Mango Street-"The First Job"

The House on Mango Street
Journal Guide for Chapter Twenty-One
“The First Job”

Answer the following questions in complete sentences.

Questions
1. Why did Esperanza need a job?
2. What job did Esperanza get?
3. What happened to her on her first day of work?

Themes
The exploitation of women is a major theme of this novel. How is this theme developed in this chapter?

Style
Cisneros has a poetic style. She incorporates both vivid imagery and spare prose. She uses both to create a picture of the narrator’s world.

1. What words does Esperanza use to describe her first day of work?
2. How do these words create a sense of Esperanza’s naiveté?

Personal Response
In this chapter, Esperanza’s trusting nature is abused. Has there been a time in your life when you feel that your trust in people put you in a difficult position? Do you think it is better to be trusting or cynical? Why?

Mango Street-"Hips"

The House on Mango Street

Journal Guide for Chapter Twenty
“Hips”

Answer the following questions in complete sentences.

Questions
1. What are the girls doing while they talk about hips?
2. What do they say hips are good for? What misconceptions does Nenny have?
3. What does the comments made about hips tell you about the girls’ ages?

Quotes
Explain the significance of the following quotes.

One day you wake up and they are there. Ready and waiting like a new Buick with keys in the ignition. Ready to take you where?

She is too many light-years away. She is in a world we don’t belong to anymore.

Themes
The roles of women are discussed in this chapter. What roles do the girls mention in their rhymes? What do the comments about what hips are for show about the girls and their ideas about women and women’s roles?

Style
Cisneros has a poetic style. She incorporates both vivid imagery and spare prose. She uses both to create a picture of the narrator’s world.

1. What words does Esperanza use to describe hips? What metaphor does she use?
2. How do these words create a sense of the inevitability of growing up that the narrator feels?
3. Why doesn’t Nenny join in the language game that the other girls are playing? How do the rhymes that the girls create show something about their personalities?

Personal Response
At what age did you feel that you had left your childhood behind? When did you feel that you were becoming an adult? Have you felt that? How would you describe growing up?

Mango Street-"Chanclas"

The House on Mango Street
Journal Guide for Chapter Nineteen
“Chanclas”

Answer the following questions in complete sentences.

Questions
1. What did Esperanza’s mother forget? How does Esperanza feel about this?
2. Why does Esperanza turn down the boy who asks her to dance?
3. How does she feel at the beginning of her dance with her uncle?
4. How have her feelings changed by the end of the dance?
5. What does Esperanza notice about the boy who asks her to dance?

Quotes
Explain the significance of the following quotes.

…until I forget that I am wearing only ordinary shoes, brown and white, the kind my mother buys each year for school.

And all I hear is the clapping when the music stops.

My uncle and me bow and he walks me back to my mother who is proud to be my mother.

All night the boy who is a man watches me dance. He watched me dance.

Themes
Feet are an important metaphor in this chapter. What could the feet symbolize for Esperanza in this chapter?

Another theme is introduced in this chapter. Esperanza is losing the awkwardness of being a young girl; she is beginning to develop the grace of a woman. What lines let you know that Esperanza is becoming aware of her own womanhood?

Style
Cisneros has a poetic style. She incorporates both vivid imagery and spare prose. She uses both to create a picture of the narrator’s world.

1. What words does the narrator use to describe Esperanza’s feet?
2. How do these words create a sense of the shame and awkwardness the narrator feels?
3. How does the dance help free Esperanza of her shyness?
4. What lines in this chapter create the sense of family that Esperanza feels?

Personal Response
Describe a time when embarrassment or shyness kept you from participating in something. Did you overcome your shyness? If so, how did you feel? If not, how did you feel? Would you be as shy now? Why or why not?

Mango Street-"A Rice Sandwich"

The House on Mango Street
Journal Guide for Chapter Eighteen
“A Rice Sandwich”

Answer the following questions in complete sentences.

Questions
1. Why does Esperanza want to eat in the canteen?
2. How does Esperanza convince her mother to allow her to eat in the canteen?
3. Why did Esperanza say that the house was hers when it wasn’t?
4. What did Esperanza experience in the canteen?

Themes
1. Once again Esperanza endures a humiliating experience. How is the experience with the nun in this chapter similar to the experience in chapter one? Why does Esperanza lie about her home?
2. What did she learn from this experience?

Style
Cisneros has a poetic style. She incorporates both vivid imagery and spare prose. She uses both to create a picture of the narrator’s world.

1. What words does the narrator use to describe her reaction to the nun’s questioning? What does this show about Esperanza?
2. Why is this chapter titled “The Rice Sandwich?” Would another title be more appropriate?

Personal Response
How are the adults portrayed in this novel? How did you see adults when you were a child?

Mango Street-"The Family of Little Feet"

The House on Mango Street
Journal Guide for Chapter Seventeen
“The Family of Little Feet”

Answer the following questions in complete sentences.

Questions
1. What happens to Esperanza when she and her friends are given some second-hand high heel shoes?
2. Why does the man say the shoes are dangerous?
3. How doe the shoes change the girls?
4. How do the men in the neighborhood behave when they see the girls in those shoes?

Themes
1. In this chapter, the girls learn quite a bit about the way women are perceived. What are the perceptions of women that they face?

Style
Cisneros has a poetic style. She incorporates both vivid imagery and spare prose. She uses both to create a picture of the narrator’s world.

1. The girls refer to themselves as Cinderella and Christmas. What does this type of imagery show about them?
2. What lines in this chapter create the sense of impending violence and potential violation that the narrator feels?

Personal Response
Are people judged by the clothing they wear? Should they be? Is there a double standard for women and their behavior?

Mango Street-"And Some More"

The House on Mango Street
Journal Guide for Chapter Sixteen
“And Some More”

Answer the following questions in complete sentences.

Questions
1. Why do the girls argue about the names of things?
2. Why does the argument disintegrate into name calling? Are the girls actually fighting or are they exercising their wit?

Themes and Symbols
1. Clouds have spiritual implications and meanings for Esperanza. How do the changing clouds represent the girls and their behavior?
2. Clouds are mentioned in several chapters. Find the other references to clouds and determine what clouds represent to Esperanza.

Style
Cisneros has a poetic style. She incorporates both vivid imagery and spare prose. She uses both to create a picture of the narrator’s world.

1. Cisneros does not use quotation marks in the dialogue between the four girls. What other technique does she use to create the sense of an active, give and take conversation between the girls?
2. How does the dialogue create a sense of the friendship between the girls?

Personal Response
Describe an afternoon spending time with your friends.

Mango Street-"Darius and the Clouds"

The House on Mango Street
Journal Guide for Chapter Fifteen
“Darius & the Clouds”

Answer the following questions in complete sentences.

Questions
1. Esperanza says that you can never have too much sky. Why does the sky symbolize for her?
2. What is there a shortage of on Mango Street?
3. What wise thing did Darius say? Why is it wise?

Quotes
Explain the significance of the following quote.
1. 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.

Themes
This chapter once again brings up the idea of making the best of what you have. What lines reinforce this idea?

Style
Cisneros has a poetic style. She incorporates both vivid imagery and spare prose. She uses both to create a picture of the narrator’s world.

1. What words and phrases describe the sky and the clouds?
2. How do does Esperanza describe Darius? How does her word choice create a complete picture of the boy Darius is?
3. Explain the last line of the chapter. How does Darius make it simple?

Personal Response
Many people turn to nature when they are upset or sad or in need of peace. Esperanza says that you can get drunk on sky. Is there a part of nature that soothes you when you are sad or upset? Is there a part of nature that inspires you?

Mango Street-“Alicia Who Sees Mice”

The House on Mango Street
Journal Guide for Chapter Fourteen
“Alicia Who Sees Mice”

Answer the following questions in complete sentences.

Questions
1. What did Alicia inherit from her mother?
2. Of what is Alicia afraid?
3. How does Alicia’s father treat her? What does he say about a woman’s place?

Quotes
Explain the significance of the following quotes.
1. Alicia, whose mama died, is sorry there is no one older to rise and make the lunchbox tortillas.
2. Alicia, who inherited her mama’s rolling pin and sleepiness, is young and smart and studies for the first time at the university.

Themes
1. Alicia’s father represents the stereotypical male who believes that a woman’s place is in the home. Alicia, like Esperanza, wants to be something different from the traditional female. Unlike Marin who is a woman waiting for her dream, Alicia is a woman working toward her dream. Esperanza finds much to admire in Alicia. What lines show Esperanza’s admiration?

Style
Cisneros has a poetic style. She incorporates both vivid imagery and spare prose. She uses both to create a picture of the narrator’s world.
1. What words does the narrator use to describe the relationship between Alicia and her father? What words describe Alicia’s fear?
2. What images create the traditional idea of womanhood? What images show that Alicia wants something more than what that role can offer her?
3. Cisneros leaves words out of sentences in this chapter. What does this do for the chapter? How does it help create a vivid picture of Alicia?

Personal Response
Alicia is afraid of mice and her father. What are your fears?

Mango Street-"There Was An Old Woman..."

The House on Mango Street
Journal Guide for Chapter Thirteen
“There Was An Old Woman She Had So Many Children She Didn’t Know What to Do”

Answer the following questions in complete sentences.

Questions
1. Who is Rosa Vargas? Why does she cry?
2. What happened to the children’s father?
3. What does Esperanza say the Vargas children are lacking?
4. How do other people in the neighborhood feel about the Vargas children? Why?
5. The title of this chapter is a reference to a nursery rhyme. How did the Old Woman in the shoe handle her children? How does Rosa handle hers?

Quotes
Explain the significance of the following quotes.
1. They are without respect for all things living, including themselves.
2. But after a while you get tired of being worried about kids who aren’t even yours.

Themes
1. This is another chapter providing social commentary. Esperanza describes a family of children with no “respect for anything living, including themselves.” What does she say is the danger that comes from giving up on children?
2. This chapter ends with the death of a child. Does anyone other than Esperanza seem to care? Why or why not? What does this say about society?
3. How does what is happening to the Vargas children apply to the larger picture of society?

Style
Cisneros has a poetic style. She incorporates both vivid imagery and spare prose. She uses both to create a picture of the narrator’s world.

1. What imagery does Esperanza use to describe Angel Vargas and the plunge to earth? What picture does this create?

Personal ResponseDo you think that society has a responsibility to children? Should the neighborhood have done more for the Vargas children? Was there anything the neighborhood could have done?

Mango Street-"Those Who Don't"

The House on Mango Street
Journal Guide for Chapter Twelve
“Those Who Don’t”

Answer the following questions in complete sentences.

Questions
1. How do outsiders view Esperanza’s neighborhood?
2. How do the people who live in Esperanza’s neighborhood view it?
3. How does Esperanza feel when she drives “into a neighborhood of another color?”

Quotes
Explain the significance of the following quotes.
1. All brown all around, we are safe.
2. But watch us drive into a neighborhood of another color and our knees go shakity-shake and our car windows get rolled up tight and our eyes look straight. Yeah. That is how it goes and goes.

Themes
This chapter is a type of social commentary. Esperanza points out several things that reinforce prejudices and segregation. What does she point out? What does she say will make the fear go away?

Style
Cisneros has a poetic style. She incorporates both vivid imagery and spare prose. She uses both to create a picture of the narrator’s world.

1. What words does the narrator use to describe the trip into another neighborhood? How does this imagery reinforce the idea of segregation?
2. Esperanza points out both sides of the social separation issue. What words does she use to show both sides?
3. What lines in this chapter create the sense of separation that the narrator feels? Does she believe that this will change?

Personal ResponseWhat do you believe will make the separations in our society change? Aside from racial segregation, what other factors separate people? Will this change?

Mango Street-"Marin"

Answer the following questions in complete sentences.

Questions:
1.Who is Marin?
2.Why is she unable to leave her house?
3.How does she plan to change her situation?
4.Why do Esperanza and her friends admire her?
5.Where is Marin going in a year?Why?
6.Why does Esperanza admire Marin?
7.Why does Esperanza pity Marin?
8.What do Esperanza and Marin both dream of?
9.Do they intend to reach their goals the same way?
10.How is Marin like Esperanza's grandmother?

Mango Street-"“Louie, His Cousin & His Other Cousin”

The House on Mango Street
Journal Guide for Chapter Ten
“Louie, His Cousin & His Other Cousin”

Answer the following questions in complete sentences.

Questions
1. Where does Louie live?
2. Who are his cousins?
3. Why were people so interested in the yellow Cadillac?
4. Where does Louie’s cousin get the Cadillac?
5. What happened to Louie’s cousin?

Themes
1. A major theme of the novel is continued in this chapter. The idea that people can find happiness in their day or in their difficult existence is shown in the major event in this chapter. What event? What does this show about the people of Mango Street?
2. Why doesn’t Esperanza focus on the theft as she tells the story? Why does she focus more on the car and the ride than on the fact that the cousin committed a crime?

Style
Cisneros has a poetic style. She incorporates both vivid imagery and spare prose. She uses both to create a picture of the narrator’s world.

1. What words does the narrator use to describe the cousins? How do these words create a vivid picture of the cousins?
2. How did Esperanza describe the car?
3. What lines in this chapter create the sense of joy that the narrator feels?

Personal Response
Part of Esperanza’s personal philosophy seems to be to take every day as it comes, finding happiness where she can. What is your personal philosophy?

Mango Street-"Meme Ortiz"

The House on Mango Street
Journal Guide for Chapter Nine
“Meme Ortiz”

Answer the following questions in complete sentences.

Questions
1. Who is Meme?
2. How are Meme and the dog alike?
3. What happened to Meme in the First Annual Tarzan Jumping Contest?

Themes
Because homes are important to her, Esperanza creates a vivid picture of Meme’s home. What words and phrases does she use to describe his home? How does she describe her home?

This chapter also deals with the theme of a neighborhood as an extended family. The children play together; the houses are near each other. What words help create a sense of unity?

Style
Cisneros has a poetic style. She incorporates both vivid imagery and spare prose. She uses both to create a picture of the narrator’s world.

1. What words does the narrator use to describe the Meme’s house? How does the description of his house compare to the description of her house in chapter one?
2. What words does Esperanza use to describe Meme? How do these words create a word picture of Meme?
3. How does the idea that Meme broke his arm in the First Annual Tarzan Jumping Contest differ from the idea that Meme fell from a tree and broke his arm?

Personal Response
Think back to when you were a child. What risks did you take to win a game or a contest? Did you get hurt? Would you take that same risk now?

Mango Street-"Gil's Furniture Bought and Sold"

The House on Mango Street
Journal Guide for Chapter Eight
“Gil’s Furniture Bought and Sold”

Answer the following questions in complete sentences.

Questions
1. How does the personality difference between the two sisters show up in the store?
2. Why does Esperanza pretend she doesn’t care about the music box?
3. What literary devices are used to describe the music from the music box?

Style
Cisneros has a poetic style. She incorporates both vivid imagery and spare prose. She uses both to create a picture of the narrator’s world.

1. What words does the narrator use to describe the music and the effect of the music?
2. How do these words create a sense of the music?
3. How does Esperanza describe her embarrassment?

Personal Response
Describe a time in your life when you were embarrassed by your lack of understanding of a new technology or of an event.

Mango Street-"Laughter"

The House on Mango Street
Journal Guide for Chapter Seven
“Laughter”

Answer the following questions in complete sentences.

Questions
1. How are Nenny and Esperanza alike? How are Rachel and Lucy alike?
2. What did the houses represent to Esperanza? Did she know exactly why they represented this? Why or why not?
3. Who agreed with her? What does this show?

Themes
A major theme of the novel is continued in this chapter. Esperanza and Nenny both see a house as “like Mexico.” What does this show about Esperanza’s idea of a home? Is her idea limited to a physical structure? Why or why not?

Style
Cisneros has a poetic style. She incorporates both vivid imagery and spare prose. She uses both to create a picture of the narrator’s world.

1. What words does the narrator use to describe the houses that look like Mexico? How does this create a sense of connection to her heritage?
2. How does is the laughter of the two sets of sisters described? How does this contribute to the family between the sisters?
3. What lines in this chapter create the sense of family unity that the narrator feels?

Personal Response
What member of your family do you most strongly resemble? With what member of your family do you share the most personality traits? Do you, like Esperanza, feel a strong connection with your family’s heritage? Why or why not?