Characters
What is Esperanza's sister named?
Nenny
Why does Esperanza dream about a new house?
She wants a house she can point to that she is proud of. After the interaction with the nun, she feels embarrassed.
How many bedrooms does the house on Mango Street have?
3
What regrets does Esperanza's mother have in vignette 3?
dropping out of school
What happened to Lucy and Rachel's sister?
She died
Which character made Esperanza feel "like nothing."
The Nun
Why does Esperanza not like her name?
She inherited her grandmother's name and does not want to inherit her spot by the window. Her name sounds "funny" to her classmates. It does not represent the "real" her.
Where did Esperanza and her family live before Mango Street?
What does being a "smart cookie" mean?
That you are intelligent/clever
What do the three sisters tell Esperaza to do when she is grown?
They tell her to come back for those who cannot leave.
What are some words you could use to describe Cathy?
judgemental
rude
mean
bossy
What do we learn about Esperanza and her meeting with Lucy and Rachel?
Esperanza is eager to make friends. Esperanza isn't judgmental. She is excited to meet someone who doesn't judge her name.
What might have caused the Nun's negative reaction to where Esperanza lived?
Possible answers:
She was concerned about the condition of the apartment
It had bars on the window, the laundromat below had been robbed and was boarded up
What is the name of the "big one" and the "little one"?
Lucy-big one
Rachel-little one
What does "only a house quiet as snow, a space for myself to go, clean as paper before the poem" mean?
Esperanza wants a house all for her own. One where she can choose how it looks. One for the "real" her.
Why did Esperanza's mom quit school?
She was ashamed of her clothing
What does Esperanza think about her interaction with the three sisters?
She is embarrassed because they know what her wish was. There is a magical presence about them.
What does Esperanza mean in English?
It means hope
What can we infer about why "Cathy is only my friend till Tuesday"?
Cathy is moving away
What does Esperanza mean when she says "one day I will say goodbye to Mango. I am too strong for her to keep me here forever. One day I will go away."
She has outgrown Mango Street and is in search of something better. To fufill her aspirations.
What do we learn about Davey, Eddie V, and Fat Boy?
Even though they may look a certain way, maybe even menacingly to outsiders, people in the community are not afraid of them. They see who they truly are.
How does Esepranza change in the end?
She learns she is part of a community and that Mango Street and her name are a part of her. The idea that life is a circle etc...
Why does Esperanza describe her great-grandmother as a chandelier?
Why does Esperanza risk her friendship with Cathy for Lucy and Rachel?
Cathy is moving away. Rachel and Lucy want to be her friend. They do not make Esperanza feel judged.
What does "all brown all around, we are safe" infer about Esperanza's feelings?
She feels safe on Mango Street because she is surrounded by people who look like her.