Name Kendall Carlish

The House on Mango Street

Section 1: pages 3- 28

1. Describe the house on Mango Street and how the narrator feels about this house. How do you know she feels this way?
The house on Mango Street is her first home- it is bright red, , has a small set of stairs, and hassmall windows, and she is
embarrassed with the hose. Her and her family had dreams of the perfect home; a home that was like theones in television, a home
that had running water, and had multiple washrooms, and the house on Mango Street did not meet all of those expectations.

2. What was your first house like? What is one vivid memory you have of that house?
I have lived in my home for my whole life, and my family bought this house when my Mother was pregnant with me, because they
needed more space for their expanding family. A vivid memory that I have at my home is my fourth birthday when I was gifted a
My- Little- Pony dollhouse.

3. What does the vignette Hairs reveal about how the narrator feels about her mother?
Hairs reveals that the narrator loves her mother, and feels safe with her. She sees her mother as a glamorous woman, who has
beautiful hair that she takes to manicure so her curls can fall beautifully and it can smell sweet like bread.

4. What is one way, physically, that you and your family members are different? Describe each family member.
Just like the narrator, my siblings and I have different hair types, varying from straight, to tighter waves. My mother is shorter than
my sister Chloe and I, but taller than my sister Madison. My father has thick eyebrows and jet black hair, and nobody in my
family has hair as dark as his. Avalon and Colette are dough eyed with crooked smiles and golden curly locks and eyes that you
have to take a second look at to place the color.

5. How are the narrator’s brothers different inside the house and outside the house? Why?
Inside of the house her brothers speak to her, havethings to say to her, and tell her to do things, but outside of the house it is as if
they do not know her, and they can not be seen with her because she is a girl- even though she is their sister.

6. Do you have siblings? What is your relationship like to your siblings? If you don’t have siblings,what is your relationship like
with your cousins?
I have 7 siblings, 2 older and 5 younger; and I think my relationship with each sibling is different. I am closest with my older sister
Madison, but I love all my siblings equally- I just don’t like them all equally. I think I am closest with Madison because she and I
have similar interests, and we spend a lot of timetogether- and we just get along very well- she’s my little big sister.

7. What is the narrator’s name? What does it mean in English? Does she like her name? Why or why not?
The narrator's name is Esperanza, which in English means hope, and in Spanish it means sadness or waiting. She has mixed
feelings towards her name, and she wishes she had a nickname, or a name that suited her better.
8. What is your name? Why did your parents name you this name? Do you like this name? What would you name yourself if you
could choose a name for yourself?
My first name is Kendall, which does not have any significant meaning, and my mother just liked that it was androgenous. When I
was younger I did not like my name because I didn’t think it was very “pretty” and I didn’t like how I never met anyone with the
same name as me, and I wanted to be named Isabella. Now, I actually really love my name, and I don’t think I would change it if
I had the chance. If I had to give myself a differentname, it would probably be something like Kimberly, because I would want to
keep the K initial.

9. What is Cathy like? How do you think Esperanza feels when Cathy says that her family has to move because the
“neighborhood is getting bad”?
Cathy is a crazy cat lady who Esperanza hopes to be friends with; she claims to have royalty in her bloodline, and is somewhat
passive aggressive. I think Esperanza feels embarrassed and confused when Cathy says her family has to move because “the
neighborhood is getting bad”, because she feels that Cathy is saying Esperanza and her family are the reason why the neighborhood
is ‘getting bad’.

10. Describe Lucy and Rachel. What are they like? What do they all buy together?
Lucy and Rachel are sisters, Lucy being the older of the two. At first Rachel was more talkative, andLucy was described as
occasionally laughing. Cathay does not like the two girls, and has previously said ‘they are raggedy as rats.’ The two sisters tell
Esperanza that if she gives them five dollars to pitchin to buy a fifteen dollar bike, they will be friends with her forever.

11. Describe a friend from your childhood. How did you meet? How much can you remember about how you met?
My first childhood friend is named Grace Cadenas. Her and I were friends for many years, and we had grown up around each
other because our Mothers’ were friends. I can not remember meeting her, but I have very fond memories of our friendship. Her and
I used to spend hours at each other’s house just playing dress-up, or

12. Nenny and Esperanza share a moment in the vignette Laughter. Who is someone who seems to understand you when other
people might not? Why do you think this person understands you?
When reading this vignette, I was reminded of my ownsister, Madison. Her and I don’t look much alike, but I like to think I
have a deeper understanding of her, and she understandsme. Her and I have somewhat similar senses of humor,and even though
we have had so many life experiences that don’t involve each other, most of my earliest memories, and mostimpactful moments in
my life, involve or were with her.

13. When do the lights get turned on in the junk store? What does this tell you about how business is doing?
The old man will only turn on the light when a customer is paying for an item, and this makes me think he has to save money, and
can not afford his electricity bill. If his moneyis so scarce, I think that his business will eventually go out of business.

14. Have you visited or eaten at a place that has gone out of business? What do you remember about thisplace? What is there
instead today?
When I was younger my Mother used to occasionally take my sisters and I to Toys R Us. We were signed up for their program that
sent children cards on their birthday, and I remember being very excited every January 11th when mine would come, because as a
young child it was one of the most exciting thingsfor me to get mail addressed in my name- especially if it was from Geoffrey the
Giraffe.
15. What is Meme’s real name? What happens to him during the First Annual Tarzan Jumping Contest?
Meme’s real name is Juan, but everyone except their mother calls them Meme. At the First Annual Tarzan Jumping Contest,
Meme’s huge tree was chosen, and they won the contest, while also breaking both of their arms.

16. What happens to the yellow Cadillac? Why is Louie’s cousin arrested?
When seeing the yellow Cadillac everyone is very excited by it, and they pile into the car to go for a drive. When hearing sirens
Louie stops the car and tells everyone to get out, and once they do, he speeds off. I think Louie’s cousin is arrested because the car
was stolen, and that is inferred by his strange behavior about answering questions about the car.

17. What is Marin like? Why is she going to be sent back to Puerto Rico?
Marin is a dreamer, she wants to be loved, and she puts much care and time into her appearance. She was described as wearing
dark nylons, and a lot of makeup which she gets forfree because of selling for Avon, and she seems tobe like a big sister to
Esperanza. She is being sent back to Puerto Rico because her Aunt and Uncle say she is too much trouble.

18. What happens when people from Esperanza’s neighborhood go into another neighborhood? Why is this ironic?
When people from Esperanza’s neighborhood go into another neighborhood they feel unsafe, their knees feel weak, and they do
things like roll up their car windows. This is ironic because in the beginning of the vignette she wroteabout people feeling unsafe in
her neighborhood, when her and her neighbors feel perfectly safe, and the two situations she is writing about illustrate how people feel
scared or unsafe in places that are unfamiliar.

19. What is your neighborhood like? Are you a good neighbor? Why or why not?
My neighborhood is very quiet, and lots of my neighborsare older, or have one or two young children. I think that my family and I
try to be good neighbors, but we just keep to ourselves for the most part.

Section 2: p. 29-48

20. What assumptions does Esperanza make about Rosa Vargas’s family? Do you agree? Why or why not?
Esperanza assumes that Rosa Vargas has more children than she can handle, her children are reckless, and that none of the
Fathers are in the picture. I do agree that her children are careless, just like most children tend to be, but I think it sounds like the
Vargas children are especially troubled and rambunctious. I do agree that Rosa has too much on her plate, but with her situation,
she needs more help. (Especially from her baby daddies!!!)

21. What is an assumption that a stranger might make about you that may or may not be accurate?
I think at first my nature can be standoffish and somewhat serious, and I have had a lot of people tellme that when they first met
me, they thought I was very serious or did not like them. I can understand why people have told me that, but I do not agree with it.
I can be really shy and have a hard time meeting new people, but once you get to know me, I am really friendly.

22. What happened to Alicia’s mother? What does Alicia have to do now?
Alicia’s mother passed away, and because of that sheinherited a lot of new responsibilities that shedoes not want to have. It says
that she inherited her Mother’s rolling pin and sleepiness, and now she has to take on extra tasks that are seen as a Mother’s duty,
when Alicia has dreams and plans for herself, and she can’t spend her time taking care of everyone else.
23. What is your “place” in your household? What jobs are your jobs in your home? What are your family responsibilities?
I am a younger and older sibling, so I wouldn’t say I have a traditional family role as the oldest or youngest, but I like that I am
one of the middle children, because I can still havethe big sister role, but I do not have all the same responsibilities. Some of the
responsibilities that I have include taking up the trash cans after trash day, and just doing some of the smaller chores my Mother
asks of me.

24. What kind of kid is Darius?

Darius is described as a fool and Esperanza that on the occasion that he speaks it is usually stupid. I think it sounds like
Darius's actions and his intent and desires match up, because to me it sounds like he just wants to be accepted and liked by the
other children.

25. What is something profound that you’ve heard and believe? Who said it? Do you agree with it completely or do you question it?
Why or why not?
I once heard, ‘If your actions and morals do not lineup, you need to rethink your morals”, and I found that to be very impactful
and I think about it a lot. I think it is something loosely based on what Obama said, but it was my sister that told it to me. I
think with every action there is definitely room to question the intent, but I do believe what you do reflects who you are, and I think
your actions should be something you can morally agree with.

26. Why are the girls “tired of being beautiful”?What happens in this scene that is not so innocent?
The girls are tired of being beautiful because itbrings on unwanted attention, which results in them feeling uncomfortable.
Something in this scene that happens and is not very innocent is the way the girls get harassed by the men who are catcalling them.

27. At what age do you think people are still “innocent”? Why?
I think it depends on what they are exposed to and what their experiences are early in life, so it depends on the person. I think
what people view innocence as is also very individual, and I do not think every person would have aligning views on what innocence
is to them.

28. What did Esperanza expect the canteen to be like? What was it like in reality?
Esperanza expects the canteen to be very special and exclusive, and she really wants to be able to eat lunch at the canteen because
she is not allowed to. I think this is a good example of wanting what you can’t have, even if in realityyou do not actually want it.
The canteen is not as special as Esperanza thought it to be, and she spent her lunch break crying and eating the sandwich that she
did not enjoy.

29. Has there been a time in your life where you expected something totally different from what actually happened? What was it?
How did you feel?
There have been a lot of times when my reality didnot match the expectation and it is always disappointing when that happens, but
a time that sticks out the most is Thanksgiving of 2019. I think with every holiday season you expect it to be magical and perfect,
but during that Thanksgiving a lot of family memberswere not there, so it did not feel the same.
30 . How do you think Esperanza feels during the dance with her Uncle? Why do you think this?
Esperanza felt very embarrassed because of her shoesand her Uncle Nacho tried to cheer her up by dancing with her. When they
are dancing Esperanza

Section 3: p.49-78

31. Why are Lucy and Rachel disgusted with Nenny? What does Esperanza feel about this?
Lucy and Rachel are disgusted with Nenny because she does not understand them and what they were trying to do. Lucy, Rachel,
and Esperanza are older than Nenny and were talking about becoming a woman, and Nenny does not share their fascination or
excitement, so when she did not participate in the way they did, they were disgusted by her immaturity. Esperanza feels conflicted
because she agrees with Rachel and Lucy, but she feels like she needs to protect her younger sister.

32. What is something you did in your childhood that you don’t do anymore? What do you feel about this activity now?
When I was younger I used to collect Lalaloopsy dolls and Barbie dolls, which is not something I do anymore, and they are
currently stored in tubs at my Grandmother's house. I think it was a good pastime.

33. What was Esperanza’s first job? Who got it for her?
Esperanza's first job is at the Peter Pan Photo Finishers on North Broadway. Her Aunt Lala got the job for her and Esperanza
lied to her employer and told them she was a year older than she actually is so she would be able to get the job. She was the youngest
person that worked there, and she found her job to be boring because it was just busy work; very repetitive and did not take much
thinking.

34. Has there ever been a time you felt unsafe around someone? Where? When? How old are you? Why did you feel unsafe?
Three years ago my older sisters and I were night swimming at a hotel over the summer and a guy who was probably in his early
twenties started to try to talk to us. He was asking us questions, and the three of us were skepticalof him, even though he seemed
really dorky and like just wanted company- but even if that was the case, he should not have been lookingfor company in three
unsupervised underaged girls. My oldest sister is a little bit of a pushover and she actually answeredhis questions just because she
does not know how to assert herself and did not wantto be rude, but my other sister did not tell him our real names and were not
receptive.

35. How does Esperanza’s grandfather’s death affect her father?

When her father hears the news of his father's death,he immediately starts to cry, which is not something Esperanza has seen her
father do before. Esperanza understands that her Father is going to have to have to fly to Mexico for her Grandfather's service.
Because Esperanza was the oldest child in the house it became her responsibility to tell the others. When she saw her Father
distressed after his Father died, it made Esperanza think about her own Father and how she is going to feel when he passes.

36. Have you ever lost someone important to you because of distance, falling out or passing away? Who didyou lose and why? How
do you feel about it today?
My Grandfather passed away in January of 2017, andit was a very confusing time for me. My Grandfather was a very cold man
who isolated and distanced himself from his family,and I barely knew him- but I knew he loved me. I never spent much time with
him despite being close with Grandmother and the fact that we lived so close to each other. When he died I felt so much regret for all
the time I did not spend with him.

37. Why does Esperanza feel like she will “go to hell” and most like “deserve to be there”? Do you agree?
Esperanza feels like she will go to hell and deserves to be there for what she did to her Aunt Lupe, and because she was born on a
cursed day. Her Aunt Lupe was a very sick woman, and Esperanza did not understand why her Aunt was sick. Esperanza
described the drastic changes that she saw in her Aunt and how she wasn’t the same. Esperanza spent time with her Aunt, reading
her books and even some of her own poetry. One dayLucy, Rachel, and Esperanza were imitating Lupe, and that was the day she
died.

38. Have you ever said/done something that you felt guilty about later? What did you say/do? Why did you say/do it originally?
Why do you feel guilty now?
I have done a lot of things I regret in my life. Oneof my biggest regrets is probably

39. Do you think Elenita is trustworthy? Why or why not? Do you think Esperanza trusts her? Why or why not?
I think Elenita is trustworthy but I do not think Esperanza trusts her. I think Elenita really believes in her work, and has good
intentions; she wants to help Esperanza with her service and she really wants to be able to give Esperanza the good news that she is
desperately searching for. I think Esperanza is very skeptical of Elenita because of her working conditionsand she only went there
because she was searching for good news about a house.

40. How do you know if someone is trustworthy? Whatdo you look for in someone in order to decide whether or not they are
worthy of trust?
I think you can understand if someone is trustworthyby their actions, and how they talk about the people in their life when those
people are not around. If people feel fine talkingbad about the important people in their life to me, I know they will feel fine
talking bad about me to other people. I think the best way to determine if someone is trustworthy isto see how sincere they are.

41. What makes Geraldo’s death particularly tragic for those that he left behind?
Geraldo´s death is particularly tragic because nobody knows how to identify him so his family will never know he is gone. They will
most likely think Geraldo abandoned them, and his loved ones will never get closure. Geraldo came to the United States so he could
work and send money back to his family overseas, and he got hit by a car when he was with Mirin. Mirin had to give statements to
the police in an attempt to try to identify him, but she did not even know his name.

42. Do you have any responsibilities for any other people in your life? Are there people who depend on you for something? Who
depends on you? Why? Are you dependable?
I have responsibilities as a student, as a sister, and as a friend. As a student I have standards I need to meet for myself, as a sister
I have to be there for my siblings if they need me,and as a friend I want to be reliable. I like to consider myself a dependable
person, and when I agree to do something I do stick to my word and do it. I depend on my parents like most people my age do- my
Father for financial purposes and my Mother

43. What makes Ruthie so unique?

Ruthie is much older than Esperanza and her friends, and she is very dreamy and does not fit the “social norm”. Ruthie moved
back to Mango Street to live with her Mother again, and she frequently talks about her life before she moved back; with her
husband, her beautiful house, her job offers when she was younger, and her book that she wrote. When Esperanza, Lucy, and
Rachel go to the store Ruthie will give them money to buy soft candy for her, because that is all her teeth can not handle hard candy,
and while Esperanza reads to her, Ruthie will admire her teeth. I think Ruthie might have gotten into some kind of accident that
left her imapred and now makes her depend on her mother again.

44. Have you ever had trouble communicating with someone? Who was it? Why did you experience this trouble?
I think everyone has trouble communicating with others’ sometimes, some people might just have it a lot worse than other people.
Frequently I will say something and it is not interpreted the way I want it to be. Sometimes it can also be hard to effectively
communicate with people if you are worried about theirresponse. I think troubles with communication that are due to a
misunderstanding can be frustrating, but lack of communicationdue to discomfort can be very discouraging.

45. Why can’t people agree on what Earl’s wife looks like?
People can not agree on what Earl's wife looks like because Earl frequently brings different women to his house. Earl is a quiet
man who keeps to himself, and when he is not at his job as a mechanic, he is at his apartment. Even though there is a much
disagreement on what Earl’s wfe looks like, some saying she is a thin blonde lady, and some saying she has bright orange hair and
wears green leggings, it is noted that when a woman comes over, the they quickly go into Earl’s apartment and close and lock the
door.

46. Have you ever observed something strange in your neighborhood that you couldn’t quite explain? What did you observe? What
made it strange?
My neighborhood is a very quiet neighborhood, and the people tend to keep to themselves. There is a man named Bob who lives
across the street from me, and he is a very bitter man who is constantly working on his car. He had a wife when I was younger, and
now looking back at the situation I understand they were going through a divorce- but when I was younger I was so confused as to
why she would leave for weeks and then come back for the day.

47. What are Esperanza’s feelings toward Sire? Toward Lois?

Esperanza has a huge crush on Sir and Sire is also interested in Esperanza, despite Lois being his girlfriend. Esperanza is jealous
of Lois because she wants to be in her place, andthis causes her to be hostile to Lois and think of her in only a negative light.
Esperanza loves when Sire notices her, and she has never felt that way about a boy before. Her feelings toward Sire make her
curious about what else she wants, and she finds herself longing for something more- she wants to sit out at night with a boy, she
wants to know what she can’t see from her window.

48. What are Esperanza’s feelings toward the trees?

Esperanza feels that there is an understanding between her and the trees; they are the only ones that understand her and she is the
only one that understands them. She thinks that she resembles the four trees because like her they have skinny necks and elbows
just like her. She appreciates the trees when nobody else does, and she recognizes that the trees have a secret strength that is not
acknowledged, and Esperanza has that same strength. The trees inspire Esperanza to keep going when she is feeling discouraged or
sad, and they remind her that even when all of theodds are against you, you can keep going.
49. What are your feelings toward nature? Is there a particular place or something in nature that has helped you in the past?
How/why?
I think nature is very beautiful- which makes it shame that I am the kind of person that really prefersto stay indoors. I don’t like
grass too much, it gives me hives, and I am very prone to mosquito bites. Despite feeling some discomfort in the outdoors sometimes I
like to garden. I have a garden bed in my backyard, and tending to my garden can be really nice sometimes. I think it can be
calming to water the plants or rake through the soil because it is a pretty mindless activity that still gives you some gratification.

50. Why does the man get disgusted with his wife? Why do you think Mamacita cries so often?
Mamacita cries so often because she is homesick. She misses her pink house, and even though the man painted the walls of the
apartment pink for her, it is still not the same. The man came to America and worked two jobs- leaving early and coming home
late, so his wife and son could live there with him, and when Mamacita finally arrived with their son, Esperanza noted the amount
of luggage she had with her. Mamacita spends all ofher time in the apartment listening to Spanish songs that remind her of home
and she knows only a few phrases in English. I think the man gets disgusted with her because he worked so hard so they could live
in the United States and she spends all of her timelonging for her old life in her home country and she does not put much effort into
learning English.

51. How does Mamacita feel when here baby boy starts to sing the Pepsi commercial?
Mamacita cries when she hears her son sing the Spanish Pepsi commercial, she feels like her heart is broken forever. The baby boy
just started to speak, and along with the commercial he will say “no speak English”. I think these are the first phrases the boy
learned to speak because it was all he ever heard; his mother’s Spanish radio, and the few phrases she will say to people trying to
speak to her. I think this especially breaks Mamacita’s heart because her son might have to face some of the hardships she has to
know that they are in the United States, and I think the man will probably be upset with Mamacita because these are his first
words.

Section 4: p.79-93
52. Describe the kind of relationship Rafaela haswith her husband.
Rafaela has an abusive relationship with her husband. He isolates her and insists that it is for her own good because she is “too
beautiful to look at”. Her husband will go out at night and play dominos, and while he is gone Rafaela will lean out the window
and dream about what her life could be- if she was‘allowed’ to go out and dance before she got old, and she wishes her hair was long
like Rapunzels so she could leave.

53. Does Rafaela like being alone? Why or why not? Do you like being alone? Why or why not?
Rafaela does not like being alone, she wishes that her life was sweeter than the empty room she is trapped in, and she wishes there
was someone there for her offering her the ‘sweeter drinks’. Besides her husband the only human interaction Rafaela will have is
when she asks Esperanza to buy her coconut or papaya juice from the store- and even then she will throw the children a crumpled
dollar bill, and they will bring her the juice through a paper bag that she lets down with a clothesline. I think there is a difference
between being alone and being lonely; sometimes I like to be by myself and that is when I feel mostrelaxed, but I like to know that
I have people there for me. I think that is the difference between liking to be alone and Rafaela’s situation- she is lonely and can not
go to people, and she is forced to be alone.

54. What are Esperanza’s feelings toward Sally? What kind of person is Sally?
Esperanza wants to emulate Sally; she loves how she does her makeup, she likes how she dresses, and she wants the boys to notice
her like they notice Sally. Esperanza wants to be beautiful like Sally, but she also notices that there is something more to Sally
than most people notice. Sally is a dreamer with a troubled life. Sally’s

55. What is one great wish you have for your life and your future? What’s standing in the way of youmaking this wish come true?
A wish that I have for the future is that all of myfamily stays safe and healthy throughout the duration of the pandemic. I have
faith that my family is competent enough to be cautionary and put an effort to take protective measures, but times are really
uncertain right now. I think when people hear about tragic things happening we always think that those people were the outliers and
that would never happen to me or my loved ones, but viruses do not discriminate. It is also so disheartening that in the United
States lives that were lost get thrown around like a statistic- when those were living breathing people that had hopes and dreams
and loved ones just like us.

56. In your opinion, is Minerva’s relationship with her husband an abusive one? Why or why not?
Minerva’s husband is abusive- both physically and mentally. He continuously abandons her and their two children, and then will
say she is sorry for everything that he did, and she will forgive him. Maybe she hopes that he really does mean it when he says that
he is sorry, maybe she hopes that he will actually change, and maybe she hopes that they can be a functional family. But, he never
does change, and the same thing happens again and again; she tells him enough is enough and kicks him out, and he comes back
with a rock in hand and tells her how sorry he is, and she lets him back in. If he continues that behaviorit will cause serious
abandonment issues for his children. He hits Minerva and she tries to get Esperanza’s advice, but Esperanza feels there is nothing
she can do.

57. Is there ever a time when forgiving someone is the inappropriate thing to do? When? Why?
I think some people do not deserve to be forgiven sometimes, and Minerva’s husband is one of those peoplethat should not be
forgiven. I think that she allows him to treat her terribly and leave and come back when things feel like too much for him because
she depends on him. I feel that depending on someone can either be a terrifying thing or something that is really beautiful. Having to
stay in a bad situation or not being able to cut off a toxic person because you depend on them is terrible, and that is not something I
ever want to experience. Being able to depend on someone and being able to rely on them because they are a good person and are
good to you is something that is very nice to have.

58. Explain why bums in the attic would make Esperanza happy.
Esperanza knows what it is like to not have a home and she does not want anyone else to have to feel that way. When Esperanza
and her family were driving through different neighborhoods Esperanza looks at the houses on the hills and thinks about how the
people that live there are too close to the stars and they forget about everyone else. Esperanza swears that one day when she has a
home of her own she is going to remember the peoplethat struggle with housing, and invite them to stay in her attic. Esperanza day
dreams about a time in the future when she has a home of her own, and when someone asks her what the soundsfrom the attic are,
she will tell them about ‘the bums in the attic’.

59. Would you consider yourself a person who shares?What things are you willing to share? Are there things you are unwilling to
share? What are they and why are you unwilling to share them?
I consider myself a person who shares and I like toput other people’s needs above my own, it makes me feel like I am doing
something good. It’s strange how some of the onlythings I am not willing to share are things that are very trivial; like sometimes I
don’t want to let my sisters borrow my clothes just because of the principle of it. With sisters sometimes sharing feels like- “I would
die for you but no you can not use my charger”, which is pretty comical.

60. What does Esperanza think of herself? What’s herself-confidence like?

Esperanza is very self conscious; she does not considerherself beautiful and she is constantly comparingherself to the other girls in
her life. Esperanza so desperately wants to be beautiful, like the gorgeous women in movies who wear red lipstick and are loved by
boys. Esperanza gets irritated when Nenny and her Mother tell her that appearance is not of as muchimportance as she thinks it
is because they are beautiful.

61. If you had to describe yourself in 2-3 sentences,what would you say? What information do you think explains YOU the most?
If I was asked to describe myself in 2-3 sentencesI would say that I am the kind of person you cantalk to about anything that is
troubling you, and I am always here to listen without jrudges. I am the kind of person you can be withto take your mind off of
things, and I could tell corny jokes.

62. There’s a sense of shame and regret in Esperanza’smother’s tone in the vignette A Smart Cookie. What is she ashamed of?
What does she regret?
Esperanza’s mother regrets not staying in school because she had so much potential and could have been so much more, and now she
feels like she is stuck where she is. Her mother feels scared about how she is so dependent on her husband because some of the other
women that live on Mango Street have husbands that left them or died, and they do not have the means to provide for themselves.
Esperanza’s mother regrets dropping out of schoolbecause it was over a reason that now seems incredibly trivial to her, and she
reminds Esperanza of the importance of studying hardand completing her education.

63. What is a hobby/activity that you are good at? How did you get good at this? In 10 years, do you imagine that you will still be
doing this?
I am good at baking cakes. When baking I do like to follow instructions carefully, and I think that the same with many other
aspects of my life, but during quarantine I was bakinga lot more than I used to, and because of that Iwas able to develop some
skills and learn tools that were useful in baking. I think that in 10 years I will still have this skill because there will still be people
in my life to make birthday cakes for.

64. Why does Sally’s father go “crazy”? Why do you think the other sisters run away?
Sally’s father goes crazy because he sees her talking to a boy, and that spirals into him beating her when he previously promised that
he would never do that again in an effort to get her to come home from Esperanza’s house. I would assume that Sally’s father had
told her that it was the last time he would hit her several times before that, or whenever he was regretful for what he did to her. I
think the other sisters ran away from their abusive household with a man, because Sally’s Father is very extreme when it comes to
Sally being around boys.

65. Invent a rule for parents that you believe would make better, happier and more successful children. How would the world be if
all parents followed your rule?
Even though it is already not “socially acceptable” to hit your children, I think there are zero circumstances when that should be
justified, because young children are not going to understand why you did that to them and they are just going to be scared, and older
children are most likely going to feel resentful towards their parent that is doing that, or continue that abusive behavior into their
adult life. I think if all parents followed that ruleparents and children would have healthier relationships, home lives would be
safer, and I believe that children would actually be more obedient because they would be inclined to cooperate with their parents.

Section 5: P. 94- End of Book

66. How does the garden change for Esperanza from the beginning of the vignette to the end of the vignetteThe Monkey Garden?
At first the garden is a place where Esperanza feels she can be free and act like a little kid again. The garden was abandoned by
the previous owners who moved to Kentucky, and is now a place where all of the neighborhood kids wouldplay. The garden was a
place where their mothers could not find them- it was like their own world. There were instances where Esperanza felt she did not
belong with the young children, because they said she was too old to play their games, even though she wanted to, and she also did
not like or even understand Titos’ and Sally’s games. Tito and his friends stole Sally’s keys and told her the only way to get them
back would be if she gave each of them a kiss, andSally agreed. When Sally went into the garden with them Esperanza tried to
save her, but she couldn’t, because Sally did not want to be saved.

67. Has a place’s meaning ever changed for you? Where is this place? Why/how did it change?
As people grow and mature their insight is different and their thoughts and feelings toward things can drastically change. Sometimes
the meaning of a place, item, or movie can changeas I learn more about it or as I mature. I used to really love the LegoLand water
park when I was younger, and I was a passholder along with my Mother and my then two younger siblings. As I got older I started
to find all waterparks, especially that one unsanitary.

68. What happens to Esperanza in Red Clowns? Why is she talking to Sally in this vignette?
In Red Clowns Esperanza and Sally went to a carnival together, and Sally tells Esperanza to wait by the Red Clowns while she
goes somewhere with a boy. Sally does not come back for a long time and Esperanza can not find her, no matter how much she calls
out her name. While Esperanza is waiting alone a man grabs her arm, says “I love you, Spanish Girl” and does not listen to her
as she tells him to not touch her and to stop what he is doing. He continued to kiss her without her permission, and Esperanza felt
like she couldn’t do anything but cry and wait for it to stop. Esperanza is talking to Sally in this story because she needed her, and
she was not there. Esperanza needed Sally to come back and get them to stop.

69. What’s a time where you needed someone and they weren’t there? How did you manage? Why did you need them? What did
you do without them?
There were times last year when I needed my sister Madison there, but she was in Germany as a forgien exchange student. I never
felt any animosity for her leaving because I knew it was what she wanted, and it was a great experience there, but I still did miss
her, and I know there were times when she didn’t have her family with her when she needed us. I am very lucky to have a lot of
siblings and good friends, so during times when I needed someone, I had someone. I needed Madison when there were things that I
was excited about something and needed someone to share my excitement with, when I needed someone to listen when something was
stressing me out, and when I needed help with something.

70. What became of Sally’s life? In your opinion,does she seem happy?
Sally gets married to a marshmallow salesman and they go to a different state where people before the 8th grade are able to get
married. Sally and her husband live in their own home with all of their own belongings. Sally claims thatmarried life has been
good to her because now she is able to buy things she likes when her husband gives her money, and she tells Esperanza that she is
happy and in love, but Esperanza has her doubts and worries about Sally. Sally’s husband is very controlling of her and does not
let her see her friends, look out the window, leave the house without his permission, or use the telephone. Her husband gets mad
sometimes and he will break their things, but he has yet to hit her. I do not think Sally is truly happy. I think she is a young girl
who did all she knew how to escape a bad situation at her parent’s house, and unfortunately she was put into another bad situation.

71. What is one thing you would NOT want for yourself and your future?
I never want to depend on someone in my future. I think the idea of not being able to provide for yourselfand having to rely on
someone else is terrifying. Not being financially independent can keep you trapped in toxic or abusive situations, and when you do
not have your own income you don’t have the same freedom on how to spend the money.

72. What do the three sisters tell Esperanza about coming back?
When the three sisters notice how uncomfortable Esperanza is at the service for the baby that was stillborn, they call her over to
talk to them in an effort to help comfort her. When talking to Esperanza the three sisters tell her that her name is beautiful, that
she is special, and that she will go far in life. They ask Esperanza to make a wish for anything that she wants, and Esperanza
wishes for a new house, far away from Mango Street. After making a wish one of the sisters calls heraside to tell her that one day
she must remember to come back to Mango Street, and that she must come back for the others that will still be there and cannot
leave as easily. Esperanza went back to Lucy and Rachel, and never saw the three sisters again.

73. What’s one problem you see in your own community? What is one solution for the problem?
In my neighborhood the people do not take COVID very seriously. All of the neighborhood children stillhangout like they used to,
and their parents do not social distance from each other. I think it is especially troublesome because the lack of social distancing
within children is directly because of their parents.I feel like the only plausible way to get neighborhood children and adults to
socially distance and practice CDC guidelines would be if the parents started to take COVID more seriously.

74. Alicia helps reinforce what the 3 sisters told Esperanza. Who is someone who supports you all the time? How do they support
you?
My Mother supports me all the time. She believes in me and whatever my dreams are, and I know that all she wants for me is to
be happy and for me to feel fulfilled. My Mother frequently encourages me, and pushes me to be the best version of myself that I can
be.

75. Esperanza is still dreaming about her own house by the end. What is your dream house like?
When I think of my dream house the first thing thatcomes to mind is the kitchen. I want a big open kitchen with light walls and
many windows that welcome natural light. I want to have a large kitchen island and lots of counter space.I like tall ceilings and I
do want carpeting. Similarly to Esperanza, my dream house is my house. I want to own my house and be able to make it my own.
I want to be able to decide what kind of flooringis installed, if the walls are painted or have wallpaper,and what furniture is there.

76. Why is this book called a “coming of age” story?

This book is a coming of age story because it documentspart of Esperanza’s adolescence, and her journeyto accepting who she is
and where she is from. The biggest theme from this book is insecurity, whether that is Esperanza feeling insecure about where she is
from, what her home looks like, what she looks like, or even what her name is. The first two sentences from the first and last
vignette are the same, but the first vignette “The House on Mango Street” is about how much her family moves and how she did not
like any of the homes. The last vignette “Mango Says Goodbye Sometimes” is about accepting who she is and realising that Mango
Street will always be a part of her, but she doesnot need to let it haunt her.

77. What is one thing that the text tells us about Innocence or Loss of Innocence?
This book is about adolescence and throughout the duration of the book, some of the stories show Esperanzastarting to lose her
innocence. The book shows how the idea of innocenceis subjective, individual to everyone, and how experiences that trigger a loss of
innocence can be different for everyone. The moment that I think most triggered Esperanza’s loss of innocencewas in “The Monkey
Garden '' when Esperanza saw Sally with Tito and his friends and felt like there was something wrong, but there was nothing she
could do to fix it. This upset Esperanza more than when she was forcefully kissed against her will by the older man that she
worked with in “The First Job”. I say that the loss of innocence is subjective because out of those twoexperiences the one with Sally
bothered Esperanza more, when I think the one with the older man would have bothered me more.

78. What is one lesson the text tries to teach about the role of the Woman/Femininity?
This book teaches about the “traditional” role of a woman or girl in a household, shows unique experiences that mostly apply to
women, and challenges gender norms. In many of thestories femininity was put on a pedi stool while also being undermined,
belittled, and taken advantage of. The traditional role of a woman in a household was shown in “AliciaWho Sees Mice”, when
Alicia had to take over as a homemaker while pursuing an education, because her Mother passed away. Stories of women like Sally
and Rafaela are ones that predominantly affect women, especially lower-class women that have less resources to escape domestic
abuse. The book also highlights women who are dreamers that want more, and are willing to work to get there.

79. What is one lesson that the text tries to teach about Identity?
This story gives an interesting view on identity because it includes themes of cultural identity, figuringout your identity during
adolescence, geographical identity, and self-doubt which affects how you perceive yourself and youridentity. Many of the stories
resonated with the idea that your identity is not something that you can fight off. No matter Esperanza tried to deny it or fight is,
she will always be Mango Street. This is not a bad thing though, you are not your past, you are what you make of it. Your identity
reflects where you come from.

80. What is one lesson the text tries to teach about Race/Foreignness/Otherness?
These stories give a unique perspective of Mexican-Americanculture in Chicago and shed light on the discomfort of uneasy feelings
people can sometimes associate with people that are different from them. Whether that difference is race, class, or life experiences
that separate them from another group of people. Theshared experience of fear when someone “different”entering an area like
Mango Street and someone “different” entering a neighborhood unlike Mango Street is told in the vignette “Those Who Don’t”.

81. What is one lesson that could be learned from this text about Home?
This book encapsulates the journey of Esperanza learningto accept her home and where she is from. This book teaches that home
is what you make it. In the beginning of the bookwe are told about how she did not have a home, that her family moved around
frequently, and that Mango Street would not be any different. Throughout the story Esperanza kept saying that she did not belong
on Mango Street, that it was not her home, and that she would leave one day to find her real home. But as the story progresses
Esperanza learns that she will always be Mango Street, no matter where she goes. It highlights that your home is not a house, but a
community, and that you can take what you need from your home- you do not have to carry every hurt or bad memory from your
home with you.
82. What is one lesson that could be learned from this text about Family?
One lesson about family that can be learned from this book is that your family is not only people that you are blood related to. Your
family can be anyone, and I do think some of the peopleon Mango Street that are not related by blood are like family to each other.
The people on Mango Street all know each other very well and are a very close-knit community that cares about the people that live
there. The people on Mango Street tried to help their neighbors in bad situations and there was a lot of emphasis on Esperanza
coming back for the people on Mango Street, not just the people she is related to by blood.

83. What did you think of this book? What is one thingyou liked about this book? Why? Are there things in this text that you
are critical of? What are they and what makes you critical of them?
I really enjoyed reading this book, and I think that Sandra Cisnarros was able to very powerfully convey all of her emotions and
experiences in her writing. I also really do love her writing style; I think the run-on sentences and writing in vignettes made some of
her writing more impactful than it would have been if she used a more traditional format for storytelling.When reading the book I
was frequently confused on what Esperanza’s age was, and how much time had passed between each event. I feel like there could
have been a few more details indicating Esperanza’s age and time passing.