The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

The House on Mango Street is set in modern-day Chicago is about the Hispanic culture in America is a book of short stories/poems—and sometimes not even full stories, but character sketches and vignettes is narrated by a young Mexican– American girl named Esperanza

Mango Street is set in the Pilsen area of Chicago

PILSENPILSEN

Chicago’s Pilsen Neighborhood Located in the Lower West Side In 19th Century it was inhabited by Czech immigrants who named the district after Plzeň the fourth largest city in what is now the Czech Republic. Beginning in the mid 1960s Pilsen became increasingly Mexican. In the 1970s Pilsen became predominantly Mexican.

The subjects of many of these vignettes are Esperanza’s family, neighbors, and friends. Minerva Who Writes Poems Kiki with Hair Like Fur Gil, the Furniture Store owner Cathy Queen of Cats Edna’s Ruthie Alicia Who Sees Mice Meme OrtizAunt Lupe Geraldo No Last Name The Earl of Tennessee SireThe Family of Little Feet Note the interesting names and titles.

Character Map

The main character is named Esperanza. Her dreams, frustrations, and hopes are also the subjects of some of these vignettes. Do you know what the English translation of esperanza is? HOPE

Esperanza has hope in a seemingly “hopeless” world. Like her character Esperanza, Sandra Cisneros, the author, remained hopeful about her future, despite growing up in a neighborhood “that appeared like France after World War II – empty lots and burned- out buildings.”

You can never have too much sky. You can fall asleep and wake up drunk on sky, and sky can keep you safe when you are sad. Here there is too much sadness and not enough sky. Butterflies too are few and so are flowers and most things that are beautiful. Still, we take what we can get and make the best of it.

This children’s book was the inspiration for The House on Mango Street.

Virginia Lee Burton’s book, The Little House, is about the survival of the house despite the disappearance of the country surrounding it as it is replaced by skyscrapers and factories. In the end, the house is moved back to the countryside. Cisneros’ loved this book because it described the stable family home she desired.

Main Ideas self-definition & identity friendship, neighborhood, home freedom vs. entrapment growth & maturity / sexuality gender roles & expectations fitting in future opportunities vs. limitations finding one’s home

Cisneros’ Life Her father is Mexican and her mother is Mexican-American. Her family moved between Chicago and Mexico City often. Due to the loneliness as a result of the constant moves, she retreated into books, which became her “adolescent companions.” She began writing in secret in grade school. In high school she wrote poetry and edited the school literary magazine. She now lives in San Antonio, Texas.

Cisneros’ house in San Antonio The writer came under attack from the historical community of King William when she chose to paint her house “periwinkle purple.”

Reading Alerts strategic use of Spanish throughout “Cold frijoles.” “Esta muerto.” “Los espiritos are here.” unconventional use of grammar and syntax “Bum man says, Yes, little girl.”

Reading Alerts (cont) “adolescent/childlike” perspective of the world “Everything is holding its breath inside me.” beautiful, poetic language – figurative language “You can never have too much sky.” a long list of characters (chapter notes while reading are helpful in remembering them) “Mama, Papa, Carlos, Kiki, Nenny, and me.”

About her book, Cisneros says, “I wanted to write stories that read like memoirs, to tell one big story, each story contributing to the whole—like beads in a necklace, to change the way someone thinks about my community, or my gender, or my class.”