Literary Terms
What is theme?
The life lesson the author wants you to take away from the story.
What is the author’s name?
Sandra Cisneros
What is the theme of “The House on Mango Street”?
The struggle for self-definition is a common theme in The House on Mango Street as Esperanza struggles to define herself and find her place in the world.
“I am tired of looking at what we can’t have.”
Esperanza becomes increasingly aware of her family’s relative poverty and of their low status in the world. Here, she reveals her feelings about recognizing what she knows her family can’t have, and this recognition pains her. She has normal emotions for a teenager, a fact that Papa recognizes when he teases her about her age. Esperanza feels ashamed and sorry for herself and fails to give her Papa the appreciation he deserves.
What is symbolism?
When an object, person, or place represents an abstract idea beyond its literal meaning
In a house on Mango Street in the barrio.
Where was the author born?
Chicago, Illinois
What is the theme of “My Name”?
Sometimes people want to transcend their heritage and gender.
“When you leave you must remember to come back for the others. A circle, understand?”
The old woman at the funeral gives Esperanza the key to self-identity: recognizing how your own knowledge and experience have formed you.
What is a vignette?
a short, descriptive literary passage that conveys an impression about a character, setting, object, or mood.
also described as a short story within a larger story
What does Esperanza mean in Spanish?
Hope
What is the author’s known style of writing?
She has a poetic style. Her stories do not typically center on a single consciousness or point of view; they are often populated by voices rather than characters.
What is the theme of “Hips”?
Young girls always want to grow up and mature into women.
“She says she is in love, but I think she did it to escape.”
This was Esperanza realizing why Marin was trying to escape Mango Street and the community they lived in.
What is a bildungsroman?
a novel that deals with the formative years of the main character - in particular, his or her psychological development and moral education.
it's a story about growing up
What is one symbol of Esperanza's 'deep rooted' (hint!) culture?
The four skinny trees.
To whom is The House on Mango Street dedicated?
A las Mujeres, to the Women
What is the theme of “Marin”?
Marin tries to find romance and escape in the idea of a rich Chicago man. In this way she is trying to “fly away” like most everyone else on Mango Street, but Esperanza already knows that she will fail and be sent back to Puerto Rico.
In other words, running away from a problem almost always sets you up for failure.
“I have begun my own quiet war.”
This is a gender quote. Esperanza believes that she has no feminine power of her own, so she decides to play with the different gender roles and take on the mannerisms of a man.
What is social commentary?
It is the act of expressing an opinion on the nature of society.
What is one role of women in Latino society as shown in the novel?
Women occupy a central role in The House on Mango Street. Almost all of the major characters are women, and the protagonist's understanding of her own femininity motivates much of the story. Esperanza perceives beauty to be a major source of feminine power, and she admires and envies beauty in her female relatives and friends. But she also notices that beauty is not an infallible weapon, and that it can backfire – the beautiful women in the novel are often the ones who suffer the most at the hands of men. In her struggle to define her own femininity in a society that is often oppressive to women, Esperanza seeks new forms of feminine power – ones that will allow her to maintain her independence.
What is one award that the author has won?
-PEN/Nabokov Award for Achievement in International Literature 2019
-American Book Award 1985
-MacArthur Fellowship 1995
-Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for Fiction 1993
-Lannan Literary Award for Fiction 1991
What are the three topics or ideas repeated throughout the end of the novel?
Identity
Dreams, Hopes, and Plans
Society and Class
Innocence
Gender
Women and Femininity
Foreignness and 'The Other'
The Home
Family
Friendship
“They will not know I have gone away to come back. For the ones, I left behind. For the ones who cannot out."
Esperanza acknowledges that she will one day leave Mango Street because she is too smart and strong for it to hold her back, but she will come back and visit those who did not make their way out.