The House on Mango Street By: Sandra Cisneros

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The House on Mango StreetBy Sandra Cisneros

• Themesfundamental ideas explored in a literary
  work
• Motifsrecurring images, ideas, or objects that
  help develop the texts themes / messages
• Symbolsobjects, characters, etc. that represent
  abstract ideas or concepts

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ThemesThe Power of Words

• Words imprison people
• No Speak English (76)Mamacita is imprisoned
  inside her apartment because she does not speak
  English
• Papa could not choose what he ate when he first
  moved to America because he only could say
  hamandeggs (77)

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ThemesThe Power of Words

• Words set people free
• Minerva Writes Poems (84)Minervas only escape
  from her difficult life (two kids and a husband
  who left) is writing poetry
• A House of My Own (108)Esperanza ultimately
  escapes Mango Street by becoming a writer

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Themes The Struggle to Define Yourself

• My Name (10)In the beginning, Esperanza wants
  to change her identity by changing her name,
  cutting herself off from her family and heritage
• Mango Says Goodbye Sometimes (109)In the end,
  she comes to accept her community, her heritage,
  and her family and realizes that the most
  important way she can define herself is through
  writing

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ThemesGrowing Up

• Dangerous / Scary
• The Family of Little Feet (39)Esperanza and
  her friends walk through the neighborhood in high
  heels, only to realize that they are getting too
  much attention from men
• The First Job (53)At Esperanzas first job,
  she is tricked into kissing a much older
  co-worker and feels afraid

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ThemesGrowing Up

• Exciting
• Beautiful and Cruel (88)Esperanza is finding
  her independence and power
• Confusing
• Sire (72)A boy who is dating another girl
  stares at Esperanza, making her unsure of whether
  or not she wants the attention
• Sally (81)Esperanza doesnt know whether or
  not to believe the bad rumors about her friend

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MotifsNames

• Esperanza is one of the only characters with just
  one name
• Nenny is a nickname for Magdalena
• Aunt Lupe is the English version of the Spanish
  name, Guadaloupe
• Multiple names emphasize the mix of cultures and
  languages on Mango Street

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MotifsFalling / Flying / Floating

• Examples Angel Vargas and Meme both fall from
  heights, Marin is waiting for a star to fall to
  change her life, Esperanza sees herself as a red
  balloon
• Flying may represent peoples hopes of changing
  their lives and falling may represent their
  failures to do so

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MotifsWomen by Windows

• Mango Street is full of women who are trappedby
  husbands, fathers, violence, poverty, children,
  domestic duties, etc.
• Four women on Mango Street are trapped in their
  apartments Mamcita, Rafaela, Minerva, and Sally
• Esperanza is determined never to become a woman
  sitting by a window watching the world go by
• She will be free and independent

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SymbolsCircles

• Examples apples (26), sugar donuts (26),
  tortillas (31), light bulbs (59), records (71),
  balloons (99), etc.
• Circles represent the ways many characters are
  trapped in cycles of violence and poverty, as
  well as the ways community can help break those
  cycles

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SymbolsTrees

• Four Skinny Tress (74)Esperanza doesnt belong
  on Mango Street, just as the trees dont belong
  in the city
• Both she and the trees persevere despite their
  poor living conditions and the obstacles in their
  paths (ex the trees are surrounded by cement and
  Esperanza is surrounded by poverty and low
  expectations)

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SymbolsShoes

• The Family of Little Feet (39)High heels
  symbolize adolescents budding sexuality and
  their newfound interest in the opposite sex
• Chanclas (46)Esperanza is ashamed of her worn
  out, little girl shoes and she is embarrassed to
  danceshe wants to grow up so she can begin a new
  life
• Shoes represent experience (both good and bad)
  and growing up