Motifs and Symbols
As a motif, what does the color white represent?
Innocence
Who does Esperanza first share her poetry with?
Aunt Lupe
A fictional piece between a short story and a novel with anywhere from 10,000 to 40,000 words
Novella
Name the city and time period that HOMS takes place during
Chicago, 1960s
What is the pattern of syllables a haiku follows?
5, 7, 5
This symbol is symbolic of who a person is internally, their true self, as opposed to who they want to be viewed as externally
Feet
Sally’s experience in “What Sally Said” is most comparable to similar experiences this character has faced:?
Minerva
The art of providing essential background information about the main characters and the world of your story
Exposition
Why did Esperanza and her family have to move to Mango Street quickly?
The pipes burst in their last apartment
What literary device is being used in this quote?
"the House on Mango Street is... small and red with... windows so small you'd think they were holding their breath"
Personification
This motif reflects the characters' identities, cultural heritage, and sense of self, and each carries significance and often serves as a symbol of their personality, aspirations, and relationship with their community.
Names
What is the name of Sire's girlfriend?
Lois
Genre of fiction that focuses on the psychological and moral growth of its main characters from his or her youth to adulthood
Bildungsroman
What event is Esperanza attending where she is embarrassed about her Chanclas?
Her cousin's baptism party
What year did AMSA open?
2005
Which symbol is symbolic of cultural identity and Esperanza's sense of belonging that represents the economic struggles of her family and the compromises they make to sustain themselves?
Which character serves as a symbol of the transient nature of relationships and the constant flux of life on Mango Street?
Cathy
The final part of a play, movie, or narrative in which the strands of the plot are drawn together and matters are explained or resolved.
Denouement
In "The Monkey Garden" Esperanza says "Things had a way of disappearing" or getting lost. What disappears/is lost for Esperanza in the garden?
Her innocence
What year was HOMS published in?
1984
Which motif symbolizes the characters' sense of instability and vulnerability as they struggle to find their place in society and define their identities.
Falling
Name Esperanza's three siblings
Carlos
Kiki
Nenny
An event or discovery representing an important stage or juncture
Peripeteia
List the deaths that occur over the course of HOMS in the correct order
Angel Vargas, Abuelo, Aunt Lupe, Geraldo, Rachel and Lucy’s sister
Who did Sandra Cisneros dedicate HOMS to?
"A Las Mujeres"
To the Women