Esperanza learns that she can either protect others know rely on others to protect her from

The answer are:

11.c. maintain control over her own life and leave Mango Street one day

     > Alicia kept telling about her sense of responsibility, that she has to know who she is.

12.b. powerlessness

    > Mamacita found it hard to integrate into the local culture since she was from Mexico and she speaks no English making her helpless and lonely.

13.d. the incident in the monkey garden and the assault at the carnival

   > instead of getting helped when she told Tito's mother and confronted the boys to help her, she was ridiculed by them(Sally and the boys) instead

14.a. a means of maintaining her freedom

   > Lupe told her to keep writing because it will keep her free.

15.she must speak for those people she knows who cannot speak for                  themselves.

   > she was out of the house on the mango street but she's worried and she wanted to go back for the rest and help them.

Ω

he is suggesting that this widow is a strong woman, who is giving constructive criticism and she has enough to worry about, and she takes care of him, so he does not take it to heart.