Biographical & Historical Approach Circle
Map
When and
where?
What about the writer’s life
experiences?
Historical Setting: The time and the place
affects our language and our vision of the
world. It also has an impact on the way
people write and what they write about.
Literary Roots:
The Writer’s
Life and Times
pg 562-563
Biographical Approach:
Understanding a writer’s life
including his or her attitudes,
culture, and traditions to add
meaning to what we are reading.
Disclaimer: An author’s life is not always mirrored in a text but a closer look
may reveal issues specific to our time.
(i.e. Ray Bradbury wrote about Mars but he is from Illinois…and he is not an
alien. Underlying themes would be the Cold War and technology.)
Should I jump to conclusions?
C. Notes: Sandra
Cisneros
Identify background info. on the author.
 Born in the Hispanic Quarter of
Chicago in 1954 (58 years old in 2012)
 Mexican-American (Chicana)
 She was the only girl in a family of
seven, and grew up in poverty
 Her parents emphasized education
 Her family moved often; she was shy
and introverted, but connected with her
community privately through writing
List 4 facts
about her
career.
 Attended Loyola University in
Chicago as an English major
 Decided to become a writer
 Was afraid her unprivileged
background would put her at a
disadvantage in the literary world
 However, her heritage gave her the
unique voice that shaped her career
Define culture.
 The behaviors and beliefs of a
particular social, ethnic, or age group.
 Examples:
-social: the religious culture
-ethnic: the Chicano culture
-age group: the youth culture
 With your group, fill out the chart:
Group
social
ethnic
age
Your example:
Recognize the narrator of The House on
Mango Street:
 The work is narrated by Esperanza Cordero,
thirteen, a Chicana girl in Chicago.
 Although told in the voice of a young girl, it
addresses mature subject matter.
 In English, Esperanza means hope, and also,
waiting.
 This choice of name is significant in the novel:
the character and her independence represent
a way out of the slums.
 As she watches her neighborhood, she decides
that she will not become like the women she
knows, trapped and powerless in a man’s
world.
Highlight the setting and its effects
on the narrator.
 Mango Street symbolizes both Esperanza’s ball and chain
(holding her down) and her inspiration.
 In the beginning of the novel, she is disappointed with the
house on Mango Street.
 She finds that she is not like the other residents of Mango,
that she can and will find the strength to leave her life there.
 She realizes that Mango is a part of her, and where she comes
from is as important as where she’s going.
 She knows she must come back, to help the others who are
trapped there.
 Cisneros’ writing includes much imagery. She makes
unexpected comparisons between things to give connotations
to what she describes.
Examine the structure of the novel.
 There is no real chronological plot,
but a series of insights into
Esperanza’s thoughts and feelings.
 The vignettes (snapshots) show the
trends in behavior in the community
and provide a contrast between
strength and weakness, between
freedom and confinement.
Describe the significance of this novel.
 This is Cisneros’ first novel
(published in 1984).
 It is a coming-of-age novel.
 It is a way to relate her cultural
identity to her life and the lives of
others.
 Cisneros seeks to break the cycle
of oppression (hardships and
suffering) that women
experienced due to social and
religious stereotypes by telling
stories through the narrator
Esperanza.
Ticket out the Door!
These questions will influence our unit and we will continue to return
and reflect on them. Answer 2 sentences per question

.
Where does our sense of identity (who we are) come from?
 How does environment (surroundings) shape our identity?
 What identities, if any, are permanent and which do we have the
power to change?
 What roles do neighborhood and community play in shaping who
we become?
Snoop Dogg
 Like a lot of famous rappers, Snoop grew up in squalor. His early
days in Long Beach (a.k.a. the LBC) had him following the
general career path of men in his neighborhood -– selling drugs.
After a few short stints in jail, Snoop started making tapes with
his friend who just so happened to be the step brother of Dr. Dre.
The rest, as they say, is multimillion-dollar history!
Jim Carrey
 Jim Carrey was born in Ontario, Canada. At first,
Jim’s family was doing just fine. His father worked as
an accountant, but as Jim got older, his family’s
situation deteriorated. His family had to move to
Scarborough and they all worked at the Titan Wheels
Factory. Jim had to work eight hours a day and
attend school. Still, it was very hard to keep the
family stable. After moving out of the factory to new
jobs, the family found themselves living in a camper
van. Eventually, Jim had the courage to stand up and
decide to act on his dream of being a comedian. He
did stand-up routines and loved it, so much he
dropped out of high school. Jim was able to land gigs
and eventually got a part on a sitcom called The
Duck Factory. He also became part of the In Living
Color cast. This was a hit for him and he has since
been able to play important roles in movies such as
The Mask and Ace Ventura. Today he is one of the
most highly paid comedians.