The House on Mango Street
Context
Mexican Americans in Chicago
Sandra Cisneros was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Even though this is not said,
Chicago is certainly the city Cisneros chose as the setting for The House on Mango Street.
Chicago has a large Latino community. In the 2010 United States Census, nearly 30 % of
the city's 2.7 million people identified themselves as being of Hispanic descent.
Most of the Mexican natives fleeing Mexico during the Mexican Revolution (1910–20)
looking for more stable lives in the United States travelled to the Southwest. But Chicago
was an easy trip by rail, and there were plenty of jobs available. The wages were low and
the work was hard, which made many white Americans think twice about accepting those
jobs. Realizing the skill and strong work ethic of the Mexican immigrants, recruiters from
Chicago began traveling to the Southwest and the North of Mexico to find employees.
Women eventually followed the men who moved for these jobs, and Mexican communities
started populating the city. They started building churches, organizing festivals, managing
cultural institutions and opening commercial ventures. Latinos of non-Mexican origin also
began arriving in the city. By 1960 the Latino population was steadily increasing. Today
Chicago has the largest Mexican population outside the Southwest and the fifth largest
Latino population in the country.
Latina Feminism and Feminist Literature
Most of the Latino literature published in the 1960s and 1970s was the work of men, who
often wrote about life in the barrio ("neighborhood", in Spanish). But, during the 1980s
many Latin-American women writers started writing about the Latino American
experience. Sandra Cisneros, in particular, felt that the barrio was a dangerous and
oppressive place for women.
The feminist movement of the 1960s and 1970s addressed the issues that concerned white
women of European descent, ignoring the racism endured by women of color, which often
resulted in economic and career discrimination even worse than white women. Therefore,
Latin American women, African American women and women of other non-European
backgrounds suffered two types of discrimination: race and gender. This gave rise to a
separate Latina feminist movement that encouraged educational, political, and social
equality and addressed issues associated with the female experience, such as birth control,
sexism, etc.
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Character Map
Analysis chapter by chapter
Introduction: “A house of my own”
Vocabulary
Walk-in pantry: small room
with shelves to store room
in kitchens.
Down-at-the-hill: in bad
conditions, without money.
Folks: people
Nelson Algren: American
writer from Chicago (19091981)
cloth or a similar fabric, as
cotton (linge de maison)
Thrift store: A place that
sells used clothing (and
other items) for little
money.
Grimy: dirty
Quilt: a covering for a bed
(couette)
Saul Bellow: CanadianAmerican writer from
Chicago (1915-2005)
Saucer: a small, round,
shallow dish for holding a
cup.
Turf: home where someone
lived most of his/her life.
Rooster: cock (coq)
Reek: smell
Drag: bring
Flea market: a market,
often outdoors, with a
number of stalls selling old
or used articles.
Asparagus fern: a plant.
Scold: reprimand or blame
someone severely.
Ought: modal verbs used to
express one's duty or moral
obligation. E.g. Every
citizen ought to help.
Lace: a decorative cloth
made by twisting thin
thread in delicate patterns
with holes in them
(dentelle)
Linen: bedding, tablecloths,
shirts, etc., made of linen
Gringo: (in Latin America
or Spain) a foreigner, esp.
one of U.S. or British
descent.
Be on her own: live alone
Truce: a stopping of
hostilities for a certain
period of time by
agreement of all the
warring parties; a ceasefire.
Big Brother: a person or
organization that attempts
to exercise total control
over people and that
invades their privacy to do
so.
Spot: see
Storefront: the side of a
store facing a street, usually
containing display windows
(vitrine).
Hallway: an entrance hall.
Scuffed: in a rough,
disorderly manner.
Mutter: to say words, or to
make sounds, in a low tone
hard to understand or hear;
murmur.
Crate: a wooden box for
packing, shipping, or
storing.
Furnace: a structure or
apparatus in which heat is
generated, such as for
heating houses, melting
metals, or producing steam
(chaudière).
Savor: to give oneself to
the enjoyment of something
(savourer).
Sunken: made or lying on
a lower level (immerge)
Mija: Spanish colloquial
expression meaning “my
dauther”.
Boast: to speak (of someone
or
something)
with
exaggeration and too much
pride.
Shrug: to raise and contract
(the shoulders), as a sign
that one does not know or
that one does not care about
something (hausser les
épaules).
Soul train: old American
music-dance
television
program.
Karo syrup: American
brand of corn syrup used as
thickener and sweetener in
food preparation.
Lapel: the front part of a
garment, as a jacket, that is
folded back on the chest and
is joined to a collar or forms
one continuous piece with it
(revers).
Nudge: to push slightly or
gently, esp. with the elbow
to get someone's attention
(donner un petit coup de
coude).
To have no clue: toy have
no idea
Make things up: invent
things
Snap (a photo): take a
photo
Jar: a container with a wide
opening, usually made of
glass (bocal).
Pillowcase: taie d'oreiller
Napkin: serviette
Tug: pull out with force or
effort.
Goodwill: place to buy
articles at a very cheap
price.
MFA: Master of Fine Arts
In literary vogue: the
current or popular fashion
at a particular time.
Highbrow literature:
intelligent books with
depth, as opposed to
popular fiction.
Herd: number of animals
feeding, traveling, or kept
together. The phrase “herd
of clouds” is an image.
Drop out: to stop attending
school or college.
Sidestep: avoid, escape
from doing something
(contourner).
Hardback: a book or edition
with covers of cloth,
cardboard, or leather
Graze: to feed on growing
grass or other plant life, as
cattle, sheep, etc., do:
House: printing house
(imprimerie)
Snap: cut
A ride home: se faire
ramener chez soi.
Pliant: flexible
A house on fire: metaphor
meaning a “very dangerous
place”.
Crowded together: filled
with people; having too
many people.
Landlord: a person or
organization that owns and
leases apartments, a
building, land, etc., to
others.
Bout: period
Bruised: to injure by
striking or pressing,
without breaking the skin
but causing a discoloured
spot to develop (couvert de
bleus).
Blow: punch (coup).
Wonderous: marvellous.
Health benefits: assurance
maladie.
Grief: great mental
suffering or distress over a
loss or disappointment
(chagrin)
Drown out: to render (a
sound) inaudible
Drop someone off: to set
down or leave at a place,
such as from a ship or car.
Campy: theatrical
Sob: to weep with a
catching of the breath or in
sudden, short gasps
(sangloter).
Shipwrecked: suffering,
destroyed.
Awful: extremely bad.
Scuffling: a rough,
confused fight (bagare).
Plop it down: plouf (comme
dans l’eau)
(something) is done: is
over, is finished
Braided: tressé
Made-up: invented
Feeway: highway
Provide for: to supply
means of support.
¿Ha llamado Susan?: “Has
Susan called you?” in
Spanish.
Chime: a set of bells
producing musical tones
when struck (carillon).
Write crosses on the
roadside: an image
meaning “women that have
never evolved, never
moved forward”.
To wend one's way: make
one’s way (se mettre en
chemin).
Crane: grue
Ledge: rebord
“otro modo de ser”:
“another way to be” in
Spanish.
Yappy: jappeur
Nimbus: auréole
Bliss: bonheur
The prints of Yoshitoshi:
the drawings of a famous
Japanese painter (XIX
century).
Rooftop: toit
Lured: attracted (attire(e).
Saffron: safran
Periwinkle: colour similar
to lilac.
Morning-glory violet: a
flower; the colour of this
flower.
Drapes: rideaux
River grackle: type of bird.
Plum: prune
Mesquite tree: tree typical
from Mexico.
Rain-rusted: rouille par la
pluie
Sun-bleached : décoloré
par le soleil.
Summary of the introduction: “A house of my own”
The 2009 edition of The House on Mango Street, which is the 25th anniversary edition,
includes an introduction from the author, Sandra Cisneros. She writes about her experiences
in both the first and third person to demonstrate how she has changed since she wrote The
House on Mango Street in the early 1980s, 25 years earlier.
After finishing graduate school, "the young woman" (Cisneros) moves back to her parents'
house in Chicago. She has always wanted a space of her own, so she goes against her
father's wishes and finds a tiny apartment. Her father can't understand why she wants to live
by herself or why she has no interest in being a “TV weather girl.” “Good girls find
husbands and start a family”. But the young woman insists on her independence and keeps
writing at night. During the day, she teaches at-risk high school students who have dropped
out and then returned to school, in English courses. The House on Mango Street reflects her
students' life stories and her own experiences, all mixed up in the main character,
Esperanza.
Cisneros leaves Chicago for San Antonio. Her mother comes to visit. Cisneros wants to
show off her office and the spiral staircase to the rooftop. Her mother is pleased, as they
watch the stars and the full moon from the top of the building. Her mother dies just a few
days later. This edition of the book is dedicated to her.
Chapter 1. “The House on Mango Street”
I. Questions
1) Where did Esperanza 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?
3) Why is the house on Mango Street an improvement over the narrator’s other homes? In what
ways does it fall short of her “dream” house?
4) Describe the house on Mango Street
5)) How large is the narrator’s family? What is their religion?
6) What do you think the following quotation says about the narrator’s feelings about her home? “I
knew then I had to have a house. A real house. One I could point to.”
7) What do you think is the significance of the “four little elms the city planted by the curb”?
II. Vocabulary
Yard: an outdoor space surrounded by a group of buildings, as on a college campus.
Landlord: a person or organization that owns and leases apartments, a building, land, etc., to
others.
Running water: water distributed through pipes and fixtures.
Swollen: protuberant or abnormally distended (as by injury or disease).
Curb: a rim, esp. of joined stones or concrete, along a street, forming an edge for a sidewalk.
Laundromat: a self-service laundry —formerly a U.S. registered trademark.
Nod: to make a slight, quick bending movement of the head, as in agreement, greeting, or
command.
Chapter 2. "Hairs"
I. Questions
1) What character traits are suggested for each of the following family members by the
narrator’s description of each one’s hair?
2) About how old do you think the narrator is at the beginning of the novel?
3) What does the description suggest about the size of the house and of the room and about
the conditions in which they live?
II. Vocabulary
Broom: a tool for sweeping, made up of a brush on a long handle.
Lazy: disinclined to activity or exertion; not energetic or vigorous.
Slippery: causing or tending to cause something to slide or fall.
Fur: the soft, thick, hairy coat of a mammal.
Rosette: any arrangement, part, object, or formation more or less resembling a rose.
Pincurl: a dampened curl that is kept in place by a clip or hairpin.
Bake: to cook by dry heat especially in an oven
Chapter 3. “Boys & Girls”
I. Questions
1) What qualities does the narrator want in a best friend?
2) In what way can it be said the narrator has “mixed” feelings about her sister Nenny?
3) This novel is writing in a poetic style. What do you think is the meaning of the following
metaphor: “Until then I am a red balloon tied to an anchor.”
II. Vocabulary
Pick: to choose or select, esp. with care. Turn out: to become in the end.
Anchor: a heavy device attached by a cable to a vessel and cast overboard to keep the
vessel from drifting by becoming secured to the bottom.
Chapter 4. “My Name”
I. Questions
1) After whom was Esperanza named? What does her namesake's story tell you about the
status of women in Mexican society?
2) What does the story of Esperanza’s grandmother tell you about the status of women in
Mexican society?
3) What do you think this phrase means: “She (Esperanza’s grandmother) looked out the
window her whole life.”?
4) What do you think this phrase means: “I have inherited her name but I don’t want to
inherit her place by the window”?
II. Vocabulary
Sadness: affected with or marked by unhappiness
Muddy: not bright or pure: a muddy colour.
Sobbing: weeping aloud with convulsive gasping; crying uncontrollably.
Wouldn’t marry: didn’t want to marry
Carry her off: remove from a certain place, environment, or mental or emotional state;
transport into a new location or state.
Fancy: highly decorated: a fancy hat.
Forgive: to give up resentment against or stop wanting to punish (someone) for an offense
or fault; pardon.
Inherit: to receive or take over from a predecessor.
Tin: étain
Ugly: unpleasant or unsightly appearance.
Chapter 5. "Cathy Queen of Cats"
I. Questions
1) Why is Cathy's family about to move?
2) Do you think Cathy’s family is really different from the other families of Mexican
origin in the neighbourhood?
II. Vocabulary
Baby-grabber: a person who captures or restrains babies.
Raggedy: Tattered or worn-out; ragged; with torn and hanging pieces of clothing.
Whale: baleine
Stuck-up: conceited, snob (se la raconteur)
Chapter 6. "Our Good Day"
I. Questions
1) How does Esperanza make friends with Lucy and Rachel? What makes them better
friends than Cathy?
II. Vocabulary
Chip in: to offer money as a bet in a game, such as poker.
Crooked: de travers
Sunday shoes: your best pair of shoes (to go to church on Sunday)
Tugging: moving (something) by pulling with force:
Grin: smile broadly
Get it: understand
Wobbly: shaky, unsteady
Get used to it: accustomed to; habituated to:
Crumbly: breaking into small fragments:
Junk store: shop that sells cheap goods at cheap price.
Get quite a load: avoir beaucoup de poids
Sassy: rude and disrespectful; impudent.
Chapter 7. “Laughter”
I. Vocabulary
Popsicle: a brand of flavoured ice-cream on a stick.
Giggle: to laugh with repeated short, spasmodic sounds.
Chapter 8. “Gil’s Furniture Bought & Sold”
I. Questions
1) Why is Esperanza afraid of the black man who runs the junk store?
II. Vocabulary
Punch: to hit with a sharp blow of the fist.
Aisle: corridor
Smart: intelligent
Dime: A coin of the United States or Canada worth ten cents.
Brass: cuivre
Moth: papillon de nuit
Swan: cygne
Quarter: a coin equal to one fourth of the dollar of the United States and Canada.
Lid: a removable or hinged cover for a hollow receptacle or box.
Chapter 9. “Meme Ortiz”
I. Questions
1) Why do you think Esperanza mentions that Meme’s real name is Juan and that his dog has
two names, one in English and one in Spanish?
2) How does Esperanza describe the tree in Meme Ortiz’s backyard? Why do you think she
mentions it?
II. Vocabulary
Limbs: one of the larger branches of a tree.
Flopping: moving about loosely or limply: The dog's ears flopped when it ran.
Untie: to undo or loosen (a knot or something knotted).
Slant: to have or go in a direction other than perpendicular or horizontal; slope.
Lopsided: heavier, larger, or higher on one side than on the other.
Jutting: to extend outward or upward beyond the limits of the main body; project:
Scramble: to move or climb hurriedly using the hands and knees.
Mighty: having or showing great power, skill, strength, or force: a mighty orator; a mighty blow.
Black-tarred: goudronné
Gutter: gouttière
Tucked under ..: to fold the edge of something so as to secure or confine it: He tucked his shirt into
his pants. I tucked the blanket under the mattress.
Contest: competition
Chapter 10. “Louie, His Cousin & His Other Cousin”
I. Questions
1) How do you think Louie’s other cousin got the car?
II. Vocabulary
Alley: a narrow street or passageway between or behind city buildings
With whitewalls: having white sidewalls (bicolore)
Rugs: A floor covering consisting of a piece of heavy fabric, especially one that does not cover the
floor's entire surface.
Floor (v): to press (the accelerator of a motor vehicle) to the floor.
Blur: something that is visually unclear or clouded.
Cop car: police car
Spun a dizzy blue: turned on the blue flashing lamp on its roof
Pleated: A fold, especially one of several parallel folds made by doubling cloth or other material on
itself and then pressing or stitching it into place.
Bruised: injured in a way that causes discoloration to the skin
Forehead: the part of the face between the eyebrows, the normal hairline, and the temples.
Chapter 11. “Marin”
I. Questions
1) Who is Marin? Why is she unable to leave her house? How does she plan to change her
situation? Why do Esperanza and her friends admire her?
2) What type of girl is Marin? In what way is Esperanza different from her?
II. Vocabulary
Take care of (someone):
Downtown: city centre
Fleck: a tiny mark or spot
Skirt: jupe
Blink: to close and open one or both of the eyes rapidly.
Chapter 12. “Those Who Don't”
I. Questions
1) How do outsiders see Esperanza's neighborhood? How does Esperanza feel when she visits
other neighborhoods?
2) What does the sentence “All brown all around, we are safe” mean?
3) Support or refute the following statement: Cisneros believes people of all races feel fear and
prejudice and fit into the category of “Those Who Don’t.”
II. Vocabulary
not know any better: used to say that someone does something bad or stupid because they have not
been told or taught that it is wrong.
Shiny: glossy or polished; bright
Crooked: set at an angle; not straight; deformed or contorted.
Straw brim: chapeau de paille
Shake: to cause to move from side to side or up and down with jerky movements.
Chapter 13. “There Was an Old Woman She Had So Many Children She Didn’t Know What
to Do”
I. Questions
1) Cisneros presents many examples of women’s lives on Mango Street. What do you think
Esperanza learns about a woman’s life from Rosa Vargas?
2) Why does Rosa Vargas cry every day?
3) Why do the neighbours “give up” on the Vargas children?
4) What can you infer about Angel Vargas’ fate by his name? What happens to her son Angel?
II. Vocabulary
Help it: to refrain from; avoid or resist. Used with can or cannot: couldn't help laughing.
Bologna: A large sausage of finely ground pork or other meat, usually served as a cold cut. These
processed meat products are typically an artificially bright pink color, and are foods for low-income
people due to their low cost.
How come: used to ask how or why something has happened. Example:
A: “So how come you missed the train?
B. We had to stop in Birmingham.”
Bend: to cause to assume a curved or angular shape: bend a piece of iron into a horseshoe.
Dangle: to cause to hang loosely or swing: dangled my feet in the water.
Play chicken: to play dangerous games in order to discover who is the bravest.
Swing: to move easily and without interruption backwards and forwards or from one side to the
other, especially from a fixed point
Spit: To eject saliva from the mouth.
Buck tooth: Buck teeth: upper front teeth.
Slat: a narrow thin strip of wood or metal, as used in a gate (portail).
Chapter 14. “Alicia Who Sees Mice”
I. Questions
1) What is Alicia doing to escape from Mango Street
2) Support or refute the following statement: The description of the mice is a metaphor
for a woman’s life on Mango Street.
3) Why do you think Alicia is afraid of “four-legged fur. And fathers”?
II. Vocabulary
Hind legs: the back limb of a quadruped.
Hide: to put or keep out of sight or away from notice: hid the money in a sock.
Sink: A water basin fixed to a wall or floor and having a drainpipe and generally a piped supply of
water, as in a kitchen.
Four-clawed: avec 4 pieds
Tub: An open, flat-bottomed vessel, usually round and typically wider than it is deep, used for
washing, packing, or storing (cuve).
Rolling pin: A smooth cylinder, usually with a handle at each end and often made of wood, used for
rolling out dough (rouleau à pâte)
Four-legged fur: mice (souris)
Chapter 15. “Darius and the Clouds”
I. Questions
1) How does Esperanza describe her neighbourhood?
2) What does Esperanza mean when she says: “Still, we take what we can and make the best
of it”?
3) What do you think the sky represents in the following sentence? “You can fall asleep and
wake up drunk on the sky.”
4) Support or refute the following statement: Esperanza believes God is looking down at the
people on Mango Street and supports their hopes and dreams for the future.
II. Vocabulary
Few: a small number
Fool: stupid
Chase: To follow rapidly in order to catch or overtake; pursue: chase the thief.
Firecracker: a small explosive charge and a fuse in a heavy paper casing, exploded to make noise, as
at celebrations.
Tough: having a great capacity for endurance; hardy and fit: a tough mountaineer.
Pillow: a cloth case stuffed with something soft, such as down, feathers, or foam rubber, used to
cushion a part of the body, especially the head during sleep.
Chapter 16. “And Some More”
I. Questions
1) What evidence is there in this chapter that Rachel and Lucy are learning to be prejudiced
against people with dark skin?
2) In the beginning of this chapter the girls are talking about the many different names for
snow and clouds. What do you think Cisneros is saying about names in this chapter?
3) Cisneros is well known for her unusual style of writing. Besides the poetic structure of the
sentences, what is usual about her style of writing in this chapter? Why are the
conversations between the girls sometimes difficult to understand?
II. Vocabulary
Cute: pretty
Shaving cream: crème à raser
Comb: To arrange or groom (the hair) with or as with a comb (peigne)
Puffy: swollen or bloated: a puffy face
Bare feet: pieds nus
Broom: balai
Lumps: a swelling or small palpable mass in the body (grosseur, protubérance, bosse)
Fleas: puce
Chicken lips: a phrase for calling somebody a slut or a whore.
Cockroach: cafard
Frijoles: haricot, en espagnol
Chapter 17. “The Family of Little Feet”
I. Questions
1) Support or refute the following statement: in this chapter, feet are a symbol for growing up.
2) What do the family of little feet represents?
3) Why do you think Esperanza seems to be surprised the girls “have legs”? How do the shoes
change them?
4) What motivates the grocer to threaten the girls with the police if they don’t take off their
high heels?
5) What effect do they have on the men in the neighbourhood?
6) Why do you suppose “no one complains” when Lucy’s mother throws away the shoes?
II. Vocabulary
Doughy: pâteux, ramolli
Thick: épais
Tamales: Mexican minced-beef pie
Walk with a wobble: limp (boiter)
Toes: feet finger
See-through: transparent
Pop into: To put something (the baby’s toes) into something (is mouth) suddenly.
Plump: Well-rounded and full in form; chubby (rond)
Chalk hopscotch squares: marelle
Cinderella: Cendrillon
Trade: exchange
Satin: soft
Scar: mark left on the skin after an injury or wound has healed.
Scab: croute (sur une plaie)
Strutted: strut: to walk with pompous bearing in order to impress others.
Double-dutch rope: a style of jump-rope, where two ropes are moved counter to one another. One
person stands on each end of the whirling rope-complex, and a third person jumps in the middle of
them.
Tee-totter: when a woman wearing high heels has a hard time walking in different types of terrain
in her painful, badly chosen high heels.
Bum man: street person (clochard)
On the stoop: baissé, penché
Dizzy : silly
Taxicab : an automobile that carries passengers for a fare, usually calculated by a taximeter.
Wrinkled: froissé
Yell: to utter or express with a loud cry, as in pain, fright, surprise, or enthusiasm.
Block: pâté de maison
Bushel basket: panier boisseau
Chapter 18. “A Rice Sandwich”
I. Questions
1) Why does Esperanza want to eat in the school canteen?
2) How does she get her mother to help her?
3) What evidence is there in this story that Esperanza is ashamed of her house?
4) What do you think Esperanza learns about life when she finally gets to eat her rice
sandwich in the canteen?
II. Vocabulary
Principal: school director
Patrol boys: older students helping younger students cross the street.
Wrist: poignet
Anemic wrist: lacking vigour or energy
Lunch meat: any of various sausages or moulded loaf meats sliced and served cold.
Nun: a woman who belongs to a religious order or congregation
Shy: timid
Holler: yell or shout.
Holy pictures: images of saints
Row: A series of objects placed next to each other, usually in a straight line.
three-flats: buildings containing 3 apartments.
Greasy: coated or soiled with grease.
Chapter 19. “Chanclas”
I. Questions
1) What stage in Esperanza’s life does this story capture, and how is this stage portrayed?
2) If feet are a symbol for growing up, what do the brown-and-white school shoes mean in this
chapter?
3) What is the significance of Esperanza’s first adult dance occurring at a baptism?
4) What evidence is there in the story that Esperanza is beginning to notice the boys and that
they are beginning to notice her?
II. Vocabulary
Basement: The lowest habitable part of a building, usually below ground level.
Fan: To direct a current of air or a breeze upon, especially in order to cool: fan one's face.
Saddle shoes: oxford shoes, usually white, with a saddle of contrasting colour, usually brown;
fashionable in the 1940s and 1950s in the US.
Scuffed: scraped and roughened surface (éraflé)
Crooked: de travers
Dumb: stupid
Cousin by first communion: Esperanza means “first cousin” (cousin germain). But she mixes “first
cousin” with “first communion”, probably because they are at a baptism in a church.
Stuff: to place forcefully into a container or space; thrust: stuff the laundry into the bag.
Wad: a compressed ball, roll, or lump, as of tobacco or chewing gum.
Swell: to increase in size or volume as a result of internal pressure; expand.
Plunger: ventouse
Spin: to rotate rapidly; whirl.
Clapping: to strike the palms of the hands together with a sudden explosive sound, as in applauding.
Chapter 20. “Hips”
I. Questions
1) What are the girls doing as they talk about hips? What are hips good for? What does
their conversation tell you about their ages?
2) Why does Esperanza think Nenny belongs to a world she, Rachel, and Lucy don’t belong to
anymore?
3) How old do you think Esperanza is at this point in the story? What evidence is there that
she wants to look more like a woman?
II. Vocabulary
Buick: car brand
Ignition: An electrical system, typically powered by a battery or magneto, that provides the spark to
ignite the fuel mixture in an internal-combustion engine.
Jump rope: corde á sauter
Bloom: To mature or flourish with youth and vigor, like a flower.
Room: space
Behind: The buttocks (fesses)
Lullaby: To quiet with or as if with a lullaby (quite song), for example, a baby.
Rock (the baby): to move back and forth or from side to side, especially gently or rhythmically.
Seashells: the empty shell of a marine mollusc.
Ivy: name of plant
Double-dutch (rope): a style of jump-rope, where two ropes are moved counter to one another. One
person stands on each end of the whirling rope-complex, and a third person jumps in the middle of
them.
Hoochie coochie: general term to describe several sexually provocative belly dance-like dances.
Heebie-jeebie: a general feeling of anxiety, fear, uneasiness, or nausea (in this context, “Heebiejeebie! Doesn’t mean this. It is used only for the purpose of rhythm).
Merengue: Spanish for meringue
Tembleque: Spanish for tremblotant
Wiggle: to move back and forth with quick irregular motions: The gelatin wiggled on the plate.
Tips: pourboire
Dive in: se plonger dans
Soggy: humid
Bathtub: a bath, especially one not permanently fixed
Jaws: the mandible or maxilla or the part of the face covering these bones.
Earring: an ornament worn on or suspended from the ear, especially the earlobe.
Bounce: jump
Naphtha: Amercian brand of soap
Laundry soap: washing detergent (lessive)
Make it up: invent it
Chapter 21. “The first job”
I. Questions
1) What happens to Esperanza on her first day at work?
2) What does this episode tell you about her family and their expectations?
3) Why do the women at work laugh at Esperanza?
4) What makes Esperanza trust the Oriental man? How does he betray her trust?
5) This first job is Esperanza’s first opportunity to experience the world away from Mango
Street. What does her first job teach her about men and women in general?
II. Vocabulary
Social security office: an independent government agency responsible for the Social Security
system
Dime store: In the US, a store selling inexpensive items
Water hydrant: an upright pipe with a spout or nozzle, usu. in the street, for drawing water from a
water main, esp. for fighting fires.
Bus fare: bus ticket
Washroom stall: a compartment with a toilet in it.
Coatroom: a room in which outer garments, umbrellas, etc., may be left temporarily, as in a
restaurant.
Bench: a long seat, often without a back, for two or more persons.
Punch: To make (a hole or opening), as by using a punch or similar implement. In the old days,
employees punched when they arrived to work.
Cheek: The fleshy part of either side of the face below the eye and between the nose and ear.
Chapter 22. “Papa Who Wakes Up Tired in the Dark”
I. Questions
1) What do the Mexican people do to honor their dead?
2) Why does Esperanza’s father cry? How does his crying make her feel?
3) Why does Esperanza’s papa “wake up tired in the dark”? How does Esperanza feel about
her father?
II. Vocabulary
Abuelito: Spanish for grandfather.
Crumple: to collapse.
Spear: a weapon consisting of a long shaft with a sharply pointed end.
Chapter 23. “Born Bad”
I. Questions
1) What happens to Aunt Lupe?
2) What special relationship did Esperanza have with her aunt?
3) What does Esperanza mean when she says, “I think diseases have no eyes.”?
4) Why does Esperanza believe she deserves to go to hell?
5) Why don’t the girls realize their imitations of Aunt Lupe are wrong?
6) What is the impact of Aunt Lupe’s illness on her husband and children?
7) Why do you think Aunt Lupe says to Esperanza, “You just remember to keep writing,
Esperanza. You must keep writing. It will keep you free.”?
8) The last line of the chapter reads, “And then we began to dream the dreams.”
9) What kind of dreams do Esperanza and her friends have after Aunt Lupe’s death?
II. Vocabulary
Pray: prier
Bunch: To be gathered together in folds, as fabric.
Limp: Lacking strength, vigor, or effectiveness; weak
Thirsty: desiring to drink.
Stroke: a single uninterrupted movement, especially when repeated or in a back-and-forth motion,
for example, with the arms when swimming.
Wrinkled: ridé
Drown: submerging and suffocating in water or another liquid.
Rear: at the back
Wicked: evil
Curse: malédiction
Spine: the spinal column of a vertebrate.
Stool: a backless and armless single seat supported on legs or a pedestal.
Dizzy: avoir la tête qui tourne
Felt hat: feutre (chapeau)
Blind: aveugle
Oyster: huître
Well: A deep hole into the earth to obtain water, oil, gas, etc.
Chapter 24. “Elenita, Cards, Palm, Water”
I. Questions
1) Why do you think Esperanza goes to Elenita, the witch woman, to hear her fortune? What is
Esperanza hoping for?
2) List the superstitions or cures attributed to Elenita’s power.
3) What does Elenita predict for Esperanza’s future? How does Esperanza feel about this
prediction?
4) What might “a home in the heart” mean?
II. Vocabulary
Witch: sorcière
Rag: a piece of cloth used for cleaning, washing, or dusting.
Kool-Aid: a trademark for a powder, syrup, or concentrate that the consumer mixes with water to
make a sweet, flavoured beverage,
Give away: give as a present
On account of: because of
Holy: saint
Plaster: plâtre
Palm Sunday: Sunday before Easter (les Rameaux)
Voodoo: religion, witchcraft (vaudou)
Tap: robinet
Bubble: bulle
Thorn: épine
Goblet: verre à pied
Sorrow: chagrin
Pillar: colonne
Mattress: matelas
Rude: ill-mannered, discourteous, or insulting.
Spit: To eject saliva from the mouth.
Stuff: things
Chapter 25. “Geraldo No Last Name”
I. Questions
1) Why does Geraldo have no last name? From the information Cisneros provides, do
you believe that his death was inevitable?
2) Support or refute the following statement with incidents from this chapter: Geraldo
is the stereotype of an illegal Mexican whose life is of no importance.
II. Vocabulary
Hit-and-run: being or involving the driver of a motor vehicle who leaves the scene of an accident,
especially one in which a pedestrian or another vehicle has been struck.
Brazer: a term for a person of Mexican descent. It usually considered as a term of endearment and
rarely used in an offensive way.
Wetback: Used as a disrespectful term for a person of Mexican birth or descent, especially one who
has crossed the US-Mexico border illegally.
Matter: be important.
Kitchenette: little kitchen
Shrug: hausser les épaules
Chapter 26. “Edna’s Ruthie”
I. Questions
1) What evidence is there in this chapter that Ruthie may be mentally handicapped?
2) Why do you think Esperanza like Ruthie?
3) Why do you think that, when Esperanza finishes reciting the poem, Ruthie says: You have
the most beautiful teeth”?
II. Vocabulary
Lipstick: a cosmetic for colouring the lips, usually in the form of a stick
Babushka: a headscarf, folded triangularly and tied under the chin, traditionally worn by women in
eastern Europe.
Throw out: to force to leave a place, especially in an abrupt or unexpected manner:
Whistle: to produce a musical sound by passing air through your mouth.
Wink: To close and open (an eye or the eyes) rapidly.
Deal (cards):
Scarcely: Certainly not
Odd: strange
Chapter 27. “The Earl of Tennessee”
I. Questions
1) What indications are there in this chapter that Esperanza is still very young and naïve?
2) Why is a white Southerner like Earl living on Mango Street?
II. Vocabulary
Swing: to from a curve:
Blinds: a window shade or a Venetian blind, that hinders vision or shuts out light (store).
Wedge: bloquer [qch] avec une cale.
Leap: spring or jump
Somersault: to execute an acrobatic stunt in which the body rolls forward or backward in a complete
revolution with the knees bent and the feet coming over the head (faire un saut périlleux).
Scrape: éraflure, égratignure
Concrete: béton
Moan: a low, sustained, mournful cry, usually indicative of sorrow or pain.
Sigh: to exhale audibly in a long deep breath, as in weariness or relief.
Moldy: covered with or containing mold (moisissure): moldy bread.
Damp: slightly wet
The word is that…: people say that…
Crook: a part that is curved or bent like a hook.
Chapter 28. “Sire”
I. Questions
1) Why is Esperanza afraid of Sire?
2) What do her parents think of him?
3) Why is she so curious about what he does with Lois, and why does this curiosity
make her feel as though “everything is holding its breath inside me”?
4) What is the following passage saying about Lois’ maturity level compared to
Esperanza’s? Hint: Remember feet may be a symbol for maturity. “…she was
barefoot, and I saw her barefoot baby toenails all painted pale pink … her bones are
long like ladies’ bones … But she doesn’t know how to tie her shoes. I do.”
5) How does Esperanza feel about her ability to attract Sire’s attention?
6) What is the meaning of the following passage? What are the trees saying?
“Sometimes I hear them laughing late, beer cans and cats and the trees talking to
themselves: wait, wait, wait.”
7) The neighbours make no judgments about Earl. He can do as he pleases with as
many women as he wants. What about Lois? What kind of girls is she according to
Esperanza’s parents? What does that reveal about how sexuality of men and women
is seen in the Mexican culture?
II. Vocabulary
Pitch pennies:
Glass: in this context, it means “transparent”
Brave: courageous
Bump into: To strike or collide with something
Store: shop
Barefoot: with nothing on the feet:
Alley: a narrow street or passageway between or behind city buildings.
Hold its breath: to intentionally stop breathing for a short period of time.
Swear: to make a very serious, solemn pledge, especially that one is telling the truth (jurer)
Chapter 29. “Four Skinny Trees”
I. Questions
1) What do the four trees teach Esperanza?
II. Vocabulary
Pointy: pointu
Elbow: coude
Ferocious: féroce
Roots: racines
Beneath: under
Keep: in this context, “survive”
Droop: to bend or hang downward
Tulips: type of flower
Bricks: a moulded rectangular block of clay baked by the sun or in a kiln until hard and used as a
building and paving material.
Reach: to make a movement (towards), as if to grasp or touch something
Chapter 30. “No Speak English”
I. Questions
1) What eight English words—or, really, phrases—does Mamacita know?
2) What do they tell you about the ways in which Mexican immigrants relate to the “official,”
English-speaking culture outside their communities?
3) What do you think is the significance of Mamacita’s small pink shoes?
4) Why is Mamacita upset when the baby starts speaking English? What is Cisneros saying
about Mexican children in this chapter?
II. Vocabulary
Mamasota: Spanish for “big mother”
Mean: evil
Ankle: cheville
Flutter: to move or fall in a manner suggestive of tremulous flight: "Her arms rose, fell, and
fluttered with the rhythm of the song"
Bloom: to appear or come into being suddenly (éclore)
Rosebuds: bouton de rose
Flights: steps
Hamandeggs: ham and eggs
Homesick: depressed or melancholy at being away from home and family.
Seagull: mouette
Hollyhocks: a plant with pink flowers
Startled: in this context “bright”
Sigh: to exhale audibly in a long deep breath, as a sign of sadness or relief.
Belong: to be in an appropriate situation or environment:
Thread: fil
Tin: étain
Bubble into tears: to form bubbles (bulles) when crying
Chapter 31. “Rafaela Who Drinks Coconut & Papaya Juice on Tuesdays”
I. Questions
1) What is making Rafaela grow old?
2) Who was Rapunzel, and why would Rafaela dream of having hair like hers?
3) What does Esperanza learn from Rafaela about the life of a young married woman on
Mango Street?
II. Vocabulary
Crumple: wrinkled (froissé)
Clothesline: a cord, rope, or wire on which clothes may be hung to dry or air.
Bitter: amer
Dance hall: a building or part of a building with facilities for dancing.
Throw green eyes: in this context, "to cast green eyes at men on the dance floor” (draguer, flirter)
Dice: dé
String: ficelle
On a silver string: the original phrase is “on a silver plate”, which means “to be treated as if one
were a trophy. But “plate” is replaced by “string”, to emphasize the macho attitude of Mexican
men, who think that a woman is a prize
Chapter 32. “Sally”
I. Questions
1) Describe the relationship between Sally and her father.
2) How do her schoolmates see her?
3) What transformation takes place when Sally comes home?
4) Why does Sally’s father prevent her from leaving their home after school?
5) At one point in this chapter, it is confusing as to whether the author is writing about
Sally or about Esperanza. Find a sentence in this chapter that is about Sally but is
also about Esperanza’s dream.
6) Assume Sally’s dreams in the chapter are really Esperanza’s dreams. What does
Esperanza want more than anything else?
II. Vocabulary
Nylons: bas nylon
Raven: A large bird (Corvus corax) of the Northern Hemisphere, having black plumage.
Feathers: plumage of a bird
Brush: brosse
Bleed: to lose blood
Schoolyard: an open area next to a school building for play and outdoor activities.
Fence: clôture, barrière, palissade
Coatroom: a room in which outer garments, umbrellas, etc., may be left temporarily, as in a
restaurant.
Rub: to remove or erase by applying pressure and friction.
Latch: A fastening, as for a door or gate, typically consisting of a bar that fits into a notch or slot
and is lifted from either side by a lever or string.
Shove: the act of pushing quickly, forcefully or roughly:
Swing open: to open with a back and forth movement, as if suspended from above.
Nosy: given to or showing an intrusive curiosity about the affairs of others.
Chapter 33. “Minerva Writes Poems”
I. Questions
1) Why does Minerva write poems?
2) Why is she black and blue when she comes to visit Esperanza?
3) What does Esperanza mean at the end of the chapter when she says, “I don’t know which
way she’ll go. There is nothing I can do.”?
4) Why do you think Esperanza might be particularly moved by Minerva’s sad life?
II. Vocabulary
Fold: To bend over or double up so that one part lies on another part: fold a sheet of paper.
Dime: A coin of the United States or Canada worth ten cents.
Through: to have decided to stop doing something that you used to do
Chapter 34. “Bums in the Attic”
I. Questions
1) What does Esperanza’s father do for a living?
2) Why has Esperanza stopped joining her family on their Sunday outings?
3) Why is Esperanza happy to tell her guest that she has “bums” in the attic? What is
she saying about her life on Mango Street?
II. Vocabulary
Stuck-up: conceited, snob (se la raconter)
Hungry: experiencing a desire or need for food.
Content: satisfied
Garbage: rubbish
Bum: street person (clochard)
Floorboard: parquet, plancher
Squeak: couiner
Crumble: grogner, maugréer
Chapter 35. “Beautiful & Cruel”
I. Questions
1) What is the nature of Esperanza’s “quiet war” [89]? Against whom—or what—is
she fighting?
2) Who is Esperanza talking about in the following passage? “…but I have decided not
to grow up tame like the others who lay their necks on the threshold waiting for the
ball and chain.”
3) Many critics consider The House on Mango Street a feminist novel. How does the
following passage support this idea? “I have begun my own quiet war. Simple.
Sure. I am one who leaves the table like a man, without putting back the chair or
picking up the plate.”
II. Vocabulary
Ugly: not pretty
Dusty: poussièreux
Tame: submissive; docile
Threshold (of a window): a piece of wood or stone placed under a door or window.
Plate: dish
Chapter 36. “A Smart Cookie”
I. Questions
1) Why does Esperanza’s mother quit school? What advice does she give her daughter?
2) List Esperanza’s mother’s talents. What can’t she do?
3) What things might she not know that Esperanza does?
II. Vocabulary
Morning glories: type of plant
Oatmeal: meal that is made from oats (flocons d'avoine)
Fool: stupid
Stir: mélanger
Comadre: Mexican for “a close friend or associate; a companion”
Shame: a painful emotion caused by the belief that one is, or is perceived by others to be, inferior or
unworthy of affection or respect because of one's actions, thoughts, circumstances, or experiences
I had brains: I was intelligent
Chapter 37. “What Sally Said”
I. Questions
1) Why does Sally go home with her abusive father?
2) Given what you have learned about life on Mango Street, do you think he is justified in
worrying about Sally’s virtue (vertu, chasteté)?
II. Vocabulary
Sweetbread: The thymus gland or pancreas of a young animal, especially a calf or lamb, used for
food.
Buckle: boucle de la ceinture
Chapter 38. “The Monkey Garden”
I. Questions
1) How does the Monkey Garden change?
2) Support or refute the following statement with incidents from the chapter: The monkey
garden is a metaphor for Esperanza’s childhood.
3) From whom is she trying to save her friend Sally?
4) Why do you suppose Esperanza feels “angry inside” when Sally agrees to kiss the boys to
get her keys back?
5) Compare the reaction of Titos’ mother to his kissing a girl with the reaction of Sally’s
father when he catches her talking to a boy. What is your opinion about the behavior of
these two parents? Are they normal? Is it fair?
6) Why do you think Esperanza feels “ashamed” when she tries to stop the boys from kissing
Sally? What makes her feel so terrible she wants to be dead?
II. Vocabulary
Twangy: nasillard
Yakkety-yak: onomatopoeia (sound of people speaking quickly)
Table top: dessus de table
Cockscomb: flower with red or yellow spikes (crête-de-coq)
Fringe: frange
Hum: bourdoner (sound of an insect)
Thorn: avec des épine
Thistle: chardon
Pear: poire
Weeds: mauvaise herbe
Squinty-eyed: avec les yeux qui louchent
Brush : cluster of low plants (broussailles)
Rotting : en décomposition
Hollyhocks: tall flowering plant (rose trémière, passerose)
Poke : pousser [qch] du doigt
Sandy : made of sand (sable)
Soil: ground
Beetle: scarabée
Lady bug: coccinelle
Windshield: pare-brise
Hide-and-seek: cache-cache
Rip Van Winkle: character in a short story by the American author Washington Irving. Rip Van
Winkle falls asleep in the Catskill Mountains and wakes up 20 years later.
Soggy: trempé
Turn to: become
Stockings: bas
Stuck-up: conceited, snob (se la raconter)
Mad: angry
Punch: hit
Stick: bout de bois
Buddies : friends
Grin : to smile broadly, often baring the teeth, as in amusement, glee, embarrassment, or other
strong emotion.
Flights: steps
Pop bottle: a bottle for holding soft drinks
Cops: police officers
Ashamed: avoir honte
Hiccup: hoquet
Will: forcer
Melt: mix
Headache: mal de tète
Chapter 39. “Red Clowns”
I. Questions
1) What happens to Esperanza at the carnival? Why does she say that Sally lied to her?
2) A clown is defined as a person who constantly plays the fool, a trickster, and buffoon.
Using this definition what do you think the red clowns might represent in this story?
II. Vocabulary
Tilt-a-whirl: a spinning-platform amusement ride that exposes its riders to unpredictable
combinations of tilting, spinning and horizontal movement.
Change: money in the form of coins
Wave: to make a signal with an up-and-down or back-and-forth movement of the hand or an object
held in the hand.
Grab: to catch, take or grasp suddenly
Sour: Having a sharp taste characteristic of that produced by acids.
Whirl: to rotate or turn around rapidly.
tipped: sommet
Gym shoes: a light rubber-soled canvas shoe, suitable for sports or casual wear.
Chapter 40. “Linoleum Roses”
I. Questions
1) What eventually happens to Sally?
2) How does Esperanza feel about her marriage?
3) What is the significance of the title of this chapter? What do the linoleum roses represent?
4) Approximately, how old is Esperanza at this point in the story?
II. Vocabulary
Marshmallow: Chamallow
Bazaar: a permanently enclosed marketplace or street where goods and services are exchanged or
sold.
Drapes: curtain
Ceiling: the upper interior surface of a room.
Smooth: soft
Chapter 41. “The Three Sisters”
I. Questions
1) What are the signs or superstitions that signal the death of the baby?
2) How does Esperanza meet the three sisters?
3) What do you think Esperanza wishes for?
4) What kind of future do they predict for her?
5) Why does the sister with the marble hands tell Esperanza that she must “remember
to come back for the others”?
6) What is the responsibility they place on her?
II. Vocabulary
Thumb: pouce
Candy: sweet
Stick of gum:
Blue-veined: with hands that have blue veins that are visible.
Erase: remove
Wish: a feeling that one would like to have or do something or to see something happen; a desire,
longing, or strong inclination for a specific thing.
Rub: to remove or erase by applying pressure and friction.
Cinnamon: cannelle
Chapter 42. “Alicia & I Talking on Edna’s Steps”
I. Questions
1) How much time has passed since the beginning of the book?
2) How are Guadalajara and Mango Street alike?
3) Why does Alicia think it is important for Esperanza to think of Mango Street as her home
and return to it someday?
4) What does Esperanza’s feeling that she doesn’t have a home tell about the way Chicanos
feel about themselves?
II. Vocabulary
Stitched: cousu
Mayor: the head of government of a city, town, borough, or municipal corporation.
Chapter 43. “A House of My Own”
I. Questions
1) Why do you think Esperanza describes her house as “clean as paper before the poem”?
II. Vocabulary
Porch: terrasse couverte
Chapter 44. “Mango Says Goodbye Sometimes”
I. Questions
1) Where is Esperanza in this last chapter?
2) How does she manage to escape from Mango Street?
3) Why does she describe herself as a girl who “didn’t want to belong”?
4) This is a coming-of-age novel. What has Esperanza learned about herself in the past
year? How has she changed her attitude toward Mango Street?
5) Why do you think the following passage from the first chapter is repeated in the last
chapter? “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.”
II. Vocabulary
Trudge: to walk in a laborious, heavy-footed way
Ghost: in this context, “memories”
Ache: cause pain
Behind: derrière
Conclusion
-
Most of the people in the neighborhood are Latino (of Spanish heritage) and they
are poor. Based on the book, what have you learned about Latino culture? About
American culture?