The House on Mango Street

Discussion Questions

Choose 15-20 questions to answer during the week and be prepared to discuss with your group at your meeting. The questions that you choose should be on the pages you are reading for that particular week. Please write or type your answers on a separate paper and include the questions as well. In addition to answering 15-20 questions per week, you will start a story map as well as a character attribute web.

¨  Literary Analysis/Plot Development – Begin a story map. As you continue to read, you will continue to add new information about the characters, setting, problems, and events of the story.

¨  Literary Analysis/Character: Start a character attribute web for Esperanza. You will continue to add to this as you read the novel, noting changes/growth in the character(s).

“The House on Mango Street”

1.  Who tells the story?

2.  How does it feel to move?

3.  Draw a picture of the house on Mango Street, using the author’s word pictures to guide you.

“Hairs”

1.  Why does the storyteller tell about her family members’ hair?

2.  What is “hair that smells like bread”?

“Boys and Girls”

1.  Is the storyteller really a balloon as she says on page 9? Why is the balloon tied to an anchor a good description?

2.  Why don’t Carlos and Kiki watch out for Nenny?

“My Name”

1.  What is Esperanza’s attitude toward her name?

2.  How do most children feel about their names? How do you feel about your own name? Tell about your name and how you feel about it.

3.  Explain the statement, “but I think this is a Chinese lie because the Chinese, like the Mexicans, don’t like their women strong.”

“Cathy Queen of Cats”

1.  What is distinctive about Cathy?

2.  What does the neighborhood getting bad mean?

3.  Do you think Cathy’s father will fly to France one day?

“Our Good Day”

1.  Who are Lucy and Rachel?

2.  How does Cathy react to Lucy and Rachel? How does she reach her opinion? How is Cathy’s reasoning flawed?

“Laughter”

1.  How do Nenny and Esperanza laugh? How does the author tell you? What literary device is used?

2.  How old is Esperanza? Give reasons from the book for your answer.

“Gil’s Furniture Bought and Sold”

1.  Draw a picture of Gil’s Furniture Store.

2.  Why does Esperanza find the music box?

3.  Why does the author use informal language? Incomplete sentences?

“Meme Ortiz”

1.  How do you know in this chapter that the storyteller is a child?

2.  Is there any humor in the chapter? In the story?

3.  Why would someone give a different name when being introduced?

“Louis, his Cousin & His Other Cousin”

1.  Describe Louie’s cousins.

2.  Why was Louie’s cousin put in handcuffs?

3.  Why does the author give more detail about Marin?

“Marin:

1.  Why is Marin living with Louie’s family?

2.  Explain this phrase: “Is waiting for a car to stop, a star to fall, someone to change your life.” Do you favor this approach to life? What is the author’s attitude?

“Those Who Don’t”

1.  Why do outsiders feel afraid of Mango Street?

2.  What does, “All brown all around, we are safe” mean?

3.  Do you agree with the sentiments expressed in this chapter? Why or why not?

“There Was an Old Woman She Had So Many Children She Didn’t Know What to Do”

  1. What was Rosa Vargas’ fate?
  2. How does the author emphasize Rosa’s daily routine with alliteration?
  3. Notice how Cisneros ends the chapter. Look back over other chapters to look for similar chapter endings.

“Alicia Who Sees Mice”

  1. What are Alicia’s dreams and goals for herself?
  2. Why does Alicia bother with the tortilla star?
  3. What is Alicia afraid of?

Darius & the Clouds”

  1. “You can never have too much sky.” What does the statement mean? Is it true?
  2. How I Darius in contrast to the clouds he describes?

“And Some More”

  1. Why are there so many indentations (paragraphs) in this chapter? What about no quotation marks?
  2. How do neighborhoods vary? What creates or constitutes a neighborhood? Describe your neighborhood.
  3. What is “a woman’s place”? How do different people and cultures vary in their definitions?

“The Family of Little Feet”

  1. What does Esperanza’s naming of her neighbors tell you about her?
  2. What adventures happened because of the lemon, red, and pale blue shoes?
  3. What do you think of the bum man?
  4. Explain the last sentence of the chapter.

“A Rice Sandwich”

  1. Who are the special kids?
  2. Why does Esperanza want to stay at school and eat lunch in the canteen?
  3. How does she convince her mother to let her stay for lunch?
  4. How does staying for lunch work out for Esperanza?

“Chanclas”

  1. Explain the title of the chapter.
  2. Is Esperanza justified in being so concerned about her shoes?
  3. Notice how the author makes the scene vivid with details about the setting. Look for examples in this chapter. Make a list.

“Hips”

  1. Why does the author have a chapter on hips? Explain.

“The First Job”

  1. What is Esperanza’s first job? What are the pluses and minuses to the job?
  2. How are the girls in the book treated by the men they meet?

“Papa Who Wakes Up Tired in the Dark”

  1. Why is this a sad chapter?
  2. What kind of life does Esperanza’s Papa have?
  3. How does Esperanza grow up in this chapter?

“Born Bad”

  1. Why does Esperanza feel guilty about Aunt Lupe?
  2. How does Esperanza explain the diseases?
  3. Do you agree with Esperanza’s explanation of diseases? Why or why not?
  4. What is special about Aunt Lupe?
  5. What dos the following statement mean: “you must keep writing. It will keep you free”?

“Elenita, Cards, Palm, Water”

  1. What does the chapter describe?
  2. What is Esperanza’s attitude toward the fortune telling? Give as many answers as you can.
  3. Cite instances of superstitions in the book.
  4. What is “home in the heart” and why is it disappointing?
  5. What are Esperanza’s dreams for the future?
  6. What realities does Esperanza discover in the book? Consider class, gender, racial dislike, and sexuality.

“Geraldo No Last Name”

  1. What happened to Geraldo?
  2. Why was the surgeon so late in coming to work on Geraldo?
  3. How are people identified? How was Geraldo identified?
  4. What is the author’s feeling about Geraldo?

“Edna’s Ruthie”

  1. What is strange about Ruthie?
  2. How can you explain Ruthie?
  3. Have you ever met anyone like Ruthie? In a book? In this book?
  4. Compare Ruthie to Cathy Queen of Cats.

“The Earl of Tennessee”

  1. Why would someone be named the Earl of Tennessee?
  2. Why is Earl a mystery to the neighborhood children?
  3. Have you encountered a neighborhood mystery person? How did you react? Did you invent details?

“Sire”

  1. What do the questions in this chapter suggest about Esperanza’s thinking?
  2. How is Lois a paradox, a contradiction?
  3. Are there other paradoxes, contradictions, in the book?

“Four Skinny Trees”

  1. What do the four skinny trees remind Esperanza of?
  2. Make a t-chart and compare Esperanza to the city trees in appearance, strength, and challenge. Do you think the comparison is appropriate?

“No Speak English”

  1. What is the color for this chapter? Why is it appropriate?
  2. What three characteristics most define Mamacita?
  3. What does the author feel about Mamacita?
  4. What does “Mamasota” mean?

“Rafaela Who Drinks Coconut & Papaya Juice on Tuesdays”

  1. What is the situation of the women on Mango Street? Make a web with a description (bulleted lists are fine) of Rosa Vargas, Alicia, Mamacita, Marin, Elenita, Ruthie, and Rafaela.
  2. Can you make any general statements about how the author feels about the women who live on Mango Street?

“Sally”

  1. What is Sally’s “problem”? Is it strange to call beauty a problem? Why?
  2. Esperanza imagines what Sally might wish for in contrast to her Mango Street existence. Where do these ideas originate? Are they realistic ideas?

“Minerva Writes Poems”

  1. What does a dime smell like? How do you react to the many similes in the book? Do the similes make the word pictures more real? How do the similes suggest the age and viewpoint of the book’s narrator?
  2. Is Minerva a victim? Why? What options does she have?

“Bums in the Attic”

  1. Is Esperanza justified in saying she is ashamed on Sunday outings? Why or why not?
  2. Explain the chapter’s title?

“Beautiful & Cruel”

  1. Esperanza has decided not to grow up tame. What does that mean?
  2. What is Esperanza’s developing opinion of men? Think back over the men she’s described in the book. Collect your ideas about these men and then write a short paragraph to answer the question.
  3. Why do the chapter titles have ampersand instead of “and” written out?

“A Smart Cookie”

  1. How is Esperanza different from her mother? How does she resemble her mother?
  2. What advice would her mother give Esperanza?
  3. Can you identify examples of irony in this chapter?
  4. How does this saying relate to the chapter, “Good judgment comes from experience? Experience comes from bad judgment”?

“What Sally Said”

  1. Why does the author use such an unvarnished, straightforward telling of child abuse?
  2. Why did Sally go home with her father from Esperanza’s house?

“The Monkey’s Garden”

  1. Describe the monkey garden when it was pretty.
  2. How did the monkey garden start to decay?
  3. How did Sally’s comment, “Play with the kids if you want…I’m staying here” tell about her changes?
  4. Why did Esperanza develop a headache?
  5. What did Esperanza learn from the incidents in this chapter?

“Red Clowns”

  1. What did Sally lie about?
  2. How can you describe the mood in the “Red Clowns” chapter? Look for one or two words.
  3. Explain the “Red Clowns” title.
  4. Why don’t the teen-age boys call Esperanza by name?

“Linoleum Roses”

  1. What is Sally’s fate?
  2. What kind of contrasts does the author create in this chapter? How many times are “expect” and “but” used in the chapter?
  3. Detail the chapter’s contrasts. You should be able to list four.
  4. How does the author’s husband feel about Sally’s husband? How do you know?
  5. What advice would you give Sally?
  6. Compare Sally and Esperanza. Make a t-chart and compare home, family, abilities, and expectations.
  7. How do adolescents learn the expected adult roles the will assume? Make a web to list them.
  8. What is the author’s attitude toward men? How do you know?

“The Three Sisters”

  1. Did one of the sisters really have cat eyes? Who had marble hands? Do you think it is a good idea to use figurative language with writing? Why or why not?
  2. Explain the sisters. What is their “power”? Why do they give Esperanza advice?
  3. True or false – “You can’t erase what you know. You can’t forget who you are.”

“Alicia & I Talking on Edna’s Steps”

  1. Why does Esperanza have a sadness?
  2. What is Esperanza’s opinion of the mayor?

“A House of My Own”

  1. How does Esperanza define a house of her own?
  2. Notice how Cisneros often uses repetition in her writing. How is it an effective technique?
  3. Describe a house of your own. Try using Cisneros’ repetition technique.

“Mango Says Goodbye Sometimes”

  1. What is the mood at the end of the book?
  2. What is your favorite image from the book? What did they add to the book?
  3. Who is your favorite neighborhood person? Why?
  4. Describe where you think Esperanza will be in five years.

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