Characters & Identity
What is the name of the narrator of The House on Mango Street?
Esperanza
On what street does Esperanza's family currently live?
Mango Street
What does the house on mango Street symbolize for Esperanza?
Her family's poverty and her longing for something better.
What promise doe Esperanza's parents make about their future home?
It will be real, with a yard and running water.
Which chapter includes the line, "But I know how these things go"?
The House on Mango Street
What does Esperanza say she dislikes about her name?
Its meaning and how it feels heavy and sad
Why did the family move to Mango Street?
Their previous place was too small and the water pipes broke.
What do names often symbolize in the book?
Identity and self-definition
Why is Esperanza embarrassed when the nun points out her house?
Because she realizes the nun sees her poverty.
"She looked at me like I was nothing." What does this quote reveal?
Esperanza feels judged and embarrassed by adults.
What does Esperanza wish she could do with her name?
Give herself a new name that better fits her identity.
How does Esperanza describe the house on Mango Street?
Small, run-down, and not the dream house her parents promised.
In early vignettes, what do shoes often represent for Esperanza an the other girls?
Growing up, femininity, and sometimes unwanted attention. (Marin)
What happens in "Hairs" that shows unity in Esperanza's family?
She describes everyone's hair and focuses lovingly on her mother's hair.
What is the meaning behind the quote, "Until then I am a red balloon, a balloon tied to an anchor"?
Esperanza feels held back and unable to be independent
In "Boys & Girls" why does Esperanza say she and Nenny are not friends?
Because they are sisters and Nenny is too young.
In "Those Who Don't," how do outsiders react when driving through Esperanza's neighborhood?
They get scared and think they are in a dangerous place.
Why is the colour red significant in Esperanza's description of the house?
It symbolizes vibrancy but also confinement and embarrassment.
What major lesson in highlighted in "Those Who Don't"
People fear what they don't understand
In "Those Who Don't" what is Cisneros saying through: "All brown all around, we are safe"?
Esperanza feels safer among people like her revealing comfort inside her community.
How does Esperanza feel different from her family when it comes to dreams or identity?
She wants independence and a home of her own, unlike the others who accept their situation.
What does Esperanza say about how she feels in other people's neighborhoods>
She admits she gets scared too, show her own biases
In "Those Who Don't," what larger idea does Cisneros communicate through people's fear of the neighborhood?
Prejudice, racial stereotypes and assumptions about communities.
What even happens that makes Esperanza wish for a home of her own even more strongly?
Being judged or looked down upon for where she lives.
What literary device is being used in the line comparing Esperanza to "a red balloon"?
Metaphor