Four Skinny Trees
Hips
A Smart Cookie
Bums in the Attic
Miscellaneous
100

What do the trees represent for Esperanza?

Strength

100

What are the girls doing in this vignette?

Jumping rope and talking about hips

100

Who tells the story in this vignette?

Esperanza's mother

100

What does Esperanza dream of owning one day?

Her own house

100

What is one recurring theme in The House on Mango Street?

Identity, growing up, or belonging

200

How do the trees connect to Esperanza’s feelings about herself?

She feels small but strong, misunderstood, like them.

200

What do hips symbolize?

Growing up and becoming a woman

200

What is Esperanza’s mom’s biggest regret?

Not finishing school

200

Why does she stop visiting houses with her family?

She feels ashamed of not having one

200

What symbol represents Esperanza’s strength?

The four skinny trees

300

Name one way Cisneros uses personification (giving something that is not human human traits) in this vignette.

The trees “teach” Esperanza or “have roots that grip the earth like a stubborn woman.”

300

How does Esperanza’s attitude toward hips show she’s still maturing?

Esperanza is curious but also unsure; she’s observing others change.

300

What lesson does she want Esperanza to learn?

To be independent, educated, and not rely on others

300

What does Esperanza plan to do for others when she owns her house?

Let poor people stay in her attic

300

Which vignette shows Esperanza learning from her mother’s mistakes?

"A Smart Cookie"

400

How do the trees help Esperanza learn about challenges in her environment?

To stay strong, keep growing, and not give up

400

How does Esperanza’s view of hips differ from the other girls’?

She focuses more on the scientific side, while the others are playful and romantic about it

400

What does this vignette reveal about gender expectations in the neighborhood?

Women are limited by poverty and gender roles

400

What do the “bums in the attic” symbolize?

Kindness/not forgetting her roots

400

How does Esperanza’s dream house represent her identity?

It symbolizes independence and self-determination

500

How do the trees connect to the theme of identity in the book?

They mirror Esperanza’s growth and desire to find her own strength and place

500

How does “Hips” show the theme of growing up and identity?

It shows Esperanza and the other girls at a turning point between childhood and womanhood, using play to explore maturity and self-image

500

Why is the title “A Smart Cookie” ironic (the opposite of what is expected)?

It shows Esperanza’s mom is smart but her life never allowed her to show it

500

How does this vignette show Esperanza’s growth?

She learns compassion and wants to use her success to help others

500

Across these vignettes, what overall message does Cisneros convey about growth?

True growth comes from understanding yourself, your roots, and your dreams

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