Outline
1. Intro: Sandra Cisneros had many influences that encouraged her
Mexican American writing.
II. Topic Sentence: Sandra’s family played a big role in her writing.
A. (1)She was the only daughter of seven children.
B. (1)andra’s family moved from place to place quite frequently
because of her dad’s job, so she read extensively to help relieve the
stress.
C. (1)She wrote many poems and stories when she was little.
D. (1)Sandra found her passion for writing when she attended the
University of Iowa’s writer’s workshop in the 70’s.
E. (1)Her professor had a big role in her writing.
III. Topic Sentence: Sandra became very interested in writing about her
own heritage.
A. (1)She saw that her experiences as a Hispanic woman very unique
and outside of the American heritage.
B. (1)After Sandra went to the workshops at the University of Iowa she
realized she wanted to write about her upbringing and her divided
cultures.
C. (1)After she realized what she wanted to write she wrote her most
famous novel “House on Mango Street” that was about a Hispanic
woman.
D. (1)Sandra was basically telling her life story.
E. (3)Cisneros writes many of hers stories and poems about her poor
Mexican American woman trying to strive for achievement and
happiness.
F. (1)Sandra uses many Hispanic dialects in her writing to give the
readers an idea and make them really feel what she is writing.
IV. Topic Sentence: Sandra’s heritage was most important to her in her
writings.
A. (1)She wrote heavily about her childhood experiences.
B. (1&3)She is the daughter of a Mexican father and a Chicano
Mother.
C. (1)Sandra and her family lived in Mexico City and Chicago for
many years.
D. (3)Her Hispanic traditions and ways influenced her to write mainly
about her Mexican American woman.
V. Topic Sentence: Sandra’s novel “The House on Mango Street” retold
her life story and started her fame.
A. (1)Many schools from middle to High School have read the novel in
class.
B. (1)The story started with a character names Esperenza.
C. She struggles with her family and for choosing education over love.
D.(5) Esperenza wishes that she could have her own house and live her
own life.
E.(5) This novel was Sandras’ life story, that’s why it is such an important
part of her life.
F.(5) It took five years to write and was published in 1984.
VI. Topic Sentence: Sandra also had natural talent that led to her
accomplishments.
A. (1)When she was a child she wrote many poems and stories
B. (1)She realized she wanted to about her Mexican American ways.
C. (3)She realized that she liked writing short stories best and stories
about her past.
D. (5)She wrote in her school newspaper at her Catholic school in
Chicago.
E. (3)Her teacher inspired her because she was to shy to read her
poems.
F. (3)She went to grad school and majored in writing and Journalism.
Conclusion: Sandra is such a strong writer and because of her heritage
she wrote outstanding stories and poems that are really strong and life
learning.