Literary Terms
My Papa's hair is like a broom, all up in the air. Which literary device is this an example of?
Simile
Esperanza is named after this person.
Who is her great-grandmother?
What is direct characterization?
when the author explicitly states a character's traits, appearance, emotions, job, or background without leaving room for inference.
What is the theme of The House on Mango Street?
The struggle to find one's identity and sense of belonging.
Esperanza says her name IS "the Mexican records my father plays on Sunday mornings when he is shaving..." Which literary device is this an example of?
Metaphor
What is Esperanza's biggest concern in the first vignettes? What does she seem to care most about?
Where she lives/her house
What is indirect characterization?
when an author reveals a character's personality, values, or background implicitly through their behavior rather than through direct narration or explicit statements.
What is the theme of The Rose that Grew from Concrete?
People can overcome great obstacles and succeed even in harsh environments.
The story takes place in this city.
What is Chicago?
Esperanza describes her laughter as something that comes "all of a sudden and surprised like a pile of dishes breaking" Which literary device is this an example of?
Simile
How does Esperanza feel about her sister, Nenny?
She is too young to be her friend.
She feels like Nenny is her responsibility.
What does S.T.E.A.L. stand for?
S - Speech
T - Thoughts
E - Effect on Others
A - Actions
L - Looks
Who would you infer is the girl tied down by the red balloon in the metaphor below?
Cisneros on pages 9 writes, "Someday I will have a best friend all my own. One I can tell my secrets to. One who will understand my jokes without my having to explain them. Until then I am a red balloon, a ballon tied to an anchor."
Esperanza
The author of The House on Mango Street.
Who is Sandra Cisneros?
Esperanza says, "I am a red balloon." Which literary device is this an example of?
Metaphor
Why does Cathy say her family needs to move?
The neighborhood is getting bad.
Is this passage direct or indirect characterization?
indirect
How are stereotypes portrayed in The House on Mango Street?
by showing how characters are judged based on their gender, race, or economic status.
A short descriptive literary sketch.
What is a vignette?
Esperanza describes her house as having "windows so small you'd think they were holding their breath." Which literary device is this an example of?
Personification
Esperanza says that she has inherited her great-grandmother's name, but why doesn't she want to be like her great-grandmother?
Her great-grandmother never did all the things she dreamed of. She sat by the window each day, probably regretting the life that she lived.
"Her name was Guadalupe and she was pretty like my mother. Dark. Good to look at" (Cisneros 58).
Is this passage direct or indirect characterization?
direct
Is the following sentence written with the correct subject-verb agreement?
"Because I am the oldest, my father have told me first" (Cisneros 56)
If no, how can you fix it?
No.
"Have" should be "Has"
The year that The House on Mango Street was published.
What is 1984?