1. Mango Reflection Identify one vignette from The House on Mango Street that affected you in some way. What life lesson do you think Cisneros is trying to convey to readers? Favorite?Funny? Connection? Angry? Sad? Curious? This isn’t about me understanding the book. It’s about me understanding myself.” ~Jose Oliver

2. Life Lesson According to Cisneros 1. The world does not love you the way you are loved at home. 2. Pain gives you a special vision—a vision to help others who are suffering…. 3. Horrible experiences are there to guide you. 4. Welcome rage, shame, and grief especially if you have a reason to feel them. 5. Humility is essential to finding your voice and hearing others.

3. “I am the sum of all stories that pass through me.” Mind Mapping You are in the viewing room of your life… Brainstorm a list of as many important moments (stories) in your life. Of that list, find 8 stories that may share a common thread.

4. The Necklace Mango suggests from where that otherness comes and shows how it can become a cause for celebration rather than shame. “You, the reader, are Esperanza…you cannot forget who you are.” --Sandra Cisneros

5. Name: _________________________ Date: __________________________ Period: _____ Context: Who was there? Where were you? How old were you? etc. Sensory details: Sights, sounds, smells, tastes, etc. Dialogue: Who said what? Vignette title: Events: Exactly what happene d? (List the events in order) Significance: How has this incident affected my sense of self? What did I think or feel at the time? What do I think or feel about the incident now? Cluster Chart: Vignette Writing

6. Like Beads of a Necklace Sample Topic: childhood memories, imagination, wonder Vignette Ideas: As a child… 1. Potions in the bathroom with Carolyn Green 2. Nearly driving Dad’s car into the Kishwaukee River at age 6 3. Tree fort across river 4. The bending tree Continuing Wonder through Adolescence… 1. Canoeing down “Kish” and not knowing where we’d end 2. Big wheel races in the rain at midnight Re-Experiencing the Wonder through the Eyes of My Sons… 1. Discovering Santa’s Cookies 2. Luke’s Laboratory Thesis: Childhood memories spark the wonder and magic that lies within. OR Childhood memories help us hang on to the imagination and wonder that a child possesses.

7. Like Beads on a Necklace Identify each of your 8 beads (vignettes) by filling in this stem: It’s about…. Now, what’s the topic that links all of these 8 stories together? Ex: otherness, traveling, community, growing up, identity, humor, pain, talent, loyalty, success….

8. What’s your thesis—that unifying thread that holds your 8 beads together? Formula: Thesis= Topic + attitude or feeling about topic EX: Mango suggests where that otherness comes and shows how it can become a cause for celebration instead of shame. My experiences have shaped me into the person I am. INSTEAD: Name that person you are.

9. Like Beads on a Necklace Thesis Ex. (Note: topics are in bold) Fear is a clever illusion that inflicts unnecessary anxiety. Courage is not the absence of fear but the mastery of fear. The more generous we are, the more joyous we become. Curiosity leads to creativity.

10. Like Beads on a Necklace Thesis Reminders 1. Your thesis should be written on the table of contents page. 2. An epiphany should be expressed in each vignette. 3. Build your thesis into your first and final vignette. 4. Your epiphany is like the topic sentence of each vignette.

11. Writing Prompts: Respond to the following topics or questions with detailed responses. Don’t just tell me how you felt show me! Use sensory imagery to help me develop a mental picture of what you are describing. 1. What is it about your home or family that provides you with a sense of security? 2. Our own happiness is affected by how well we treat others. Describe a time when you felt great after doing something kind for another person. 3. Nobody’s perfect! Identify two of your weaknesses. How can you improve in these areas? Reveal a time when one of your weaknesses caused you make a poor decision. What were the consequences? 4. Think of a friend. Describe his or her strengths. How do your strengths complement that person’s strength? Use a specific incident to reinforce your conjecture. 5. Write a letter of apology to a person you have mistreated or offended. 6. Write about a situation in which you did not go along with the group. Explain why. Were you treated differently afterwards? 7. A well-known saying states that we should not judge a person until we walked in that person’s shoes. Explain what this means. Apply it an experience in your own life. 8. What does your family mean to you? What are you responsible for in your family? Are you the “comedian,” the “avoider,” the “care taker”? 9. Under what circumstances would you be willing to sacrifice your own needs to help others?