Definition of Imagery
Esperanza uses a series of similes to describe her and her family's hair, culminating in rich imagery that conveys the sweet smell of her mother's hair:
My Papa’s hair is like a broom, all up in the air. And me, my hair is lazy... my mother’s hair, like little rosettes, like little candy circles all curly and pretty because she pinned it in pincurls all day, sweet to put your nose into when she is holding you, holding you and you feel safe, is the warm smell of bread before you bake it, is the smell when she makes room for you on her side of the bed still warm with her skin, and you sleep near her, the rain outside falling and Papa snoring.
Cisneros paints a vivid picture of Lois, the girlfriend of Esperanza's first crush, describing in detail how her toes appear:
Unlock with LitCharts A+And once when she was standing next to me at Mr. Benny’s grocery she was barefoot, and I saw her barefoot baby toenails all painted pale pale pink, like little pink seashells, and she smells pink like babies do. She’s got big girl hands, and her bones are long like ladies’ bones, and she wears makeup too. But she doesn’t know how to tie her shoes. I do.