Author & Background
Instead of chapters, House on Mango Street is written as a series of...
Vignettes
The narrator of the novel
Esperanza
A comparison using "like" or "as"
Simile
This major theme is introduced through Esperanza's descriptions of her house and how much she dislikes it.
Social Class. (Poverty)
"You live there? The way she said it made me feel like nothing. There. I lived there."
This quote represents this Big Idea.
Social Class.
A vignette is...
A short piece of writing that uses imagery and focuses on emotions.
Which character is known as the "Queen of Cats"?
Cathy
"Until then I am a red balloon tied to an anchor" is an example of this literary device.
Metaphor
This major theme is explored in "My Name".
Identity.
"I have inherited her name, but I don't want to inherit her place by the window."
This quote represents this Big Idea.
Identity.
The author of our novel
Sandra Cisneros
The sisters that Esperanza makes friends with...
Rachel and Lucy
This literary device is used to create vivid pictures using descriptive language.
Imagery
This major theme is explored through Esperanza's descriptions of her mother, father, sister, and brothers.
Home and Family.
"Everybody looked inside the car and asked where he got it. There were white rugs and white leather seats. We all asked for a ride and asked where he got it."
This quote represents this Big Idea.
Social Class.
In 1985, House on Mango Street won...
The American Book Award
Esperanza's siblings are named (3)...
Carlos, Kiki and Nenny
In "Hairs," Esperanza compares the scent of her mother's hair to this.
Warm bread.
This major theme is shown when Cathy tells Esperanza she's moving because "people like her keep moving in," or when she refuses to befriend Rachel and Lucy.
Social Class (Poverty)/Foreignness and Culture (Racism)
Why does Louie’s cousin panic when he hears the police sirens?
The car is likely stolen/involved in a crime.
Cisneros chose to write the novel as a series of vignettes because...
Readers can open the book anywhere and still understand what's going on.
He moved into Cathy's old house...
Meme Ortiz
In "Gil's Furniture Bought & Sold," Esperanza says the music from the old music box sounds like...
A million moths.
Swan-necked shadows.
Drops of water.
A marimba with a funny plucked sound
Running your fingers over a metal comb.
Esperanza dreams of having this kind of house in the future.
White house.
No fence in the yard.
3 Bathrooms, so no one has to share.
These are the descriptions Esperanza uses to describe her house on Mango Street.
It's small and red with tight steps in front and windows so small you'd think they were holding their breath. Bricks are crumbling in places, and the front door is so swollen you have to push hard to get in. There is no front yard, only four little elms the city planted by the curb. Out back is a small garage for the car we don't own yet and a small yard that looks smaller between the two build-ings on either side. There are stairs in our house, but they're ordinary hallway stairs, and the house has only one washroom. Everybody has to share a bedroo