Characters
A woman trapped in her apartment by her husband; listens to the radio.
Rafaela
At the end of the novel, Esperanza realizes that writing is:
Her way of escaping Mango Street while also preserving her story and her connection to it.
syntax
an author's deliberate arrangement of words, phrases, and sentence structures to create specific effects, influence meaning, rhythm, and mood, going beyond standard grammar to shape the reader's experience and understanding.
What does the "House on Mango Street" represent to Esperanza at the beginning of the book?
A temporary stop that doesn't live up to her "real" dreams.
The structure of the novel, written in short 'vignettes' rather than traditional chapters, serves to:
Mimic the fragmented and observational nature of memory and childhood.
A university student who "is afraid of nothing except four-legged fur and fathers."
Alicia
"How do Esperanza and her friends get the 'lemon shoes' in 'The Family of Little Feet'?"
They are given to them by a neighbor who is moving away.
Asyndeton
literary device that omits conjunctions (like "and," "but," "or") between words, phrases, or clauses to create a faster pace, greater emphasis, and a more impactful or urgent rhythm
The "Three Sisters" tell Esperanza that she must "remember to come back." Why?
To help those who cannot leave as easily as she can.
Which character represents the 'window' motif most clearly through her physical confinement and reliance on her husband?
Rafaela
Sells Avon and waits for a man to change her life.
Marin
What happens when Esperanza's family moves into the house on Mango Street?
They realize it is not the dream house they were promised and feel a sense of shame.
Polysyndeton:
a literary device using repeated coordinating conjunctions (like and, or, but) in close succession, without commas, to create emphasis, slow rhythm, and add weight or excitement to each item in a list or series, making the connection feel more significant and deliberate.
In the vignette 'My Name,' Esperanza describes her name as being like 'the number nine' and 'a muddy color.' What does this suggest about her internal conflict regarding her identity?
She feels her identity is a heavy inherited burden that does not fit her personality.
What is the significance of the 'Four Skinny Trees' to Esperanza?
They represent resilience and the ability to grow in an environment that does not support them.
She is self-conscious
Esperanza
True or False:
Alicia seeks education
True
Anaphora
Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses and varying sentence lengths).
In 'The Monkey Garden,' the garden's transformation from a place of play to a place of discomfort for Esperanza symbolizes:
The loss of childhood innocence and the transition into the complexities of adolescence.
A recurring element, image, or idea that has symbolic significance (e.g., windows, shoes, trees).
Motif
A beautiful friend who gets married young to escape a restricted life.
Sally
In 'A Rice Sandwich,' why does Esperanza want to eat in the school canteen?
She envies the 'special' kids who get to stay at school, seeing it as a mark of status or belonging
Poetic prose
the writing is rhythmic and loaded with imagery, similar to poetry, but written in paragraph form
True or False:
Her dream house is defined by autonomy, peace, and 'a space for myself,' rather than traditional wealth or status.
True
How many people live in Esperanza's house?
six: Nenny, Carlos, Kiki, Mama, Papa