1. The House on Mango Street
Sandra Cisneros, Human Rights, Culture, Literary Devices and Vignettes

2. Identity ON BACK: 1. How is identity in general formed?
The individual characteristics by which a thing or person is recognized or known
ON BACK:
1. How is identity in general formed?
2. How is YOUR identity formed?

3. Sandra Cisneros Born in Chicago in l954
Third child and only daughter in a family of seven children.
Loyola University of Chicago (B.A. English 1976)
University of Iowa (M.F.A. Creative Writing 1978)
Teacher and counselor to high school dropouts
Taught creative writing
College recruiter
Arts Administrator

4. Sandra Cisneros
“My books include a chapbook of poetry, Bad Boys; two full-length poetry books, My Wicked Wicked Ways and Loose Woman; a collection of stories, Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories; a children’s book, Hairs/Pelitos; and two novels, The House on Mango Street and Caramelo. Vintage Cisneros, published in 2003, is a compilation of selections from my works.”

5. The House on Mango Street
The House on Mango Street, first published in 1984, won the Before Columbus Foundation’s American Book Award in 1985
It is a reflection of a female Mexican-American’s experience in the 1960’s.

6. Human Rights
Rights to which people are entitled simply because they are human beings, regardless of their nationality, race, ethnicity, gender, or religion.
Agreed standards that recognize and protect the dignity and integrity of every individual without any distinction

7. Human Rights and Culture: answer on back
Do you think human rights are respected in the U.S.? In California? In Oakdale? Why or why not?
Culture: attitudes and behaviors that are characteristic of a particular social group or organization
Do you think culture affects how people are treated? Why or why not?

8. Themes Theme: an overall message or idea expressed in a literary work
While reading, take note of circumstances and issues that make human rights a theme in The House on Mango Street.
Also, take note of the narrator’s culture. How does it affect her lifestyle? Is it a theme in the novel as well?

9. Literary Devices
specific aspects of literature that we can recognize, identify, interpret and/or analyze (the means by which authors create meaning through language)
Includes BOTH literary elements and
literary techniques
In this novel as well as throughout the school year, we will be looking for various literary devices in texts.
Literary devices: specific aspects of literature, in the sense of its universal function as an art form which expresses ideas through language, which we can recognize, identify, interpret and/or analyze. Literary devices collectively comprise the art form’s components; the means by which authors create meaning through language, and by which readers gain understanding of and appreciation for their works. They also provide a conceptual framework for comparing individual literary works to others, both within and across genres. Both literary elements and literary techniques can rightly be called literary devices.

10. refer to specific constructions and choice of language
Literary Techniques
refer to specific constructions and choice of language
Simile
Metaphor
Personification
Alliteration
Hyperbole
Idiom

11. refer to a work as a whole
Literary Elements
refer to a work as a whole
Plot
Setting
Conflict
Mood
Tone
Theme

12. Vignettes
The House on Mango Street is a series of vignettes, or brief literary descriptions.
One chapter does not relate to the next, but each is its own short story within itself.
The vignettes still relate to one another because of Cisneros style (her use of literary devices).