Throughout this tragic moment, the only color that she can remember is red, symbolic of the broken hymen and the loss of her innocence. Not surprisingly, it is at this point that all of the colors of her world begin to whirl. Then the colors began to whirl. After this incident, Esperanza would probably know that the red-headed woman was not Earl's wife, just as all earlier representations of red would have changed for her. The clowns are also important symbols in and of themselves.
Most people think of clowns as happy and safe.
But for some, clowns are merely masks of the true feelings of humanity. These clowns are not safe for Esperanza. Instead they are a reminder of her helplessness during the rape. They are symbolic of the mask of ignorance and indifference worn by the passersby who did not come to her aide. The House on Mango Street is an autobiographical account of Cisneros's childhood.