Literary Terms
What is theme?
a common thread or repeated idea that is incorporated throughout a literary work
Where is Geraldo from?
we don't know / another country
What is the author's name?
Sandra Cisneros
What is theme in The House on Mango Street?
identity, belonging, role of women in society, freedom, entrapment, growing up, maturity, death, mortality, fitting in sexuality, dreams and aspirations, future opportunities, home, heritage, belonging, isolation,
"I am tired of looking at what we can't have."
Esperanza desperately longs to leave Mango Street behind, but she also feels that she may be trapped forever.
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?
Mango Street / Chicago
Where was the author born?
Chicago, Illinois
What is the theme of the vignette "My Name"?
identity, the power of names/words, defining / discovering oneself
"She looked out the window her whole life, the way so many women sit their sadness on an elbow."
Represents the time of female confinement and limitations placed on women in Esperanza's community / describes her great-grandmother and namesake's passivity after her marriage
What is juxtaposition?
a common thread or repeated idea that is incorporated throughout a literary work
- used for the purpose of comparison, contrast, rhetorical effect, suspense, or character development
What does Esperanza mean in Spanish?
hope
What is the author's known style of writing?
vignettes, poetic, feminist, filled with: imagery, concrete language, personal experiences,
What is the theme of the vignette "Hips"
growth, maturity, sexuality, gender roles, growing up
"She says she is in love, but I think she did it to escape."
Esperanza relates to Sally's feeling trapped. Just like Esperanza wants to be rid of her name and Mango Street, so Sally wants to leave her past behind.
What is a bildungsroman?
a common thread or repeated idea that is incorporated throughout a literary work
What is one symbol of Esperanza's "deep-rooted" culture?
trees, poetry
To whom is The House on Mango Street dedicated?
What is the theme of the vignette "Geraldo, No Last Name"?
death, home, belonging
In English, my name means hope. In Spanish it means too many letters. It means sadness, it means waiting.
Esperanza conveys the dissatisfaction she feels with her given name while creatively playing and redefining it for herself. She shows that she possesses a writer's gift for interpretation and storytelling.
What is social commentary?
it is the act of expressing an opinion on the nature of society
-Social commentary may be obvious or it may be a slightly hidden message in literature
What is one role of Latina women, as shown in the novel?
cooking, cleaning, getting up early, looking pretty
What is one award the author has won?
American Book Award, McArthur Fellowship, PEN/Nabokov Award for Achievement in International Literature, Lannan Literary Award for Fiction, Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for Fiction, Ivan Sandrof Lifetime Achievement Award
What are the three themes repeated throughout the end of the novel?
What are: belonging, heritage, and home.
"Until then, I am a red balloon, a balloon tied to an anchor."
Esperanza suggests that she is floating in anticipation of something while she feels she stands out in the neighborhood, isolated and alone.