House on Mango Street

Identity - obstacles, overcoming, learning about herself

Esperanza feels like she does not fit in with the Spanish or English world. Her house is "holding her back". Learns that she needs to accept herself

Great-Grandmother Esperanza

Esperanza is the namesake of her great-grandmother Esperanza, who was a "wild horse of a woman" until she was forced into marriage.

Aunt Lupe

Esperanza's aunt who died of Polio, and encouraged Esperanza to keep writing, Esperanza felt bad for making fun of her.

Vargas Kids

large family, crazy kids who do not obey rules - Angel Vargas, one of the badly behaved Vargas kids, crashes to the ground when he tries to fly. - Eddie Vargas falls asleep in the monkey garden while playing hide-and-go-seek. - Efren Vargas, one of the badly behaved Vargas kids, chips his tooth on a parking meter. - Refugia Vargas, one of the badly behaved Vargas kids, gets her head stuck in the school gate.

Earl

lives next door to Edna, takes advantage of other women (has lots of prostitiutes come over), machismo, double standard

sky

represents the actual hopes and dreams, as she explains that the rich neighborhoods can see the sky while the barrio can't,

Mamacita

tree #1, big mama, does not speak english, so she has to wait for someone to save her, forced from home, has son who she doesnt want to learn english

Laughter

- "me and Nenny are more alike than you would know" - their laughter is similar, like dishes crashing - they both see a house that reminds them of mexico

Style of author's writing

- Although told in the voice of a young girl, it addresses mature subject matter. - There is no real chronological plot, but a series of insights into Esperanza's thoughts and feelings - Cisneros's writing is very imagistic. She makes unexpected comparisons between things to give connotations to what she describes.

There Was An Old Woman She Had So Many Children She Didn't Know What To Do

- Rosa Vargas has many misbehaved kids, but it is not her fault she "cries everyday for the man who left" - the kids are "without respect for all things living including themselves"

Growing Up - significance of Esperanza's transformation, most powerful vignettes

- The family of little feet is when she realizes the danger of being a woman, - Chanclas she becomes less conscious of feet - The first job is when she was abused by the oriental man - Sire was the first crush, The Monkey's Garden is when she loses her innocence. - Red clowns when she was raped - Mango says Goodbye sometimes is acceptance of identity

Our Good Day

- leaves Cathy to pay 5 dollars to buy a bike from Tito with Rachel and Lucy - she doesn't mention Nenny to them yet, They all share the bike and ride through the dangerous avenue - Rachel is sassy to a lady

Four Skinny Trees

DETERMINATION - there are four trees outside her house they are a metaphor for her, "their strength is secret" - they grow despite conrete, she wants to break the cycle - trees also metaphor for other women stuck in the barrio

imagery

Description that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste) ex: description of houses

Hips

ESPERANZA STARTS TO DRIFT FROM LUCY AND RACHEL - the girls discuss what hips are for - rachel says they are for holding babies while you are cooking - lucy says you need them to dance - Nenny says if you don't have hips you turn into a man - Esperanza explains their use with science as she says she is "the only one who can speak with any authority", showing that she believes that she knows more than the others - Nenny stays innocent throughout the whole conversation

Ruthie

Edna's daughter, has a mental illness, claimed she had a husband, sees the best in people

Ernie

Elenita's son

Darius

Esperanza's classmate who is usually silent, but notices that clouds and says the clouds are god.

Sire

Esperanza's first crush, bad boy, esperanza is jealous of girlfriend, parents say he is no good.

Similarities between Cisneros and Esperanza

Esperanza's story is based on Cisneros's stories and all other women's stories that have passed through her. - Cisneros also lived in barrios but on Campbell street not Mango - both mexicain american - poverty - passion for writing

Carlos Cordero

Esperanza's younger brother, thick and straight hair

Frank

Frank is the baby son of Esperanza's aunt Lupe.

personification

Giving human attributes to non-human characters or objects ex: "the naked light bulb"

Geraldo

Guy Marin met at dance, was killed by hit and run, was denied at the hospital because he was an illegal immigrant, the surgeon did not show up.

Edna's Ruthie (vignette)

HOPE VS. WAITING - Ruthie is mentally ill and she used to have many job offers when she was young, but she claimed she got married - "ruthie looked at she sky and her eyes got watery at times" - esperanza memorizes a song for her, but she does not respond - Ruthie is another trapped woman, but she is trapped in her mind

Marin (vignette)

HOPE VS. WAITING - has a jobless boyfriend in PR, they will get married when she comes back - she wants to get a real job in the city, but Louie's parents will send her back to PR next year - she teaches Esperanza about boys and stuff - waiting for "someone to change her life", waiting in the doorway with a cigarette

My Name

HOPE VS. WAITING - her name is hope (English) and waiting (Spanish), - grandmother's name, born in year of horse, strong like one, she had no choice but to marry - "i wonder if she made the best with what she got, or was she sorry because she couldn't be the things she wanted to be ... I have inherited her name, but i do not want to inherit her place by the window" - does not want to be normal (ZEZE the X)

Alicia Who Sees Mice

HOPE VS. WAITING, MACHISMO - alicia wakes up early with the tortilla star to make tortillas because her mom died - "she doesn't want to spend her whole life in a factory or behind a rolling pin" so she goes to the local university - sees mice in the mornings but father does not accept her fears, he also beats her, machismo

Rosa Vargas

Has many kids, husband left her and now she feels trapped, waiting for someone to save her

A Rice Sandwich

IMMATURITY - esperanza wants to eat at the canteen to fit in with the rich kids - KIki and Carlos are patrol boys "they think suffering is good for you, ever since they saw that movie 300 Spartans", Machismo - She convinces her mom and she goes to school, the canteen supervisor did not recognize her so she was sent to sister superior and she was forced to point out her house (which made her very ashamed) - she learned that the grass isn't always greener on the other side

And Some More

IMMATURITY - A conversation about clouds between Esperanza, Nenny, Lucy, and Rachel turns into a fight. - She is concerned with the actual names, while Nenny makes up lists of everyday names, such as Lisa and Ted. - the girls have a misunderstanding and the conversation turns intio a fight

The Earl of Tennessee

INNOCENCE - earl brings in lots of prostitutes, machismo is prevalent - Esperanza does not notice

Izaura

Izaura is Mama's friend. Her husband left her, so now she has to take care of herself.

The old oriental man

Kisses esperanza without consent on her first day at Peter Pan Photo Finishers and offers to be her friend

The First Job

LOSS OF INNOCENCE - papa wants her in a private school, she needs a job for money - she let Tito push her into an open water hydrant - Aunt Lala found a job at Peter Pan Photo Finishers where she would lie about her age - on her first day she needs friends, an oriental man offers to be her friend, but then he kisses her without consent - "Peter Pan" to show never wanting to grow up

Sire (vignette)

LOSS OF INNOCENCE - she likes sire, but her parents say he is a bad guy - she is jealous of his gf Lois - she says she wants "to sit out bad at night, a boy around [her] neck and the wind under she skirt" - she seems to be waiting for a boy, whcih she has been trying not to do the whole book

The Family of Little Feet

LOSS OF INNOCENCE - the mom of a family with little feet gave Esperanza, lucy, and Rachel her old high heels - "the truth is it is scary to look down at your foot that is no longer your leg and see attached a long long leg. - a bum on the street asks Rachel to kiss him for a dollar and then the girls are "tired of being beautiful"

Marin

Louie's cousin who sells Avon and waits for her boyfriend from her old home in Puerto Rico, she is somewhat close in age to esperanza, and her sexual maturity acts as a foil to highlight esperanza's innocence

Louie, His Cousin & His Other Cousin

MACHISMO - Louie lives with his Puerto Rican family and has a girl cousin (Marin) and a boy cousin who stole a Cadillac - the car was yellow and had white walls and was really fancy, he started being chased by the police and he crashed the car - He most likely got this car to pick up girls and show off what he doesn't have - the kids were innocent and did not understand that he was being arrested or that he stole the car

Boys & Girls

MACHISMO - boys and girls separate, machismo - nenny is just her sister, can't befriend bad vargas kids - wants bff - "until then i am a red balloon, a balloon tied to an anchor"

Meme Ortiz (Vignette)

MACHISMO - wants to stand out so Juan made his name meme - has a dos with two names, resembles his personality - he has a big tree in his yard where he won the first annual tarzan jumping contest and broke his arm

Papa Who Wakes Up Tired In the Dark

MACHISMO - papa tells Esperanza that her grandpa is dead, he breaks down crying (breaking machismo) - shows that she still cares about her dad because she says if he dies she would "hold him and hold him"

Female Oppression - what oppresses females, keys to freedom, women influencing Esperanza

Machismo. Women decide to take the safe path and end up looking out windows. Key to freedom is to take your own path. In Esperanza's case, writing gets her out. Minerva wants to escape, Edna's Ruthie sees beauty in everything, and Rafaela is trapped in a house, these women inspire Esperanza.

Mamacita's husband

Mamacita's husband insists they are not going back to their old home. He wants Mamacita to speak English.

Minerva's husband

Minerva's husband is verbally and physically abusive. Minerva kicks him out of the apartment, but he keeps coming back.

Lucy

Older of two sister from texas, quieter one, looks out for rachel, her and rachel stray from esperanza as she hangs out with Sally.

Geraldo No Last Name

RACISM - Marin met a guy at a dance, but he was killed in a hit and run accident - the surgeon did not come because he was an illegal immigrant but was working hard for his family

Gil's Furniture Bought and Sold

RACISM - a junk store where they bought a fridge from, Carlos sold magazines, and she bought a statue of liberty once. - he does not take them as serious customers - they see a boring looking music box, but Esperanza is still interested, this connects to the house on Mango Street, maybe Esperanza will see the beauty in that too.

Cathy Queen of Cats

RACISM - claims he is related to queen of france, to feel superior - joe (babby-grabber), benny and balnca, edna, alicia, and rat girls are mentioned first friend, shows that Esperanza can't drop identity - she will be her friend till next Tuesday because "she says the neighborhood is getting bad" - "in the meantime, they'll just have to move a little farther away every time people like us keep moving in."

Those Who Don't

RACISM - people of other races come into their neighborhood scared "they are stupid people who are lost and got here by mistake" - but when they go to other race's neighbourhoods, they get scared

Edna

Ruthie's mom, own building next to esperanza's home,

Elenita, Cards, Palm, Water

SELF ACCEPTANCE - Elenita the witch woman is telling Esperanza's fortune - she asks about a house and she says Esperanza will find "a home in the heart", but Esperanza does not understand

Chanclas

SHAME - her mom forgot to bring her fancy shoes for her cousins baptism - she is embarrassed of her ugly school shoes that do not match her dress - she eventually forgets about her shame and dances with her uncle as one of her distant cousins watches her

The House on Mango Street

SHAME - esperanza, fam of 6 - Paulina => Keeler => loomis (broken water pipe) => mango - Mango is small red, tight steps, 1 bathroom, 3 bedroom, no yard, and hallway stairs. - at Loomis, a nun said, "you live there?" - she is ashamed of house

Darius & The Clouds

SKY - "you can never have too much sky" - "here there is too much sadness and not enough sky ... still we take what we can get and make the best of it" - Darius is a naughty boy, but he realized that the sky is "god" - the sky is hope, but the clouds (sadness) block it

Cheryl

Sally's ex friend who got in a fight with her and bit Sally.

Sally's father

Sally's father makes Sally come straight home from school. He is afraid she will get into "trouble" with boys like his sisters did, abusive

Lois

Sire's girlfriend. She is older than Esperanza, but Esperanza is jealous and says "she doesn't know how to tie her shoes".

how does a vignette tell a story?

The vignettes show the trends in behavior in the community and provide a contrast between strength and weakness, between freedom and bondage.

Alicia's Father

Thinks it is more important to take care of family than go to college, also does not accept her fear of mice.

Tito

Tito sells his bike to Lucy, Rachel, and Esperanza. Later, he and his friends try to make Sally kiss them.

Uncle nacho

Uncle Nacho dances with Esperanza at her baby cousin's baptism.

Born Bad

WRITING - Esperanza says "most likely I will go to hell and most likely I deserve to be there" - aunt Lupe used to be a swimmer but then got a disease, she thinks that she killed aunt Lupe by making fun of her as a game, immaturity - shares a poem with her and she tells her to keep writing "it will keep you free, and I said yes, but at the time I didn't know what she meant." - once her aunt dies "we began to dream the dreams", connecting to the fact that women began to dream

repetition

Word or phrase used two or more times in close proximity ex: "not a fat. Not an apartment. Not a man's house. Not a daddy's"

Yolanda

Yolanda is Mama's friend. Her husband died, so she has to take care of herself.

Rachel

Younger of the two sisters from texas, more talkative one, bought friendship with Esperanza through bike, are not very smart, too young to understand to use caution around men.

nenny Cordero

Youngest cordero sister who still has the mind of a child, esperanza sees her as a responsibility. other name is magdelena

vignette

a short, usually descriptive, piece of writing ex: House on Mango Street is made of vignettes

allusion

an expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly ex: Monkey Garden is an allusion to the Garden of Eden

Nuns

are a big part of Esperanza's life, very judgemental which leads Esperanza to believe everyone is, also makes her distrusting of religion

Gil

black man, owner of junk store, introduces music box metaphor

Kiki Cordero

brother, Youngest of Esperanza's siblings

simile

comparing two things using like or as ex: "the bones gone limp as worms"

voice

detecting personality in writing ex: writing from Esperanza's perspective

shame

esperanza first is shamed when the nuns shame her for where she lives, then she is embarrassed by her feet, then elenita tells her she needs a home in the heart but she is still ashamed of her house, then the three sisters tell her who is is will always be part of her and she can't be ashamed.

Esperanza's Parents

father works hard as gardener in wealthy homes, Mother affectionate,limited to neighborhood, warns esperanza to not give up on education like she did, loves opera.

metaphor

figure of speech that compares two things without using like or as ex: The four trees are a metaphor for Mamacita, Rafaela, Sally, and Minerva, who are stuck in the Barrio

Aunt Lala

gets Esperanza a job at Peter Pan Photo Finishers, where she also works

Alica

girl who "sees mice", has many hopes and dreams (studies at university), has to take of family because of dead mother, could be abused by father, role model for Esperanza

Mrs. Little Feet

gives Esperanza, Lucy, and Rachel a bag of her old high heels.

Hairs

hair is metaphor for personality - papa = like a broom, all up in air - esperanza = lazy never obeys - carlos = thick , straight - nenny = slippery - Kiki = soft like fur - Mama = comforting

Meme Ortiz

has 2 names (different identities), moved into Cathy's house, is playful, real name is juan, has a big sheepdog

Esperanza Cordero

main character; name means hope/waiting, wants to be writer someday, doesn't discriminate with choosing friends, sees good in everyone and everything (except for her house), a bit innocent in her thinking, is sitting on the fence between adulthood and childhood.

The Three Sisters

one with cat eyes, one with laughter like tin, (who's ache can tell when it will rain), and one with porcelain hands (tells Esperanza she must always return to mango street) tell Esperanza to embrace her heritage, and help those who can't out (stuck women)

Mr. Benny

own a corner grocery store and called out the girl's high heels saying they were dangerous

The boy with sour breath

rapes Esperanza at the carnival

alliteration

repetition of the same sound beginning several words or syllables in sequence ex: "crumples like a coat and cries"

Windows

represent reaching for hopes and dreams through the book the many trapped women are seen staring out of the window. As the book goes on she feels sorry for the women trapped by marraige, and Esperanza decides she does not want to spend her life sitting infront of a window.

Shoes/Feet

represent sex and adult femininity, she first wears high heels and she gets scared, she wants to buy shoes like Sally's, then her shoes are by her bed at the end, showing her control over sexuality.

trees

represents the women stuck and rooted to the machismo cycle (Mamcita, Minerva, Raffaella, and Sally) and cannot escape, trees also independently grow and persevere.

Totchy

son of Esperanza's aunt Lupe.

Home and Dreams - dream home changing, reflects overall transformation

starts by wanting perfect looking house, then wants to let "bums" live in her attic. A sense of place is important to her because she is very conscious of herself and she wants a house, that looks good, but then she realizes that if she loves her house it doesn't matter what others think.

Louie's other cousin

stole the cadillac, yellow cadillac to show machismo/pick up girls, and windows roll down easily

Monkey

the pet of a family from the South. He used to roam the garden and scare all the kids away. When the monkey and his family move to Kentucky, the garden becomes safe again.

Rafaela

tree #2, locked indoors by husband because she might run away, Rafaela, asks the neighborhood kids to get her a drink while she is locked in her apartment.

Sally

tree #3, Esperanza's new pretty friend/classmate who lets boys take advantage of her, abused by father and marries to escape, but finds herself trapped again. esperanza becomes friend with her thinking they both want to escape barrio, but really Sally only wanted to escape father.

Minerva

tree #4, two kids and husband that left and keeps coming back, writes poems to try to escape after kids go to sleep, abused, machismo

The bum outside the tavern

when the girls are wearing high heels, he offers to give rachel a dollar if she kisses him

Cathy

white girl, likes cats, Esperanza's friend, family does not like people moving into the Barrio so she moves out

Elenita

witch woman/ fortune teller who tells esperanza that she will find a "home in the heart"