The House on Mango Street

Sandra Cisneros

Sandra Cisneros was born in Chicago in 1954, the only daughter in a family with six sons. While she was growing up, her family moved often between Chicago and Mexico City, where her father’s family lived.

Because she never lived in one place long enough to make friends, Cisneros turned to reading and then to writing as a refuge. During college, Cisneros began to write about the lives of Mexican-Americans in the United States, drawing upon her own life experiences as inspiration.

In 1984, she published The House on Mango Street, her best known work.

Interesting info… In September 2016, President Barack Obama presented Cisneros with a National Medal of Arts. At the ceremony, President Obama said Cisneros was being honored "for enriching the American narrative. Through her novels, short stories, and poetry, she explores issues of race, class, and gender through the lives of ordinary people straddling multiple cultures. As an educator, she has deepened our understanding of American identity."

The House on Mango Street is comprised of 44 short character sketches, or stories, called vignettes.

They are narrated by Esperanza, a 14 year old Mexican-American girl, who just moved with her family to Mango Street, in the barrio (neighborhood).

Esperanza hates their house on Mango Street because it is not a “real” house, like the ones she’s seen on TV.

SPANISH TERMS A las Mujeres— To the women Abuelito— grandfather Chanclas— old shoes; good for nothing Comadres— female friend Esta muerto— He is dead.

Frijoles— kidney beans Los espiritus— the spirits, ghosts Machismo— male chauvinism Mamacita—little mama

Merengue— weak person; type of dance Tembleque— variation of trembler, which means to tremble or shake; by adding “que” to the end, Rachel makes the name of a dance, like meringue