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The House on Mango Street: Guided Reading Sections 1-3 Questions For the next few weeks we will be reading, studying and analyzing Sandra Cisneros’ short novel, The House on Mango Street. The novel is made up of 44 short character sketches, or stories, called vignettes. Esperanza, a Mexican-American young woman who just moved with her family to Mango Street, narrates them. Since the stories don’t really follow each other chronologically, we are going to read the novel in the thematic sections outlined for you below.

Directions: Before you begin reading each section, answer the prereading question in at least one full paragraph (5-7 sentences). As you read each section, complete the guided reading questions that follow.

Section One: Self Definition and Identity Pre-reading question: What is the personal significance of your given name (first, middle and last)? Does your name mean different things to you, your family, and your friends? What are your nicknames? What do your nicknames mean to you and those who call you those names?

Read pp. 3-11 “The House on Mango Street,” “Hairs,” “Boys and Girls,” “My Name” Guided Reading Questions: 1. Where did the narrator live before she moved to The House on Mango Street? How were her previous homes different?

2. In what kind of house would she like to live? Does her new home live up to her expectations? Why not?

3. Identify three elements of a vignette that are present in the section “The House on Mango Street” (i.e. theme, figurative language, tone, character description). Quote your example and cite! Ex: (Cisneros 5).

4. How can we characterize Esperanza’s feelings about her mother based upon her description of her mother's hair? How might she feel about her mother? Name______Date______Period______

5. What does Esperanza mean when she says, “The boys and girls live in separate worlds” (Cisneros 8). How might this statement represent the idea of the influence of gender roles in society?

6. What does Esperanza say her name means? What does her great grandmother’s story tell you about the status of women in her society?

Section Two: Friendship, Neighborhood, Home Pre-reading question: Is living in a house your family owns different from living in a house or apartment your family rents? How? Are renters, owners and homeless people all considered equal citizens in America? Why or why not?

Read pp. 12-25 “Cathy Queen of Cats;” “Our Good Day,” “Laughter,” “Gil’s Furniture Bought and Sold,” “Meme Ortiz,” “Louie, His Cousin and His Other Cousin” Guided Reading Questions: 1. How does Esperanza make friends with Lucy and Rachel in “Our Good Day?” What makes them better friends than Cathy?

2. As you read “Meme Ortiz,” what details indicate Esperanza is still a child? Cite each example according to MLA style (author and page number).

3. Describe Louie’s two cousins. How can characterize Marin? The male cousin?

Section Three: Freedom and Entrapment Name______Date______Period______

Pre-reading question: In what areas of your life are you most free to do what you like? In what areas of your life do you have the least freedom? Consider the roles gender, race, religion, education, class, age, and upbringing play in limiting an individual’s personal freedom.

Read pp. 26-38 “Marin;” “Those Who Don’t;” “There Was an Old Woman…;” “Alicia Who Sees Mice;” “Darius and the Clouds;” “And Some More” Guided Reading Questions: 1. How do outsiders see Esperanza's neighborhood in “Those Who Don’t”? How does Esperanza feel when she visits other neighborhoods?

2. What does this reaction say about how her society treats people of lower income or socioeconomic status?

3. What are Alicia’s hopes and dreams? What does her description say about her freedom in her own home?