Literary Terms
What is "theme"?
a common thread or repeated idea that is incorporated throughout a literary work
Where is Esperanza from?
Chicago, Illinois
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 a coming-of-age novel, or bildungsroman, and in The House on Mango Street, Esperanza's struggle to define herself underscores her every action and encounter.
“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"?
Something that on the surface is its literal self but which also has another meaning or even several meanings
Where does Esperanza live now?
Chicago, Illinois
Where was the author born?
1954
What is the theme of “My Name”?
Esperanza's wish to transcend her heritage and gender.
“When you leave you must remember to come back for the others. A circle, understand?”
When you leave you must remember to come back for the others. A circle, understand? You will always be Esperanza. You will always be Mango Street.
What is "juxtaposition"?
the arrangement of two or more ideas, characters, actions, settings, phrases, or words side-by-side or in similar narrative moments
What does Esperanza mean in Spanish?
Hope
What is the author’s known style of writing?
A modernist narrative mode with both North American and Latin American influences.
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”?
Portrays the emotions of average girls. Young girls always want to grow up and mature into women. You can be naive about life and want to be like your role model.
“She says she is in love, but I think she did it to escape.”
The Marin was trying to escape Mango Street and the community they lived in.
What is a "bildungsroman"?
a novel depicting someone's growth from childhood to maturity
What is one symbol of Esperanza’s ‘deep-rooted’ 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.
“I have begun my own quiet war.”
This is a gender quote. Esperanza believes the she has no feminine power of her own, so she decides to play with the different gender roles and take on the manerisms 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
What are the three themes 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."
This is talking about how since Esperanza has moved away from Mango Street, she will not be able to come back because she doesn't like it, so she left many people that were important to her.