Plot Overview

About the Author

This story is about the life of Esperanza a

chicana girl who is about 12 years old
when the story begins. During this year
she moves into a new house on Mango
Street. Although this house is a big
improvement from her last apartment
Esperanza sees this house as run-down
and small compared to what she
expected. The house is located in
Chicago a neighborhood that is mostly
Latino very poor and even dangerous .
Throughout this story we see Esperanza
grow up physically and mentally.

Sandra Cisneros is a latin- american

american author who was also born in
Chicago. Although this book was
published in 1984 the time period of this
story is during the 1960s. Sandra also
growing up Chicana she decided to write
about the things she saw. And although
the story is fictional she would still put
some of her life events in the book. More
books of this author are Caramelo, Hairs,
Have you Seen Marie, and many more.

Historical Context
The city where Esperanza grew up in was
very poor.Esperanzas economical
situation was not the best either.
Esperanzas parents were more of the
traditional conservative hispanic family.
The men were expected to work and the
women were expected to be stay at home
wives and just cook and clean for the
husband and kids. Esperanzas parents
had the same expectations for her but
she wanted something different.

The House on Mango

Street
Sandra Cisneros
Amy Rocha
9-18-16

Essential Quotes
We didn't always live on Mango
Street. Before that we lived on
Loomis on the third floor, and before
that we lived on Keeler. Before
Keeler it was Paulina, and before
that I can't remember. But what I
remember most is moving a lot.
(1.1)

I knew then I had to have a

house. A real house. One I could
point to. But this isn't it. The
house on Mango Street isn't it.
(1.11)

Reflections
I think this story means that you don't
always have to follow in your familys
footsteps and sometimes you have to
learn how to be able to grow by yourself.

Character Analysis

Themes

Motifs and Symbols

Esperanza- Narrator 12 year old chicana

who would like to have a house on her
own.

One of the themes that I was able to

notice in the story was how important
language was. It puts the example of a
woman named Mamacita who came to
the United States with her husband but
she never learned how to speak English.
Esperanza notices this at a young age
and finds out that not knowing a language
means powerlessness since Mamacita
would never leave her 3rd floor apartment
because of her embarrassment.

One of the biggest symbols in this story I

think is when the book said Sally married
a marshmallow salesman. At first I
believed it as I looked further into that text
I learned that it was symbol. Dally thought
she had the sweet life when she got
married. Instead she was caught in a
sticky mess. And this was proven when
Sally was not allowed to come out of her
house because her husband would not
allow her too.

Rachel and Lucy- They are both sister

and are one of Esperanzas closest
friends. They all got along because
neither did they have the most of
pretentious of clothing.
Sally- She is also one of Esperanzas
closest friends. Yet Sally is more sexually
matured and Esperanza thinks she is
very beautiful and is sometimes
protective over her. Although Sally is not
the best of friends since she leaves
Esperanza alone to go off with some
boys.
Nenny- is Esperanzas younger sister and
because of her young age she can be
very immature and embarrass
Esperanza.
Marin- She sella makeup for Avon and

Another theme I noticed was that gender

played a very big role in the story. When
most of the woman were married their
husbands we very dominant to the point
where their wives could not step foot
outside the house and where only kept to
clean. As Esperanza grew up and noticed
that most men were exploitative and
violent she did not want to feel trapped
instead she did not want any limitations.

Another example is when Esperanza is

conflicted when her neighbor gives her
and her friends some old high heels. It
meamt that she was passing that line
from childhood to womanhood.