named after Venus, Saturday was named after Saturno, Sunday is the day of the Sun gods.
I once woke up to find my favorite cat with two others standing over me, my cat on my chest with two paws and breathing heavily into my mouth, I felt so tired and couldn’t move first for few minutes. Then days later I discovered I was double jointed and moved more with balance and at ease, even fell from 3rd floor balcony and survived literally instinctively scratching the wall on the way down. Believe it or not all these happened.
I’ve read that the tradition of a birthday cake comes from Ancient Greece. Artemis was the god of the moon in Greek Mythology. Once a month – or once a year – the Ancient Greeks would bring round candle lit cakes to the temple to honor the birth of Artemis. In addition, the German belief of demons coming to haunt people on their birthday is where the birthday party tradition came from.
Actually, the word Pagan comes from the Latin word Paganus, which means “country dweller.” It was first used BY the Romans as a mild pejorative term for the Celts who preferred to live close to the land than in the urbanized world of Rome. Christianity came late to the term, through the Roman Catholic Church that eventually redefined and expanded the term to mean any group of people who did not embrace what they saw as the “one true faith” of Christianity. It was Christianity that made Pagan an extremely negative insult, but it was coined before Christianity even existed. So, because pre-Christian Rome coined the term to refer to the Celts and the Roman Church changed its definition to “non-Christian” long after secular Rome lost its power and influence, there never was such a thing as “Pagan Rome.” You seriously need to do some research outside of Christocentric scholarship. We have all heard the Roman Church’s rewrites of history, because they are everywhere in so-called “independent” scholarship, but that does not make them right.
The name of days of the week are actually based on hindu days of the week which are based on the sun, planets and moon. Sunday is Ravi vaar(day of the sun), Monday is Somvar(Day of the moon), Tuesday is Mangalvar(Day of the Mars), Wednesday is Budhwar(Day of the Mercury planet), Thursday is Brihaspativar(Day of Jupiter), Friday is Shukravar(Day of Venus planet), Saturday is Shanivar(Day of Saturn planet).
The origins of Easter are rooted in pre-Christian, pagan traditions that celebrated the arrival of spring, fertility, and new life. When Christianity spread to regions where these pagan festivals were practised, early Christian missionaries sought to incorporate elements of the pagan celebrations into their own religious observances. This was a common practice, making converting people to Christianity smoother and more familiar. By associating the resurrection of Jesus Christ with the spring festival of Eostre, the Christians effectively “Christianized” the pagan celebration. Over time, the original pagan elements became intertwined with Christian traditions, and the holiday evolved into the Easter we know today, which is primarily a Christian celebration. It is important to note that while the origins of some Easter customs and symbols can be traced back to pagan traditions, the Christian celebration of Easter has its own distinct religious significance, focusing on the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the triumph of life over death.
Pagan was a reference to country dwellers as opposed to conglomerate ‘city’ dwellers, and is a term introduced as recently as the 1400s—not that long ago in terms of so-called christian history. It referred to unassuming country folk, untroubled by the dictates of a rigid religious body. Pagans were free to express their spirituality as they believed it served them. The pejorative undertone emerged when christians realised their beliefs were not as free and easy as pagan beliefs (despite being nothing more than a modern rewrite of pagan ritual anyway), and that they needed to belittle ‘other’ to shore up their insecurity. Pagan beliefs are far more widely spread than the vatican would have you believe, indeed far more broadly than christianity.
You forgot to mention that worshiping on Sunday can be very easily traced back to paganism when Roman Emperor Constantine wanted his nation to be declared Christian, but the pagans living there weren’t about to switch over. So, he tried foolishly to combine the two religions by declaring the nation to be Christian and changing the Christian day of worship from Saturday to Sunday so the pagans could blend in better. Shortly thereafter, the Roman Catholic church was formed and they officially declared Sunday to be the Lord’s day. And the rest is ignorant bliss.
In addition to the pagan origins of holidays, days of the week, etc., many of the teachings of Christian churches came from ancient origins, not the Bible. The trinity, burning hell, and immortality of the soul, are not taught in the Christian or Jewish Bible, although some religions cherry-pick scripture to “prove” those teachings. As far as early Christianity is concerned, the earliest, first century Christians did not include pagan customs or beliefs in their worship.
It kinda makes me mad when I tell people about paganism and they say “Its not that important” or “that’s so weird” because it played a important role in history and my life. It also sets me off when I explain Yull to people and they say “That sounds like a knock-off of Christmas” because Yull inspired Christmas and is way older than Christmas.
Frigg is the wife of Odin, Odr is the husband of Freya. After Freya had sold her body for her necklace Odr left her and Freya spent eternity searching the 9 realms under different names for her beloved Odr. Thor’s mother is Jörd a giantess, one of Odins mistresses. This is why Thor is so powerful he’s 3/4 giant.
It’s my understanding that the relevance of ‘country dweller’ was because rural areas were far removed from the more urban areas, it took a while for the people in the country, the pagans, to be converted to the new religion because they were distant to the area. It didn’t become derogatory until later.
I was brought up in the ancient area known as Wessexin southern England, the Christian churches all seem to have been built precisely on top of older Pagan sites. Some of the stone used in Stonehedge were Sarsen stones which you find littered around many church sites here. My local Christian church had one thousand of these Sarsen stones that have been moved around for miles, it is not a local stone.
The reason why Christmas Day is December 25th is because Rome picked that day as the official shortest day: the day on which the Sun was reborn. It was more convenient to have the same date, rather than the actual day of the Winter soltice, to time mid Winter festivals. A couple of centuaries later Christians started to link the birth of Jesus Christ with this date.
What I like most is that apparently, those who claim we are celebrating other gods just by celebrating the birth or resurrection of Christ (or goodness forbid, providing a safe place for children to get candy at Halloween) do not have a leg to stand on. Now we can ask one of them, “What about that wedding ring you’re wearing?”
Freya is NOT Odin’s wife; Frigga (or Frig) is his wife. Frigga is the goddess of marriage and the hearth. Freyja is a goddess of love, sex, beauty, and war and leads the — she leads the Valkyries. The Valkyries lead those who dies valiantly in battle to Odin’s hall. Her husband is Oo (or Odr) She’s also a member of the Vanir while Odin and Frigga are members of the Aesir who were the group of gods that existed before the Vanir. They went to war and the Vanir are often considered a subset of the Aesir; with them but in a separate group. I hope I got all that right. Apologies if I got any wrong. Sometimes what you learn from a supposed source isn’t accurate and I may misremember. I’m not Asatru or any other flavor of Heathan, but I am Pagan and as also as a Unitarian Universalist, I’m interested in everyone’s religion.
Ack! No!! You got some things wrong. Easter: Not named after/a celebration of Eostra because in most of the world it is known as Pascha as in, “Passover,” because that is the holiday it is replacing. It has always been in the spring, but, The Catholic Church decided exactly when. Christmas: No, it’s not a continuation or spin off of Yule (which is not the same date), but, it is good to know that some of the late December flora can also be used for other purposes. Friday: The women who this was named after wasn’t Thor’s mother as Thor’s mother was Gaia.
I think all cultures in all of human history wore jewelry, we find jewelry associated with caveman cultures dating back millennia, so I don’t think you can call that something we specifically inherited from our pagan ancestors, it’s way too general for that. It’s just something human cultures always do.
One problem with the crossing of the fingers relating to the crucifixion of christ is that the early church didn’t use crosses as religious symbols. That was started 300 years later. To them it was the equivalent of hanging a noose around your neck in rememberance of a member of your family or best friend was hanged. It was a symbol of death, not hope, to them.
There are a few mistakes in your presentations. While the relevance of these customs to paganism is true, some of their origins are way older. For example about valentine. There is an Iranian celebration called “Sepandar mazgan” just 3 days after valentine’s day, but much older. It gets to more than 3000 years back and at this day, women wouldn’t do anything. Men and kids brought them gifts and obeyed whatever they wanted. This was related to the big role of women in love, not only with men but also their kids. At the last tuesday night of the year, Iranian believed that the souls of the dead will come back to earth to visit their loved ones, so they made fires on the roofs so the souls can find the way😂😂😂😂. They also gave a specific mix of nuts to each other and believed that it helped make their wishes come true. They changed their appearances and went to neighbors houses asking for candy and nuts. This is rooted to almost 5000 years ago, and is still celebrated with a few differences like jumping over or through fire instead of making it on the roofs, the other thing is about Christmas. In Mithraism, an older religion that was also very popular between roman solders who had learn it through the long wars between Iran and the roman empire, and constantin also believed in, Mithra is the god of light who is born from a virgin mother in a cave at the end of the longest night of the year( December 21st), he had 12 apostles, had a last supper with them during which they had bread and wine, ascended to the heavens and resurrected after 3 days.
Speaking of things that are “baked into” Christmas, why do we make gingerbread houses for that holiday? I’ve tried to look it up, and though I have found discussion of the history of gingerbread houses, I have yet find out why, why gingerbread and why gingerbread houses and why do we do it for Christmas?
Except Birthday we don’t celebrate anything… Also we don’t wish after blowing candles like I am Indian and my parents don’t even know these wish thing…the only festivals we celebrate which are in Bible like Passover and all that. And we simply can’t do anything to calendar. But from now on I’ll try not to celebrate my birthday…
Fun fact: names of days of the week in Italian are each associated with a Greek-Roman version of the same Norse deity of the English names: Monday is Lunedì and luna means moon; Tuesday is Martedì and Marte was the Roman God of war; Wednesday is Mercoledì and it could be related to Mercurio/Hermes, whose role has something in common with Odin; Thursday is Giovedì and Giove was this super manly king of Gods with lightning in his hands like Thor; Friday is Venerdì and Venere is the goddess of love, beauty and sex much like Freya. French and Spanish names are very similar to Italian ones. Does this hold true in any other linguistic family?
Nicene Christians and their pagan Nicene Creed were some of the exact people and doctrine that Jesus and his disciples warned against. A few examples, 1 John chapters 2 and 3, 2 John, the book of Jude, Revelation chapters 2 and 3. Interestingly, John’s letters to the 7 congregations in revelation were all in the kingdom of Nicea…. He was literally warning the congregations to stay clear of the very men who would go on to influence the acceptance of pagan doctrine into Christianity, which was solidified through the Creed of Nicea
Do one about celebrating the birth day every year until death comes from. .I find it very odd / strange tradition to keep celebrating someone’s birth day over and over and over.. over… and why does the 1brithday celebration start one year after birth, nothing on the exact day of birth just one year to the day why do humans do it.
Only the willfully ignorant are unaware of the history of non-Christian social customs, many of which were deliberately adapted by the church, recognizing the various celebrations of life were not essentially evil, and gave believers this good opportunity to celebrate within the context of the Christian church.
Dawn of humanity cultures that worshipped the original Pagan Goddess thrived and prospered and chose to make love not war. The word Pagan was used by Bible pushers as an insult and to ”divide and conquer ” but now the joke is on them because we turned the word Pagan on its head and made it so it unites all true freedom spirits that love and respect nature and refuse to bow to the patriarchal tyranny of the Bible and the Quran. Science is Pagan and was founded by Pagans such as Hypatia.
He didn’t mention saying “God bless you” or “bless you” when someone sneezes. Also, he explained the months only through June. July comes from “Julius Caesar,” August from “Augustus,” September from “seven,” October from “eight,” November from “none”, and December from “ten.” Does anyone know how the numbers got screwed up?
There’s a difference between a culture that happened to be pagan and pagan religious practices. For example, my pagan Celtic ancestors wore plaid wool blankets (but I repeat myself). They didn’t do this because they were commanded by gods or spirits, or as some kind of ritual. They did it because it’s friggin’ COLD where they lived! And their practice became the ceremonial great kilt Scots around the world wear at Highland games to this day. There’s also a difference between metaphor and symbolism that is specific to a particular religious practice. Evergreen trees have long represented eternal life not because Woden decreed it (he was apparently a fan of deciduous hardwoods anyway), but because their leaves do not die in the winter! And what do you do when certain symbols develop independently in different cultures? For example, to both the monotheistic Israelites and the pagan Greeks, the snake on a staff was a symbol of medicine and healing (bonus points go to the bronze serpent, which depicted the world’s deadliest venomous snake; the Greek serpent was a nonvenomous colubrid). Do you still claim it came solely from a pagan source, when the Israelite bronze serpent is a good 1,000 years OLDER than the first Greek nation at minimum? Now, pagans can have their Easter bunny and their poisonous, parasitic mistletoe. I associate entirely different characteristics with the rabbit anyway, and they have nothing to do with Easter. I got said associations from Richard Adams, who was probably Anglican.
I would say the first adaption of dogs into human camps would be because dogs can small and hear strangers (the enemies) coming before we can. Cats were first adapted for protecting the grain harvest from mice. It is hard for me to believe that the cross (a crucifix) during the 1st century is used to identify oneself to a faith. Considering that this device was used to tutored people to death ! Yes, many things in life from one culture is taking from the other and repurposed. Like what is being done today, taking the dream catcher (from the American Indians) and using it just for a pretty decoration. But you know that very few people really celebrate the holiday for what they claim it’s for. It’s just another day to get drunk and party.
In strict forms of Christianity, there are never yule logs, or mistletoe, or other overt pagan symbols. The Santa, gift giving is told as a modern tradition, not a religious one. The true meaning of Christmas is celebrating the birth of Christ, not the literal date no. Easter also makes light of easter eggs and Bunnies, for the 3 days are busy with Good Friday, and the Joy of easter Sunday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. So my point is people can enjoy a custom and some chocolste, without it being about paganism, and still hold to the spiritual meaning of the event. Much like no one goes around protesting the names of the days of the week, or month names. History is history.
Easter goes back a lot farther than Germanic tribes, it goes back to Babylon and there goddess Ishtar who arrives from the heavens in an Egg, She of course was the goddess of fertility and the egg and rabbit were her consorts. On Ishtar morning they celebrated with sunrise worship and baked little cake in the hot sun with crosses on them. (hotcross buns?)
Paul speaking: You cannot be drinking the cup of Jehovah (God) and the cup of demons. You cannot be partaking of the of “the table of Jehovah and the table of demons. Or “are we inciting Jehovah to Jealousy”?………….(1Cor. 10:21&22) Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Be’lial? (false/pagan worship)
Saint Boniface knew that in winter the inhabitants of the village of Geismar gathered around a huge old oak tree (known as the “Thunder Oak”) dedicated to the god Thor. This annual event of worship centered on sacrificing a human, usually a small child, to the pagan god. Boniface desired to convert the village by destroying the Thunder Oak. Boniface chopped the oak tree down with the cross of Jesus and said: “This little tree, a young child of the forest, shall be your holy tree tonight. It is the wood of peace… It is the sign of an endless life, for its leaves are ever green. See how it points upward to heaven. Let this be called the tree of the Christ-child; gather about it, not in the wild wood, but in your own homes; there it will shelter no deeds of blood, but loving gifts and rites of kindness.”
My very favorite ritual is when people read a comment stating a favorite ritual, they reply with the most bizarre or hilarious ritual they’ve ever heard…. *ahem cough cough. Such as, oh, idk, some people used to think that a bloody nose could/should be cured by sticking a cat’s tail in the nostril. (How? HOW would anyone come Up with That?!) Can you beat that one?
Not sure whether this has been commented on below but some sources suggest a different origin for Saturday e.g. H A Guerber “Myths of the Norsemen” as follows:- ” Loki’s Day The last day of the week, which was held sacred to Loki, was known in the Norse as Laugardag, or wash day but in English it was changed to Saturday, and was said to owe its name not to Saturn but to Sataere, the thief in ambush and the Teutonic god of agriculture who is supposed to be merely another personification of Loki.” I do not know whether this opinion is still held by Norse and Teutonic scholars, maybe it has lost favour due to the superficial resemblance of Loki to the biblical Satan. Personally I think it would be good to recognise each day of the week to be represented by a god or goddess from a particular mythology (plus in this case of course the Sun and the Moon) and remember that the Norse legends which describe their gods and goddesses were written down in the Christian era by historians considering themselves as Christian and the original oral stories surrounding Loki may well be different. A similar modification may be found with the goddess Hel who was the ruler of the underworld in the original mythology but the name and function have of course been linked with the biblical hell. Her realm known as Helheim was by some accounts a place of peace and tranquility (e.g. G Krasskova “Exploring The Northern Tradition”) rather than endless torment.
Frigg, or Frigga was the wife of Odin and mother of Baldur, while Thor was the son of Jord (a giant) and Odin. Freya is the embodiment of egalitarianism underpinning Norse culture…So, in summation; Freya was neither the wife of Odin, nor the mother of Thor…but she received all fallen females from the battlefield as well as her pick of the males, reinforcing the aforementioned egalitarianism…
At the behest of a boisterous lynch mob, Christ was nailed wrist-over-wrist, ankle-over-ankle, to a vertical post of stake (Gk: stauros). The cross symbol is indeed pagan and was used as a proselytizing device to draw converts from those who revered this symbol. The barbarians who stormed Rome in 476 were overawed by the presence of that symbol on the vestments of the bishops and on the church buildings.
I’m surprised that eating, sleeping, living in houses, and wearing clothing didn’t make the list. About half of the things listed are just people things rather than pagan. The connection on several of the others is tenuous, at best. No, Easter-for example- is not based on a pagan festival. It was originally called “Pascha” or something similar, in reference to the connection to the Passover. Later, it may have overtaken a similar pagan holiday and one of the practices continued, but it’s false to say that it’s a pagan holiday. Not the best analysis.
Constantine had Sunday for the Christian worship day as it was the worship day of Helios, the sun god that he worshipped. There is no confirmation of when Constantine converted to Christianity. Some say that he did in his death bed with a confusion as who did it including it was an Arian priest of a Christian branch that the Council of Nicaea declared heretical.
Halloween is my favorite holiday! It always has been even when I was heavily indoctrinated into Christianity, since I have been deconstructing from that belief system knowledge is important. Paganism, usually European paganism, is all around us! However European paganism is quite a bit like Native American. I was initially indoctrinated not to see the pagan origin of holidays, days of the week and other such things, however it’s a lot more prevalent than I thought. Armed with this piece of knowledge, it’s helpful in my journey. Thank you.
Dont wear make-up or jewellery, cover my head, and don’t celebrate ANY holidays except the biblical feasts. Also I follow a biblical calendar and dont celebrate birthdays. Animals I have, but if I knew beforehand about its pagan roots I wouldnt have taken them on. Living separate from the world and giving praises to Yah for opening my eyes❤
If the holiday or tradition loses its meaning or is rebranded then it’s not “pagan” anymore. The origins don’t really matter anymore. It’s like people trying to rebrand Columbus Day as “indigenous day” or celebrating birthdays on national days or mourning, like 9/11. Don’t call it people being ignorant. If I’m celebrating Christmas Day as the birthday of Jesus, I really don’t care about the origins of the day. They don’t matter to me, I’m celebrating the birthday of Jesus.
Cats were mummified in Egypt, which proved to Christians that cats must associate with the devil. So a pope (Pope Gregory ~?) ordered the destruction of cats. Millions were killed, so with fewer cats, rats multiplied, carrying fleas, and this caused the Black Death. Ah, nothing like old time religion!