The House on Mango Street
By Sandra Cisnero
Study Guide
Character Descriptions:
 Esperanza Cordero:
 Nenny:
 Rachel:
 Lucy:
 Mama:
 Papa:
 Sally:
 Cathy:
 Kiki:
 Carlos:
 Great-grandmother Esperanza:
 Meme Ortiz:
 Louie:
 Marin:
 Alicia:
 Darius:
 Aunt Lupe:
 Elenita:
 Geraldo:
 Ruthie:
 Edna:
 Earl:
 Sire:
 Mamacita:
 Rafaela:
 Minerva:
Chapter Questions:
Chapter 1: The House on Mango Street
1. Who tells the story?
2. Have you ever moved before? How does the narrator feel about moving?
Chapter 2: Hairs
1. Why do you wear your hair a certain way? What does your hair say about you?
How is your hair different from other family member’s hair?
2. Why do you think the narrator tells about her family member’s hair?
Chapter 3: Boys & Girls
1. Why don’t the brothers have any responsibilities at home?
Chapter 4: My Name
1. What does your name mean?
2. What does Esperanza find shameful or burdensome about her name? Why might
Cisneros have chosen this name for her protagonist?
Chapter 5: Cathy Queen of Cats
1. Do you think Cathy’s father will fly to France one day? Why or why not?
2. What do you think the last line implies?
Chapter 6: Our Good Day
1. How does Cathy act toward Lucy and Rachel? Why?
2. What would have happened if Esperanza listened to Cathy?
Chapter 7: Laughter
1. What similarities do Esperanza and Nenny have? Are you like your sister(s) or
brother(s)?
Chapter 8: Gil’s Furniture Bought & Sold
1. Why is Esperanza interested in the music box?
2. Why do you think she feels she has to look away and pretend it doesn’t interest
her?
Chapter 9: Meme Ortiz
1. What indicates Esperanza is still a child?
2. How do the residents of Mango Street interact with one another?
Chapter 10: Louie, His Cousin & His Other Cousin
1. What doesn’t Esperanza realize about Louie’s cousin?
2. List details that describe Marin.
Chapter 11: Marin
1. Why is Marin living with Louie’s parents?
2. Why does Esperanza like Marin?
3. What does the last line imply about Marin?
Chapter 12: Those Who Don’t
1. Why do strangers feel afraid when they go to Esperanza’s town?
2. Why do people from Esperanza’s town feel afraid when they go to another town?
Chapter 13: There Was an Old Woman…
1. What is the mothers fate (situation)?
2. What do you think happened at the end?
Chapter 14: Alicia Who Sees Mice
1. What are Alicia’s goals and dreams?
2. Why does she make the lunches?
3. What is Alicia afraid of? Why?
4. How has Esperanza's relationships with Alicia changed since "Cathy Queen of
Cats"?
Chapter 15: Darius and the Clouds
1. Why is Esperanza surprised that Darius says the cloud was God?
Chapter 16: And Some More
1. What is going on in this chapter? Have you ever argued over something silly?
Chapter 17: The Family of Little Feet
1. What do you think it’s like for girls to wear their first pair of heels?
2. What might the shoes symbolize?
3. What happens when the girls wear the shoes?
4. Why aren’t they upset when the shoes are thrown out?
Chapter 18: A Rice Sandwich
1. Why does Esperanza want to stay at school and eat lunch in the canteen?
2. What does she realize about canteen?
3. What kind of person is Esperanza? What does the reader learn from this story
about her strengths and weaknesses?
Chapter 19: Chanclas
1. Why is Esperanza so concerned about her shoes?
2. What is significant about the last lines, “All night the boy who is a man watches
me dance. He watched me dance.”
Chapter 20: Hips
1. What’s happening to the two sisters?
2. Why do you think this chapter talks about hips?
3. How does Esperanza distinguish herself from Nenny in this story? Does this
distinction echo the one in "Gil's Furniture Bought and Sold"?
Chapter 21: The First Job
1. In your opinion, was Esperanza old enough for the job?
2. What are your reactions to the end of this chapter?
Chapter 22: Papa Who Wakes Up Tired in the Dark
1. What does Esperanza realize about her father?
Chapter 23: Born Bad
1. Why does Esperanza feel guilty about Aunt Lupe?
2. How does she explain diseases? Do you agree?
Chapter 24: Elenita, Cards, Palm, Water
1. What is going on in this chapter?
2. What is Esperanza’s attitude toward the Fortune Teller?
3. What are some of her superstitions?
4. Why is “home in the heart” so disappointing?
Chapter 25: Geraldo No Last Name
1. What happened to Geraldo?
2. Why do you think the surgeon was late?
3. What do they now about Geraldo?
4. How does Esperanza feel about this?
Chapter 26: Edna’s Ruthie
1. What is strange about Ruthie?
Chapter 27: The Earl of Tennessee
1. Why is Earl a mystery?
2. Do you have a neighbor who is mysterious?
Chapter 28: Sire
1. What is going on in Esperanza’s head?
2. How is Lois a contradiction?
Chapter 29: Four Skinny Trees
1. Why does Esperanza identify with the trees?
Chapter 30: No Speak English
1. What happens to Mamacita when she moves to the States?
2. How does her husband act?
3. What happens to the baby?
Chapter 31: Rafaela
1. What is Rafaela’s predicament?
Chapter 32: Sally
1. What is Sally like?
2. Why is she this way?
Chapter 33: Minerva Writes Poems
1. What is Minerva’s life like?
2. What will her daughter’s life be like?
Chapter 34: Bums in the Attic
1. Why would Esperanza have bums stay in her attic?
Chapter 35: Beautiful & Cruel
1. What does Esperanza want to be like when she’s older? Why?
2. Why is it easier for Nenny?
3. What is Esperanza starting to think of men?
Chapter 36: A Smart Cookie
1. Compare and contrast Esperanza and her mother.
2. What advice does her mother give her?
3. What is ironic about the title?
Chapter 37: What Sally Said
1. Why is the speaker so straight-forward about the abuse?
Chapter 38: The Monkey Garden
1. In the last line, Esperanza says, “And the garden that had been such a good place
to play didn’t seem mine anymore.” Why does she feel like this?
Chapter 39: Red Clowns
1. What did Sally lie about?
2. Why don’t the boys call Esperanza by her real name?
3. Why do you think this is called “Red Clowns”?
Chapter 40: Linoleum Roses
1. What is Sally’s fate?
2. Do you see any contrasts in this chapter?
Chapter 41: The Three Sisters
1. What “power” do the sisters have?
2. What do they guess about Esperanza?
3. Why do they want Esperanza to come back? Why is this like a circle?
Chapter 42: Alicia & I Talking on Edna’s Steps
1. What is Alicia implying when she asks, “Who’s going to do it? Not the mayor.”?
2. Do you think Esperanza will be back?
Chapter 43: A House of My Own
1. Why does Esperanza want a house so badly?
2. What would your dream house look like?
Chapter 44: Mango Says Goodbye Sometimes
1. What is familiar about this chapter?
2. What does Esperanza mean when she says, “They will not know I have gone away
to come back. For the ones I left behind. For the ones who cannot out.”?