The House on Mango Street

1
The House on Mango Street
2
What is a Vignette?

• A short, well written sketch or descriptive
  scene.
• It does not have a plot which would make it a
  short story, but it does reveal something about
  the elements in it.
• It may reveal character, mood, or tone.
• It may have a theme or idea of its own that it
  wants to convey.
• It is the description of the scene or character
  that is important.

• What may be the pro to this text structure? Why
  would an author choose to compose a text in this
  fashion?
• Read the chapter titles and make prediction about
  what this tells us about the story?
• What do these titles reveal about the narrator /
  speaker?

3
About Sandra Cisneros

• Born Chicago in l954, the third child and only
  daughter in a family of seven children.
• Occupations teacher and counselor to
  high-school dropouts, taught creative writing at
  every level except first grade and pre-school, a
  college recruiter, an arts administrator, and as
  a visiting writer
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?v0Pyf89VsNmg
  (story)

4
Sandra Cisneros Inspiration Story

• I am the sum of all stories that pass through
  me. And so are you.
• What do you know? What can you write about that
  no one else can write about?
• Writers block means youre afraid to say what you
  really mean to say.

5
I am the sum of all stories that pass through
me. Mind Mapping (activity 1.8)

• You are in the viewing room of your life
• Brainstorm a list of as many important moments
  (stories) in your life.
• Of that list, find 8 stories that may share a
  common thread.
• (need to keep this list for future use)

6
The House on Mango Street Themes

1. Individual identity and communal loyalty
2. Estrangement and loss
3. Escape and return
4. Lure of romance and the dead end of sexual
   inequality oppression

•  

7
Mangos Appeal

• It speaks especially to Latino Americans, but it
  captures universal pangs (of growing up and
  finding oneself of) othernessthe shame of being
  poor, of being female, of being not-quite-good
  enough.

8
A Deceptive Work

1. Language seems simple but it possesses the
   richness of poetry.
2. Slang and breaks from grammatical correctness
   contribute to immediacy.
3. Narrated in a young voice, yet it's convincing
   because it's the creation of a mature and
   sophisticated writer.
4. Stories come together to tell one complete story.
5. Apparent randomness disguises an artful
   exploration of themes.

• A common misconception with The House on Mango
  Street is that it is concise and readable, so
  therefore it must be unliterary. Do not be
  fooled. Cisneros is sending you a message about
  what it is like for people growing up in the
  world.

9
Think of the story of Little Red Riding Hood.
Here are some reminders

• LRRHs mother packs her some goodies to take to
  grandmothers house
• She starts on her way
• She meets the wolf
• She tells the wolf of her destination and purpose
• She is told of a shortcut
• The wolf goes to the house and takes care of
  grandmother and replaces her
• LRRH is saved by a woodsman

10
What messages were being sent to you? Did you
get all of them? Ask yourself

• The Big AHA Intelligent and sophisticated
  people send messages and they are not hidden
  messages. They are messages that they expect
  other intelligent and sophisticated people to
  understand.

• What is LRRHs name? How old?
• Who would send a little girl out into the woods
  with wolves?
• What sex is the wolf? Young or mature?
• Who saves LRRH?
• In this story, which sex is active and which sex
  is passive?
• Why is the dominant color red?
• What do you think the wolf represents? the path
  through the woods?
• What do you think the shortcut is all about?
•  All of these questions deal with the theme.
  Theme is what the story is about.

11
Read and Respond

• The House on Mango Street (3-5)

• My Name (10-11)

12
Progression of House on Mango Street Vignettes

• Begins with self family (comfort), moves to
  friends (Nenny, unknowingly her closest friend),
  wanting to grow up, experiences harsh realities
  (coat room and death), other women and the role
  they take on, signs from other women that
  Esperanza should stay strong and be more, and a
  willingness to get out and give back.

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vJryqbTk0ETQ
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vv2Axoc2K1rU
  (Chanclas and Beautiful and Cruel)