Plot Overview

About the Author

The plot of this book starts off with

Esperanza explaining to the reader that she
is poor and on Mango Street .She also
expresses her feelings toward it.This is when
a nun passes by and judges her poor old
house making her self-conscious. The rising
action of this book is when Esperanza starts
realizing the things around her. She comes
to realization that other people in her
neighborhood are in worse situations than
her. Therefore, she learns to appreciate the
things she has. The conflict of the book is
about Esperanza grow up and becoming
responsible. She learns to be responsible by
taking care of her sister and is influence to do
so because of the horribly situations around
her. The falling action is when Esperanza
learns that everyone can't be trusted, when
she gets assaulted, left alone by Sally. That is
one of her experience towards maturing. The
resolution of this book is when Esperanza
finally comes to terms that she is poor and
won't change unless she strives to succeed.
Therefore, she makes a goal for herself that
she will leave Mango Street ( a symbol of
unsuccessfulness and sadness) and succeed
in life. Later on when she has succeeded,
she will come back for the people who cant
leave.

The author of this book is Sandra Cisneros.

What inspired her to write,The House on
Mango Street, was from her frustrations in
university. She realized that Latinas have
unique experiences, and decided to write a
little about her life struggles. Thus, came her
book to be. Her book being published in the
time era of the 1980s, may have been
influenced her writing, but being born in the
50s made a larger impact. She felt,so much
wrong in Chicago...so many things that were
destructive to Latinas[segregation]. I felt each
of us had a responsibility to make that
change. This was just how Esperanza
thought she would grow up and leave Mango
Street. Then, when she was successful, she
would come back and try to change it.,
because there was so much bad. Back to
Sandra, she is also famous for writing many
more other books like: Have you seen
Marie?,My wicked , wicked ways, Pelitos, and
ect. Cisneros having had a childhood in the
time segregation was what inspired her to
write about the topics in her books. Her
books all consist of real characters and
related events in her life. Cisneros was
basically writing about her own life troubles
and became famous for it.

The House on Mango Street

Sandra Cisneros
Lupita Montoya
9/17/16

Essential Quotes
I quote pg.47, Everybody laughing except me,
because Im wearing the new dress, pink and white
stripes, and new underclothes...and the old saddle
shoes I wear to school...My feet scuffed and round, and
the heels all crooked that look dumb with this dress,so I
just sit. This quote gives the reader a background into
Esperanzas life and how her family is in the depths of
poverty, not having money for new shoes. Esperanza,
embarrassed, tries to hide the truth from everyone. This
time in particular she hides her ugly shoes. A second
quote from pg.110, One day I will pack my bags of
books and paper. One day I will say goodbye to
Mango...They will not know I have gone away to come
back. For the ones I left behind. This quote explains
how Esperanza has finally overcome her own pity and
actually is aiming for a goal in life. Now, she wants to
be more active in her life.Together these two quotes are
important, because they capture the essence of The
House on Mango Street. They both contribute to the
explanation of how at first Esperanza is self-conscious,
ashamed, and sad about where she comes from. She
is always too busy worrying about what others might
think of her, instead of taking action and changing their
familys poverty bonds. But by the end of the book, she
finally learns the meaning of responsibility. She takes
on a challenge to be better and to lead her family to
success.

Reflections
Historical
Context
In the time
Sandra wrote her
book, there was
segregation and
seeing that she
is hispanic a lot
of people would
have treated her
poorly. In
addition,
because
Chicago, being
the city she grew
up in, was the
city with the most
segregation, it
must have been
a lot worse for
her than any
other person.
Another thing
that influenced
her writing was
the fact that she
was the only girl

Directions: Write a
brief reflection on the
novel. Please be
succinct, but
insightful.
This novel was
written by Sandra
Cisneros was
influenced by real life
people and events.
Cisneros takes us to
a world where she is
Esperanza, dealing
with the criticism and
lack of company. As
she matures, she
experiences
wonderful and
terrible things. She
starts to be more
involved in the
horrible lives of the
people she knows.
Towards the end of
the book, this leads
her to appreciate
more of what she
has and learns to

Character Analysis

Themes

Motifs and Symbols

Esperanza, Sally, and Nenny are major characters in

this book. Esperanza is this the main character. She is
an unhappy character for the majority of the book.
Esperanza always points out the negatives in her life
and what she doesnt have. Esperanza seems childish
and innocent for the best of the book, but soon learns
to develop into adult hood. Also, she is embarrassed of
her house and the fact she is poor, trying to hide it from
people.Sally is also one of the major characters and
Esperanza's friend. She is mischievous, opposite
from Esperanza. Adding to that, she loves the attention
while her friend might not think so. Maybe it is, because
her father is cruel and beats her. Another thing is that
Esperanza is projective over Sally, but she doesnt
express it back. Sally always irresponsible and greedy
leaves her for attention, putting her friend in danger.
(Also, Esperanza should not be so trusting.) And
because of how childish Sally is, she gets married in
7th grade, claiming she's in love. Now ,Nenny is
another major character. She is Esperanza's younger
sister. Esperanza loves her sister and is always
protective of her, even when her sister is acting dense
like normal. Nenny being younger doesnt have much
experience in the real world and is always curious and
adventurous. Nenny also being herself is somewhat
obnoxious and always cheerful,in Esperanzas eyes.
Nenny isnt one of the main character, but she does
influence Esperanza. She is the only light in her sister's
day and her only real friend, even though she doesn't
consider it that. Nenny being the one making
Esperanza develop responsibility, because she is
trouble.

There are several themes in the book The

House on Mango Street . Some of themes
might consist of the following:
Learn to appreciate what you have
Accept who you are
Learn to live life to the fullest
Don't rush into anything
With the first theme being learn to appreciate
what you have. The author is trying to make
a statement, not to take anything for granted.
Because like in the book, Esperanza, yes, is
poor, but things could be worse. For example
she doesn't have an abusive father like Sally
or husband like Minerva.
The second theme means not to sulk for
what you don't have, because it isn't going to
get you anywhere. In the book, Esperanza
focused her time being sad, because she is
poor and she can't change it.
The third theme explains how you have to be
happy whether or not you don't or do have.
This is because you're not going to live
forever.
Fourth theme meaning, to not get ahead of
yourself, because maybe you're not ready for
what's ahead of you. People being cruel will
abuse of your lack of experience. This, also
happened to Esperanza in the book.

Some of the major symbols in this book

come from the chapters themselves. In the
chapter 22, Esperanzas grandfather dies.
Because he dies, Esperanza's father has to
head back to Mexico for his fathers funeral.
Before he leaves, he gives her the
responsibility to inform her siblings of their
grandfather's death. By him leaving this
symbolizes how Esperanza has to grow up
and care for her family in the absence of her
father, pushing her to responsibility.
An example of a motif in this book being, that
Esperanza is always trying to hide her
poverty from everyone, even the people that
already know her story. Ever since a nun
passed by her house and criticized it, she
has been self-conscious.
In chapter 21, the book references another
symbol. It is the chapter where Esperanza is
at her first day on work. Later on during her
workday, she hasnt made friends. Then an
old man request they be friends, but this old
man ends up abusing her. This chapter
symbolizing the importance to not trust
strangers.