House on Mango Street
Why are the house on Mango Street is different than all the other places they've lived?
No rent, no landlord, they don't have to keep the noise down
“My Papa’s hair is like a broom, all up in the air.…my hair is lazy. It never obeys barrettes or bands. Carlos’ hair is thick and straight. He doesn’t need to comb it. Nenny’s hair is slippery—slides out of your hand. And Kiki, who is the youngest, has hair like fur.” what this passage describes
Who are the members of Esperanza's family and their hair.
The idea that boys and girls don't socialize outside the house because of taboo is supported by this quote
"The boys and girls live in separate worlds." 9
What her name translates to in English
Hope
Why do Rachel and Lucy want 5 dollars?
To buy a bike from Tito
“…on Loomis on the third floor, and before that we lived on Keeler. Before Keeler it was Paulina, and before that I can’t remember.” describes this
Where the narrator lived before Mango Street?
What makes her mother's hair special?
It makes you feel safe.
The way it smells
What Esperanza says about her sister
"Nenny is too young to be my friend." 9
How her great-grandmother ended up with her great-grandfather
she was kidnapped
Why does Cathy looks down on Rachel and Lucy?
They are poor
“…a real house that would be ours for always so we wouldn’t have to move each year….running water and pipes that worked…real stairs…a basement and at least three washrooms…white with trees around it, a great big yard and grass growing without a fence.” Describes this
What is the type of house she would like to live in?
What food words are used to describe her mother’s hair?
"like little candy circles all curly and pretty…”
“…is the smell of warm bread before you bake it…”
“Until then I am a red balloon, a balloon tied to an anchor" is an example of what type of figurative language?
Metaphor.
Esperanza ultimately wants to change her name to “ZeZe the X”. What conclusion should the reader draw about the speaker’s view of herself?
She views herself as independent of the meaning of her name and can determine who she wants to be.
What we learn about Mango Street from the images on the bike ride
It's a little bit rundown or dilapidated; not a lot of wealth
The themes introduced in this chapter
The feeling of not belonging.
Esperanza connects the idea of a home to a physical structure.
Shame.
Purpose of these lines “…you feel safe, is the warm smell of bread before you bake it, is the smell when she makes room for you on her side of the bed still warm with her skin, and you sleep near her...”
Create a sense of familial love and security.
Line that supports that Esperanza feels trapped
“Until then I am a red balloon, a balloon tied to an anchor"
The associations she has with her name in Spanish give it this type of meaning
Negative
How the girls ride the bike on the first day
All 3 riding at one time
"We had to leave the flat on Loomis quick." What does flat mean as it is used in this sentence?
An apartment
Theme of this chapter
A home is more about the people than the physical structure.
Major themes developed in this chapter
Not feeling a sense of belonging.
Feeling trapped and longing to escape.
What similarity does the speaker draw between Mexican and Chinese culture related to their expectation of women?
The are irritated by strong women
The line "Laughing the crooked ride back" helps develop this theme
Finding joy in everyday life, in spite of poverty.