What is an example of imagery in The House on Mango Street?
In Chapter 4, “My Name,” Esperanza says her name is “a muddy color” (10). These two sentences are also examples of imagery, as they use sensory details, such as the sound and feeling of tin and the softer feeling of silver, to describe Esperanza’s name.
What are some of the motifs found in The House on Mango Street?
Throughout The House on Mango Street, people fear falling and sometimes actually fall, which suggests the constant threat of failure or injury. Images of falling appear frequently. Angel Vargas and Meme both fall from significant heights, both with disastrous results. Marin waits for a star to fall to change her life.
What do hips symbolize in The House on Mango Street?
Summary: “Hips” Lucy says that hips are for dancing, while Nenny, who is too young to understand what it’s like to develop hips, says that without them, you might turn into a man.
What does hair symbolize in The House on Mango Street?
The theme of the vignette “Hairs” is family, the differences in each member of Esperanza’s family as evidenced by their hair, and the special place her mother holds as the family’s center. In talking about her mother’s hair, Esperanza evokes a tone of peace and security and love.
What does Mango Street symbolize?
They represent freedom and confinement, success and failure, and fantasy and reality. Beginning with the house on Mango Street, the house symbolizes confinement, failure, and reality.
What is a metaphor in house on Mango Street?
Another metaphor might be the high heels. In The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, the house itself is a metaphor. “It’s small and red with tight steps in front and windows so small you’d think they were holding their breath” (page 4).
Who said Esperanza return to Mango Street?
The Three Sisters Old
The Three Sisters Old ladies Esperanza meets at Lucy and Rachel’s baby sister’s wake. The three sisters are mysterious and guess Esperanza’s hopes and dreams. They advise Esperanza always to return to Mango Street after she leaves it.
What does Esperanza fear in The House on Mango Street?
Esperanza mentions that people fear going into her neighborhood. She doesn’t fear where she lives, because it makes her feel good, she is familiar with what it looks like or feels. Esperanza mentions that she fears going into “white” neighborhoods.
Why does Esperanza lie about her home?
Why does Esperanza lie about her home? The humiliating experience Esperanza endures with the nun is similar to experience in chapter 1, because in both cases, she was ashamed of her house.
Who finally gets Esperanza to dance?
A boy asks her to dance but she declines. Finally her Uncle Nacho convinces Esperanza to dance, and they dance beautifully while everyone watches. At first Esperanza feels that her feet are big and ugly, but by the end she forgets about her shoes.
How old is Sally when she gets married House on Mango Street?
Summary: “Linoleum Roses” Sally marries before the end of the year. She marries a much older salesman who has to take her to another state where it is legal to marry girls who are under fourteen. Esperanza believes Sally married to escape her house.
What is hair that smells like bread The House on Mango Street?
The snoring, the rain, and Mama’s hair that smells like bread. Here, Esperanza introduces her mother by describing her hair. Her description makes readers realize that Mama functions as the center of Esperanza’s life, the person who makes Esperanza feel safe.
What happens in the house on Mango Street?
Selected chapters in The House on Mango Street portray these female interactions with one another and also with the male dominant figures in these women’s lives. The dialogues between these women and girls show their connections with one another, but also their separation. The separation occurs most evidently because of the male need for control.
How is machismo portrayed in the house on Mango Street?
The women and girls in the various stories in The House on Mango Street show that they are not in control of the situations they are in, and once they try to take control they ultimately lose it at the hands of the dominant male figure in their lives. There are many examples of differing and various types of Machismo exemplified in Cisneros’ book.
What was the point of Minerva’s act in the house on Mango Street?
The point of focus is on Minerva’s act to change her situation where “she is through and lets him know enough is enough” (85). She attempts to better her situation by removing one of the problems in her life: her fleeting and fleeing husband.
