Style
And THe House on Mango Street
© 2015 Marisa Donnelly
What is style?
Many writers
have their
own
particular
style
the manner of expression of a particular
writer produced by:
•
choice of words,
•
sentence structures,
•
use of literary devices,
•
rhythm,
•
and other elements of composition.
vignettes
And THe House on Mango Street
© 2015 Marisa Donnelly
What is a Vignette?
A form of a personal narrative or story
Can be a memory, thought, hope, dream, or idea
short, descriptive passage
How Is a Vignette Written?
The writer tells the story so vividly that the
reader feels like he or she is there.
a Vignette Paints a Picture:
It focuses on a specific person, place, or event.
The ‘STUFF’ In a Vignette:
Characters: who is in the story
imagery: giving vivid detail, images, and descriptions so that people can
visualize the story
Figurative Language: figures of speech, word choice that goes beyond the
what is directly written (beyond literal)
The ‘STUFF’ In a Vignette (Part 2):
Theme: the main idea. the ‘so what’
Mood: what the reader feels while reading
Tone: the author’s feelings and attitude
Setting: background, where the story takes place
(these are Literary TErms)
How long?
A vignette will usually have 1-2
short scenes, moments, or
impressions about a character, an
idea, a theme, a setting, or an
object.
A vignette is typically 800-1000
words. But it can be as short as a
few lines or under 500 words.
so what does this have to do with
with The House On Mango Street?
The House on Mango Street is written in vignettes.
They are visual poems-stories of the main character’s--Esperanza-life as she tries to figure out who she is and have pride in her culture.
These vignettes add up, as
Sandra Cisneros has written,
“to tell one big story, each
story contributing to the
whole–like beads in a
necklace.”
Sandra Cisneros Speaking (short video)
Sandra on Inspiration