Novel Notes - Samantha Tarango

Plot Overview
About the Author
The House on Mango Street is about a

Hispanic girl who is 12 years old in the
beginning of the story. The book itself is a
collection of vignettes and short stories,
but it helps the narrative be more
descriptive and expand our knowledge of
Esperanzas life. Esperanzas dream
according to the story is to have a big
house, because based on what she has
currently, she is ashamed of it. There is
many conflicts that occur in the
short-story, but if i had to pick a central
one Id say itd have to be Esperanzas
dream house. In the book she always
mentioned it and was very detailed on
how her current home was, she described
how her surroundings were and how
living in that specific house affected her.
However, towards the end of the book
she made a wish to the three old sisters
and they promised her it would come true
as long as she remembered who she
was, where she came from, and that she
is always going to be Esperanza from
Mango street, yet she must come back.
So, at the end of the story she marches
The author of The House on Mango

Street, is a woman named Sandra
Cisneros. She is a poet, short story writer,
novelist, and essayist and makes a living
on her writing. Cisneros was born in
Chicago in 1954 and the only girl in a
family of seven children. The House on
Mango Street takes place in Chicago and
her birthplace might be the reason why
The House on Mango Street takes place
in that city. The book has sold 6 million
copies since it has been published and
has won the Before Columbus
Foundations American Book Award in
1985. Other popular books she has
written are: Woman Hollering Creek and
Other Stories, Loose Woman, and
Carando.
Historical Context
Include information on the time period,
social, economical, cultural, and other
significant influences that characterize the
novel.
Book Title
Author
Samantha Tarango
September 16,2016
Essential Quotes
One essential quote from the story is, When I
am too sad or too skinny to keep keeping,
when I am a tiny thing against so many bricks,
Then it is I look at trees. When there is nothing
left to look at on this street. Four who reach
and do not forget to reach. Four whose only
reason is to be.
Another essential quote that the author states
is, She looked out the window her whole life,
the way so many women sit in sadness on
their elbow. I wonder is she made the best
with what she got or she was sorry because
she couldnt be at all the things she wanted to
be. Esperanza I have inherited her name, but I
dont want to inherit her place by the window.
Reflections
In The House on Mango Street, the story
discusses in various yet connected vignettes
of Esperanzas struggle with friendship and
growing into maturity as well as the lives of her
many neighbors on Mango street.
Character Analysis
Themes
Motifs and Symbols
The main character is obviously

Esperanza herself, since the book was
first-person view. Shes a twelve year old
Hispanic girl, yet ages throughout the
narrative. In the short-story they
described her as the ugly daughter in
the family. Another important character is
Nenny, who happens to be Esperanzas
sister. They say Nenny and Esperanza
are very alike, twins almost, but Nenny is
prettier, yet they share many common
interests. Then we have Sally, a beautiful
girl that only wanted love. Sally was the
one who took Esperanza with her with the
boys and that's where Esperanza had her
bad experiences and stopped trusting
Sally. Cathy is a girl who has lots and lots
of cats and shes the one who didnt want
Esperanzas buying the bike from Tito,
however, she did so Cathy wasnt her
friend anymore but it was okay because
Esperanza had Rachel and Lucy. The two
were sisters, but sooner in the book they
stopped being friends with Esperanza
because she talked bad about their
mother.
A few considerable themes are being

grateful for what you already have,have a
positive outlook, or dont rush into things.
Those are all great possible themes but i
believe the central themes must be
seeking freedom and discovering own
self. Ive came to this conclusion after
reading the novel and decided that the
entire narrative was simply multiple
vignettes that represents Esperanzas
journey. The book does take place when
Esperanzas age was only 12 but
throughout the book she aged to 13. The
story basically showed us an insight of a
coming-of-age girl and how cultural and
environmental aspects affected her. Not
only that, but Esperanza has also
matured mentally and sexually as the
story continues. She experiences sexual
assault, crushes, starts differentiating
boys and girls, and learning what drives
boys. During the story, Esperanza
exhibited how her neighborhood was and
what kind of people it included. She also
showed her emotions towards her house
and it was clear she did not want it and
One major symbol is The Four Skinny Trees

chapter, Esperanza described each one
thoroughly and expressed her relation with
the trees. Furthermore, it seemed as if she
was reflecting herself on them and continued
to personify them, so in a way they
symbolized herself and her environment.
Another symbol is A Rice Sandwich, this is
where Esperanza tried to eat in the canteen.
Even though she didnt succeed in it, no
matter how much she wanted it. She was
ashamed when the nun made her point to her
house and it made her upset and i believe
this symbolizes wanting to feel special in
some sort. A motif i noticed in the story would
have to be Esperanzas grandmother by the
window. It reveals a realm of unhappiness
and the feeling of being trapped due to a
significant other. If you think about it really the
narrative contains many women who are
trapped because of their husbands. Another
important motif i observed is their names,
each person had more than one name, a
nickname. It suggests that the neighborhood
knew them as so and so, yet others who
didnt know them knew them as some other
name. I conceived this information when i
read My Name too, it really embodied the

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Plot Overview

About the Author

The House on Mango Street is about a

The author of The House on Mango

Motifs and Symbols

The main character is obviously

A few considerable themes are being

One major symbol is The Four Skinny Trees

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