Name:
Date:
The House on Mango Street
Creative Writing: Vignettes (ACD)
v Sandra Cisneros tells her readers that she decided to write her novel, The House on Mango Street, because "you will always be Mango Street. You can't erase what you know. You can't forget who you are." The purpose of this project is to create your own book which will help you remember what you know, as well as show others who you are.
Your book must have the following items:
* An Original Cover (15 points)
* Title/Title Page (2 points)
* Dedication Page (8 points)
* Table of Contents (5 points)
* 3 Chapters (see below) (15 points each)
TOTAL POSSIBLE: 80 points
Your chapters must be chosen from the journals that you have been keeping throughout the novel
**Remember that you should have one journal response for each vignette
Chapter length: Each chapter must be between 350 and 500 words
The chapters can be in any order you choose as long as it follows your table of contents. The project is worth 80 points and should reflect a great deal of effort. Make sure that you are prepared as your checkpoints arrive. We will be conferencing in class.
Writing Focus: We will work together in class towards several areas that you will focus in your writing.
You will be improving your writing by focusing on showing and not telling your audience your short tales. You will use figurative language and vivid description to paint a picture for your reader. For instance, instead of saying “Mrs. Auld was ecstatic when she won the Scrabble tournament,” you would write, “Mrs. Auld’s fingers trembled; a grin bloomed as she celebrated her monumental Scrabble victory. She felt like a triple-word score.”
Writing Process: You will be keeping a journal of written responses for each vignette read in class.
These responses will only be between 8-10 sentences and will be checked periodically for credit. Please keep track of these journal responses, as they will be your focus as you choose which responses you would like to turn into vignettes for your final project.
Vignette Journal Responses
Directions: You will be held accountable for keeping track of your responses throughout the novel. I will be checking these throughout our reading. Remember, they only need to be 8-10 sentences. Make sure that you are including enough detail to answer the question and be able to return to it during your writing process.
1. “The House on Mango Street”
· Have you ever had to move to a new house? How did you take the move when you first found out? Did it change the way you felt about yourself?
2. “Hairs”
· What types of features did you get from your parents? Use figurative language (similes, metaphors, personification etc.) to describe your own physical features.
3. “Boys & Girls”
· Do you ever feel like your siblings and you are treated differently? How so? If you’re an only child, have you ever seen something like this in someone else’s family?
4. “My Name”
· Separate Activity- No journal
5. “Cathy Queen of Cats”
· Has anyone ever put you down for something that you couldn’t control? How did this make you feel and how did you respond?
6.” Our Good Day”
· Have you ever had to choose sides with friends? How did it make you and your friends feel? Was it worth it?
7. “Laughter”
· How are you and your siblings similar and different? Do people often assume that you are the same? If you are an only child, have you ever had a close friend or relative that you feel like a sibling with? What are your similarities or differences?
8. “Gil’s Furniture Bought & Sold”
· Have you ever found treasure out of someone else’s old junk? Describe a time where you found something exciting that others considered trash.
9. “Meme Ortiz”
· Do you have more than one name (such as a nickname)? Why? What is the importance of each?
10. “Louie, His Cousin & His Other Cousin”
· Did your friends ever try to convince you to do something that you knew was wrong? How did you feel in this situation and what did you do?
11. “Marin”
· Have you ever looked up to someone that was older than you? What type of influence did they have on you and others your age?
12. “Those Who Don’t”
· Have you ever witnessed similar prejudice in real life about neighborhoods? Describe an event when you have experienced a different neighborhood and perhaps felt uncomfortable. Why do you think this is?
13. “There Was an Old Woman She Had So Many Children She Didn’t Know What to Do”
· How big is your family? How does this affect how each of you interacts with one another?
14. “Alicia Who Sees Mice”
· Does anyone in your life ever put pressure on you to become something specific? How does it make you feel when others try to persuade you towards a specific future?
15. “Darius & the Clouds”
· Has anyone you knew ever done something extremely unexpected? Perhaps a super tough boy catches a bug and lets it go instead of killing it. Or maybe a very quiet girl suddenly shouts in excitement over something that she is passionate about. How did this event make you feel differently about that person?
16. “And Some More”
· Agree or Disagree: Sticks and stones can break your bones, but words can never hurt you. Explain your stance. Describe a personal event that supports your opinion.
17. “The Family of Little Feet”
· Have you ever found danger in unexpected things? What happened and how did you deal with the risk?
18. “A Rice Sandwich”
· When was an instance where you were disappointed because your expectations were not met? How did you react?
19. “Chanclas”
· When was a moment when you allowed one small element to ruin the whole? Looking back, do you think that your reaction was fair?
20. “Hips”
· What responsibilities in your future do you look forward to? What about growing up seems promising to you? What feels intimidating?
21. “The First Job”
· When have you pretended to know something to not show your ignorance? Did it help the situation and how did it make you feel?
22. “Papa Who Wakes up Tired in the Dark”
· Have you or your family ever experienced loss? Describe what it was like and how you changed through this experience. **No one else will read this if you are uncomfortable
23. “Born Bad”
· Do you think that people can be born “bad?” Describe an event that you have experienced where someone just seemed to have been born “bad?”
24. “Elenita, Cards, Palm, Water”
· Do you consider yourself superstitious? What types of things do you do even if they don’t really make much sense?
25. “Geraldo, No Last Name”
· Agree or Disagree: Because a person doesn’t matter to the people around him or her, he or she doesn’t mean much to anyone.
26. “Edna’s Ruthie”
· Why do you think people lie? Have you ever been caught in a lie? Was it worth it?
27. “The Earl of Tennessee”
· Have you ever met someone that seems like a loner? Why do you think some people just enjoy being alone?
28. “Sire”
· When have you had to put on a brave face even though you weren’t feeling that way? Describe a time when you were forced to pretend to feel differently from how you really did.
29. “Four Skinny Trees”
· Esperanza compares herself to skinny trees. The author uses her beautiful language to describe our main character and trees in the same instant. What can you compare to yourself? Describe both yourself and your item by using figurative language.
30. “No Speak English”
· When have you felt out of your comfort zone? How did you react?
31. “Rafaela Who Drinks Coconut & Papaya Juice on Tuesdays”
· How have you shown little rebellions when forced to conform to someone else’s idea of how your life should be? Why do you think we do this? Example: sometimes students that need to wear uniforms will wear lots of makeup or crazy jewelry to still show their individuality.
32. “Sally”
· How do people’s actions lead to dangerous consequences? Reflect on a time that you wish you could go back and change a mistake that you made.
33. “Minerva Writes Poems”
· “Minerva Writes Poems” is told to be a cautionary tale- something that could happen to Esperanza if she is not careful. When have friends or family told you cautionary tales? How did they affect your future choices and behaviors?
34. “Bums in the Attic”
· Agree or Disagree: “I won’t forget who I am or where I came from.” What role does place play in your past?
35. “Beautiful & Cruel”
· How do you think people stick to gender roles? Do you think that it’s okay to ignore gender roles? For example, do you think it’s weird when girls play football and boys join cheerleading?
36. “Smart Cookie”
· What does it mean to you to “be somebody?” Reflect on how you will make choices to become who you want to be.
37. “What Sally Said”
· Do you think that the people in your life compare you to siblings or other family members? Do you think that this is fair?
38. “The Monkey Garden”
· As you turn into a teen, you leave behind many of your carefree moments in life. What do you miss most from elementary school? Describe a moment that you would like to revisit from your childhood.
39. “Red Clowns”
· Has a friend ever betrayed or abandoned you in a time of need? How did this change your relationship?
40. “Linoleum Roses”
· Have you ever settled? Describe a time in your life when you settled for something, even though you didn’t want it.
41. “The Three Sisters”
· Do you think that when you leave people behind you are always being selfish? Describe a moment when your feelings were not very clear when leaving others behind.
42. “Alicia & I Talking on Edna’s Steps”
· We identify with where we live. How do you feel an ownership of your neighborhood or city?
43. “A House of My Own”
· Each of us has a space all our own. Describe your thinking place or a place that you would like to have some time in the future. Why are these physical spaces so important to us?
44. “Mango Says Goodbye Sometimes”
· Do you ever want to leave your hometown? Where would you go and why? Describe what you hope it will be like.
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