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?
posted by dconlay @ 8:40 AM
16 comments
16 Comments:
J Calderon P.1
Questions
1. Esperanzas mother forgot her shoes, Esperanzas is kind of upset but then she didn't really care.
2. She turns down the boy because she is embarrased of her shoes which aren't new.
3. At the beginning of the dance she felt shy and uncomfortable.
4. By the end of the dance she was enjoying the dance with her uncle.
5. She notices that he kept watching her dance
Quotes
1. With the compliments she was given ahe forgot she was only wearing normal shoes.
2. She wasn't thinking about her shoes all she could think about is the dance.
3. Her mother is proud of the fact her daughter can dance so well.
4. The boy kept looking at her all night, maybe wondering why she didnt dance with him.
Themes
1. The lines that show you she is aware of her womenhood is when she is being walked back to her mother and when she realizes a boy is staring at her.
Style
1. Her feet swell big and turn like plungers.
2. It's as if she didnt want to move her feet or she froze at the spot.
3. She showed how well she could dance, and people made compliments which made her feel confident.
4. When she is asked to dance by her uncle, and when she is talking about arriving to the party and the type of music that will be there and the the food that will be served.
Personal Response
1. Once i didnt want to participate in a dumb game during 5th grade because i was shy but i knew all the answers and i remember doing that alot during elementary but now i dont really care.
Questions:
1.Her mom forgot to get her new shoes. She was kind of upset, but she didn't really care.
2.She turned down the boy because she was embarresd about her dirty shoes.
3.At the beggining og the dance with her uncle she felt really embarresed and thought everyone was paying attintion to her shoes.
4.She felt really happy at the end when everyone was clapping for her dance.
5.She noticed that the boy was also clapping.
Quotes:
1.She forgot that she was wearing dirty school shoes.
2.At the end of the song everyone was clapping and she felt exited.
3.She felt special having her uncle walk her back to her proud mother.
4.That people were actually paying attintion to her dancing, she felt special.
Themes:
1.When her uncle walked her back to her mother, she saw the boy paying attention to her and felt older.
Style:
1.She says "my feet swell big and heavy like plungers,but i drag them across the linoleum floor..." to describe her feet.
2.Esperanza feels ackward and thinks everyone is looking at her feet because she is wearing old shoes.
3.When her uncle takes her out to dance everyone is not payying attintion to her shoes and claps for her and she feels special.
4.When her uncle asks her to dance with him.
Personal Response:
When I was in middle school I would never go to any school dances because I always thought that people will look at me and judge me. At eighth grade graduation I went to the dance and gave up my shyness and had a great time.I felt great knowing I acomplished my shyness.
Questions
1. Her mother had fergot her shoe's, Esperanza wasent that mad after all.
2. She dosent want to dance becuase the shoes that she has arnt new.
3. She is shy and dosent really know what do think.
4. At the end of the dance she was liking it.
5. That he was watching her dance the whole time.
Quotes
1. She was getting a lot of comploments, there for she fergot she was wearing normal shoes.
2. She dident care about anything else at the moment.
3. Her mother is proud of her becuase she can go out and dance and forget about every thing else.
4. The boy was mad becuase she dident dance with him and just watches and wishes.
Themes
1. That it dosent matter what your feet look like but to just have a good time.
Style
1. That "Her feet swell big and turn like plungers".
2. It shows that she had danced so much her feet swell or her shoes are too small.
3. She danced and she noticed that no one cared that she dident have new shoes but she was having a good time.
4. When she is asked to dance by her uncle she feels weird dancing with her family memeber.
Personal Response
I am never shy to do any thing, i like to have fun and just do what ever it takes to have that fun.
davisL per 4
1. Her mom forgot to get some shoes. Esperanza feels sad and disapointed.
2. She turns him down because she does not like her shoes and is embarrased.
3. She felt worried and shy at the beginning of the dance.
4. Near the end she was happy and enjoying dancing with her uncle.
5. She noticed the guy kept watching her dance.
6. She forgot she was wearing those normal shoes when given compliments.
7. All that she was thinking about was the dance.
8. Her mother is proud because of how good she danced.
9. The boy was probably mad that she did not dance with him. he watched her al night.
10. It is when she is walking to her mother and she sees the boy looking at her
11. Her feet swell and turn like plungers.
12. It is like she was frozen stil in one spot.
13. She showed that she can dance and people gave her compliments.
14. WHenb she is talking about the party and dancing with her uncle. Also about the music.
SteeleD Per4
1. Esperanza's mother forgot about her shoes, howver Esperanza appears to take no mind of it.
2. Due to the fact that her mother forgot about her shoes, she turns down to offer to dance simply because the shoes are not new.
3. Esperanza feels ashamed and embarassed, continuing on the fact that her shoes are not new, despite the new dress.
4. Despite that she could not seem to bear dancing at the start of it all, by the end of the dance with her uncle, she has forgotten that her shoes were not new.
5. Despite being turned down by her, the boy continued to watch her dance, and dance, never tearing his gaze from her.
Quotes
- She apparently has completly forgotten about the shoes, and is only focussed on the dance.
Themes
- To Esperanza, her feet seem to be the most important part of her body, if only because the shoes around them are not new.
- The boy continually watching her dance and simply walk away shows her that she is becoming more appealing to the opposite sex.
Style
1. "My big feet swell and heavy like plungers"
2. She could not force herself to dance, for fear of showing her feet.
3. She becomes aware of all the awe-struck stares in the room, and quickly becomes aware that they are directed towards her.
4. When her Uncle forces her to dance, and when she explains how her mother is proud of her.
Personal
- One particular "incident" was when I participated in community service at Estancia. During a wrestling tournament, Mr. Burgess asked for volenteers to assist him running the tournament, when i arrived, and soon came to the realization that what I do greatly determines the outcome, I became nervous, fear that somehow I would mess up. However, I overcame this fear and had a sence of accomplishment upon completeing it.
Roy Ortiz
Per.1
Chanclas
Questions:
1.Her mother forgot her shoes.She was upset.
2.She said no because of her shoes.
3.She was embarrast.
4.she felt more comfortable.
5.The boy kept watching her dance.
Quotes:
1.She forgot about the old shoes she was wearing.
2.Everyone was cxlapping for her at the party.
3.She is glad she made it through and her mother was proud.
4.The boy really wanted to dance and get to know her.
Themes:
1.It is what keeps her up and not stop trying to make her life better.
2.The young man is waiting to dance with her.
Style:
1.Her feet are like plungers growing bigger.
2.She is getting nerves and her feet hurt.
3.She forgets about everything around her and dances.
4.It is went everyone starts clapping for her.
Personal response:
1.I started to dane and i had fun doing it.
Chanclas
Questions
1. Esperanza mother forgot her new shoes. She was really Mad and sad because she had everything new except her shoes.
2. She does not want to dance because her shoes are old.
3. She was embarrassed because of her old shoes.
4. She was happy because everyone started to clap at her and her uncle.
5. That he watches her like c a man.
Quotes
Explain the significance of the following quotes.
That she did not cared that she was wearing her old shoes.
She is happy
She is proud that she danced with her uncle.
That the little boy likes her.
Themes
That she is growing up.
When she noticed that the boy sees her like a man.
Style
1. Old sandal shoes.
2. That she is not happy how she looks like.
3. She lets out her personality.
4. When her mom is proud how she danced.
Personal Response
Once I was at a party when I was small. That day I did not like the outfit that I was wearing. My cousins invited me to dance. At first I said no then I said yes. I had a great time.
CHANCLAS
PERIOD.1
Questions
1. Esperanza's mother forgot to buy Esperanza new shoes to match her new dress for her cousin’s baptism. Esperanza is very disappointed, and sad.
2. She turns the boy down because she is embarrassed of her worn out brown sandals. If she danced, everyone would see her ugly sandals and her ugly feet in them.
3. She didn't want to dance; all she could think about were her feet and the shoes she was wearing.
4. Her feelings changed because she and her Uncle were good dancers, and everyone was very impressed and doesn't even notice her shoes.
5. She notices that for the rest of the night, the boy watched her.
Quotes
1. Esperanza is attending a very special occasion, which doesn't seem so special when she has to wear her ordinary everyday shoes.
2. She didn't remember her feet or shoes or anything like that. She was surrounded by people who thought she was terrific. No one cared about the sandals.
3. Her mother was surprised at how well Esperanza danced; her mother took pride in being her mother.
4. All of a sudden the boy, who asked her to dance, didn't seem to be a boy anymore, but a man, who was attracted to Esperanza and watched her for the rest of the night.
Themes
"...my skinny arms bend the way he taught me, and my mother watches, and my little cousins watch..."
Esperanza doesn't feel so awkward, she didn't mind having everyone watch her dance, her arms didn't feel so awkward when they moved and bended the way she wanted them to.
Style
1. Esperanza's feet are described as scuffed, round, crooked, dumb, plungers.
2. These words are extremely harsh, and sound like she is describing rocks, or something deformed.
3. Dancing is fun; Esperanza was having fun dancing with her uncle. Laughter and people cheering you on can take away a lot of anxiety.
4. "Everyone ways, wow, who are those two who dance like in the movies..."
Personal Response
Shyness or embarrassment has never stopped me from doing anything. Sure I’ve had some anxiety and nervousness when doing something, but I would do it anyway because I knew I could overcome it. Like in health, we have to perform CPR on dummies, and we have to do it in front of the whole class. I’m nervous because I don't want to mess up or look stupid in front of my classmates. Then I realized I'm not going to be the only one to feel that way. If anything I will gain more respect because I will show a little embarrassment doesn't faze me.
Questions
1. Esperanza’s mother forgets about the shoes. Esperanza is upset but she can’t do anything about it so she lets the situation go.
2. Esperanza turns the boy down because she is embarassed of how she looks.
3. Esperanza feels embarassed during the beginning of the dance.
4. Esperanza forgets about how she looks and starts to let go of her inhibitions and just has fun.
5. Esperanza notices that the boy has kept his eye on her the whole night.
Quotes
Explain the significance of the following quotes.
1. Esperanza is restless with her shoes that she feels won’t ever change and are holding her back from being beautiful.
2. Esperanza is surprised to learn that people actually enjoyed watching her dance.
3. Esperanza notices that her mother is proud of her and she feels like this is the only time she has ever felt proud of her.
4. There is an air of threat and suspicion when Eperanza says this and it seems like she is very alert of how he was watching her.
Themes
Feet symbolize choices and complexes that a person posses and how you can either pass them of let them keep you where you are.
“…and everyone says, wow, who are those two who dance like in the movies…”
Style
1.The narrator uses thick and heavy a lot to describe Esperanza’s feet.
2.The words show how she feels held back and resistant.
3. Because she is dancing with some one she is comfortable with she feels safe and free to be ok with herself.
4. When Esperanza is naming everyone who is watching her she names a lot of people and it flows comfortably with her whichs makes it seem like she is close with all of them.
Personal Response
I remember once when I was at Palace Park with some friends when we were still in elementary school, and we went to go ride the go-carts. I didn’t know how to drive it and I ended up embarassing myself terribly. I haven’t been on any go-cart since then and I refuse to when people try to get me to go with them. I won’t even go on bumper cars and I feel like its really affected any kind of situation with vehicles that I might have to go through. I don’t know how to drive a car and I’m actually pretty scared and anxious to learn how to since the time is approaching rather fast.
Questions:
1.Esperanzas mom forgot her shoes. At first she was upset but by the end of the night she didnt care.
2.She is embarrased of her shoes.
3.At the begining of the dance she is holding back because she feels like everyone one is looking at her "ugly" shoes.
4.By the end of the dance she ends up having alot of fun.
5.Esperanza notices the boy was watching her dance.
Quotes:
1.She ended up forgeting about not liking her shoes.
2.Esperanza is excited to hear clapping and doesn't remember about not liking her shoes.
3.Esperanza is realizing her mother really is proud of her.
4.Maybe the boy doesn't understand why he wouldn't dance with him.
Themes:
1.I think esperanza is realizing womanhood all night. She is letting go of holding back like a little girl and not thinking about the little things anymore.
Style:
1.She says Esperanzas feet are growing bigger and bigger and are like plungers.
2.She felt like her feet were getting bigger because she was embarrased.
3.Because she forgets everything for one moment she ends up having fun and forgets about being shy.
4.She describes the people there and the cultural things.
Personal response:
1.There are alot of times where I'm shy at first,but most of the time i let go of being shy and end up having alot of fun.
1. Esparanza's mother forgot to get her shoes.
2. Shes embarrassed about her shoes, they dont match her dress.
3. She gets shy because she feels embarrassed and doesnt want to dance at all.
4. She forgets about the shoes because everybody thinks they dance well.
5. Esparanza notices thats the boy was watching her.
Quotes
1. Esperanza will keep dancing until she notices that everybody is watching her and the shoes she is wearing.
2. She feels as if everybody liked how her and her uncle were dancing.
3. Esperanza's mother is proud that she got up and danced anyways.
4. She's happy that the boy who asked her to dance is now watching.
Themes
1. Esperanza is becoming aware of her own womanhood when she notices the shoes dont match the dress. They are old and her dress is new.
Style
1. Esperanza doesnt like her feet. She has old shoes that do not match the dress.Her feet swell big and and turn like plungers.
2. The narrator feels ashamed of her feet.
3. She forgets about the shoes shes worried and is just focused on her her feet is moving.
4. Esperanza feels the sense of family when her uncle asks her to dance with her.
personal response
There was a time when I didn't want to perform a report in front of the class because my boyfriend was in the same class. I was shy because he is the only person that I cared what he thought. I didn't want to mess up in front of him.♠
Questions:
1. Esperanzas mother forgot her new shoes. Esperanza wasn't really mad at her mother, more of an annoyed state.
2. She is embarassed of her shoes as they are not new.
3. Shy and not comfortable at all.
4. She was happy and excited.
5. She realizes that he was watching her dance.
Quotes:
1. That she forgets that she's not wearing the best shoes and it didn't matter.
2. People clapped for her when she was dancing.
3. Her mother is proud of Esperanza.
4. The boy liked how Esperanza danced or looked. Possibly both.
Themes:
1. The feet could symbolize her own feeling of being awkward and shy.
2. "all night the boy who is a man watches me dance."
Style:
1. that her feet are "scuffed and round" and her heels are all crooked.
2. It shows that she's ashamed of her shoes at least.
3. It shows that it doesn't matter how your feet or like or even possibly another body subject.
4. "My uncle and me bow and he walks me back to my mother who is proud to be my mother.".
Personal:
There was a time when I was shy to do a lot of things because I was a new kid at a new school of course. I was shy to join this school's baseball team but I overcame my fear and I am doing very well right now. It just happened a few months ago and i'm over it so I would say if I was put into the same situation very soon, I wouldn't even be close to being shy.
tshefflette
period 1
1. Esperanza's mother forgot her shoes, she was very upset and first but then she someehow managed to move on, and realize it was that big of a deal.
2. She turns the boy down because her shoes are old and not shiny and new like they would have been if her mother didn't forget the shoes.
3. Esperanza feels shy and uncomfturable.
4. She enjoyed the dance with her uncle by the end of the night.
5. Esperanze notice's that the boy kept watching her dance.
Her not having new shoes seemed so important to her and then she just suddenly forgot about it and realizd that it wasn't all that important.
Esperanze was so into the dancing and the music that she even forgot anyone was watching.
Esperanza and their uncle had finished there dance and her mother was finally proud to be her mother.
Esperanza was being admired all night by this boy, who she had refused to dance with.
The feet could symbolize that she is not self confident and it's not just the shoes that people are looking at.
KMolter Per1
Questions
1. Esperanza's mother forgot to buy Esperanza new shoes to match her new dress for her cousin’s baptism. Esperanza is very sad.
2. She turns the boy down because she is embarrassed of her worn out brown sandals. If she danced, everyone would stare at her ugly sandals and see her ugly feet.
3. She didn't want to dance all she could think about were her feet and how ugly they were.
4. Her feelings changed because she and her Uncle were good dancers and everyone was very impressed and she forgets about her shoes because shes having fun.
5. She notices that for the rest of the night the boy watched her.
Quotes
1. Esperanza is attending a very special occasion and doesn't feel pretty wearing her ugly old sandals.
2. She blocked out her ugly sandals and just had fun because everyone was watching her dance and she knew she was good.
3. Her mother was surprised at how well Esperanza danced her mother took pride in being her mother.
4. All of a sudden the boy who asked her to dance didn't seem to be a boy anymore but a man who was attracted to Esperanza and watched her for the rest of the night.
Themes
The feet could symbolize her insecurity of the way she lives. But after doing what she does best she doesn't care and has fun.
Style
1. Esperanza's feet are described as scuffed, round, crooked, dumb, plungers.
2. These words are extremely harsh, and sound like she is describing rocks, or something deformed.
3. Dancing is fun; Esperanza was having fun dancing with her uncle. Laughter and people cheering you on can take away a lot of anxiety.
4. "Everyone ways, wow, who are those two who dance like in the movies..."
Personal Response
I was embarressed because I thought this boy was really cute and so I stopped playing games with him because I got too shy. I dont think i would be as shy now knowing im older so i know more.
ortiz,joaquin per.1
1.her mom forgot her shoes and esperanza is angry.
2.she turns him down because of her shoes.
3.she is shy with her uncle.
4.she was having fun with her uncle.
5.he kept on looking at her when she was dancing
Quotes
1.she forgot she was wearing normal ugly shoes
2.her mother is proud that her daughter can dance
themes
1.she notice that she is becoming a women
style
1.her feet swellbig andturnlike plungers.
2.
Iespada Per. 1
I.
1)Esperanza’s mother forgot the shoes that go with the new dress. Esperanza feels embarrassed.
2)Esperanza turned down the boy who asked her to dance because she didn’t have the shoes to match the dress and she thought her feet were ugly.
3)Esperanza doesn’t want to dance with her uncle at first.
4)Esperanza realizes that it doesn’t matter what you’re wearing but it’s the way you dance.
5)Esperanza notices that the boy who asked her to dance watched her dance the entire time.
II.
1)This quote shows that she is ashamed that she doesn’t have dancing shoes but ordinary shoes instead.
2)This quote shows that people don’t care for the shoes she is wearing but they care about her dancing.
3)This quote shows that Esperanza’s mother is proud to be Esperanza’s mother because she danced even though she didn’t have the shoes she wanted.
4)This quote shows that the boy that asked her to dance watched her and it didn’t matter to him what kind of shoes she wore and that he thought she was beautiful anyway.
III.
1)The feet in this chapter can represent that no matter how hard Esperanza tries to be normal she will still be different.
2)The line “The boy who is a man watches me dance. He watched me dance.” Shows that she is becoming aware of her womanhood.
IV.
1)The narrator uses word like scuffed, round, and crooked to describe her feet.
2)These words show that the narrator finds her feet to be weird and ugly.
3)The dance shows Esperanza that it doesn’t matter what shoes she wears but that people are still proud of her dancing.
4)”. . .for dancing and tamales and everyone’s kids running all over the place.” Shows the sense of family that Esperanza feels.
V.
1)When I was about 6, I was asked to dance with my Aunt Paola and I didn’t want to because I was shy. I couldn’t dance and I was scared everyone who was there would laugh at me. I didn’t dance and I felt embarrassed for not dancing. I would dance now because I know how to.
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