LITERATURE ANALYSIS #3

The House on Mango Street - Sandra Cisneros

1. Briefly summarize the plot of the novel you read according to the elements of plot you've learned in past courses (exposition, inciting incident, etc.).  Explain how the narrative fulfills the author's purpose (based on your well-informed interpretation of same).

Exposition: Esperanza is a young Chicana girl and her family of a mother, father, two brothers, and a younger sister move in to a new home on Mango Street. Through her perspective, experiencing obstacles as well as achievements, Esperanza faces challenges with trying to live in-between two cultures, coming of age, sexism, etc.

Inciting Incident: The Cordero's move to Mango Street, this is where the conflict/climax/resolution comes about.

Rising Action: The coming of age of Esperanza. Her internal struggle with figuring not only who she really is, however, how those around her really are. Her perspective shifts and the story takes off through her growth.

Conflict: Esperanza's struggle with her sexual vulnerability overlapping with her observations of the older woman living on Mango Street which just builds up more anxiety for her wanting to leave the neighborhood From young women getting pregnant to domestic abuse, Esperanza notices the tradegy of the lives of the women who live around her.

Climax: A group of women names "Las Comadres" talking to Esperanza at a funeral, who after being sexually assaulted, one of her friends getting married, etc. long for freedom in her tortured, angst-y aura. The group of women read her palm and assure her that one she will escape Mango Street to achieve authentic success and happiness in life.

Resolution: Esperanza continues her writing and has an epiphany that while she will move away from Mango Street one day, she must return to aid those who are in troubled lives who live on Mango Street.

2. Succinctly describe the theme of the novel. Avoid cliches.

Mango Street's theme is one of coming of age, it's the struggle of defining who you really are as your perspective on life constantly changes through every obstacle you face and every image you see; especially being a young person.

3. Describe the author's tone. Include a minimum of three excerpts that illustrate your point(s).

The tone Cisneros uses in the story is one of ambition, encouragement, and hope. Throughout every event Esperanza faces in each vignette, it is always implied in one way or another that there's will be a hopeful future for the young Chicana.

First: "In English my name means hope."

Second:  "Down, down Mango Street we go. Rachel, Lucy me. Our new bicycle. Laughing the crooked ride back." (Page 16)

Third: "Alicia, who inherited her mama's rolling pin and sleepiness, is young and smart and studies for the first time at the university. Two trains and a bus, because she doesn't want to spend her whole life in a factory or behind a rolling pin. "

4. Describe a minimum of ten literary elements/techniques you observed that strengthened your understanding of the author's purpose, the text's theme and/or your sense of the tone. For each, please include textual support to help illustrate the point for your readers. (Please include edition and page numbers for easy reference.)

1. Repetition: "Cathy who is queen of cats has cats and cats and cats. Baby cats, big cats, skinny cats, sick cats. Cats asleep like little donuts. Cats on top of the refrigerator. Cats taking a walk on the dinner table. Her house is like cat heaven." (Page 13)

2. Imagery: "Its small and red with tight steps in front and windows so small you'd think they were holding their breath.  Bricks crumbling in places, and the front door is so swollen you have to push hard to get in."  (Page 4)

3. Personification: "...windows so small you'd think they were holding their breath." (Page 4)

4. Simile: "My papa's hair is like a broom, all up in the air." (Page 6)

5. Hyperbole: "There are a million zillion kinds, says Nenny. No two are exactly alike." (Page 35)

6.  Metaphor: "Until then I am a red balloon, a balloon tied to an anchor." (Page 9)

7. Characterization: “ Yes, I nodded even though I knew that wasn’t my house and started to cry. I always cry when nuns yell at me, even if they’re not yelling.” (Page 45)

8.  Foreshadowing:"She looked out the window her whole life, the way so many women sit their sadness on an elbow" (Page 11)

9.  Rhetorical Question: "Friends and neighbors will say, What happened to that Esperanza? Why did she march so far away?" (Page 110)

10. Symbolism: "When I am too sad and too skinny to keep keeping, when I am a tiny thing against so many bricks, then it is I look at the trees. When there is nothing left to look at on this street. Four who grew despite concrete. Four who reach and do not forget to reach. Four whose only reason is to be and be." (Page 50)

CHARACTERIZATION 

1. Describe two examples of direct characterization and two examples of indirect characterization.  Why does the author use both approaches, and to what end (i.e., what is your lasting impression of the character as a result)?

Indirect

"Shame is a bad thing, you know. It keeps you down. You want to know why I quit school? Because I didn't have nice clothes. No clothes, but  had brains. Yup, she says disgusted, stirring again. I was a smart cookie then."

Reveals that Esperanza's mama's background and who she was which can actually be reflected upon Esperanza herself. 

" He worked two jobs. He came home late and left early. Everyday."

The readers gets the idea that the man is a stereotypical Chicano man, most likely immigrant, and this could single-handedly characterize almost, if not, all fathers who live on Mango Street. 

Direct

“Is a good girl, my friend, studies all night and sees the mice, the ones her father says do not exist. Is afraid of nothing except four legged fur. And fathers.”

Characterizes Alice as an innocent of girl to readers.

"Ruthie, tall skinny lady with red lipstick and blue babushka, one blue sock and one green because she forgot, is the only grown-up we know who likes to play."

Characterizes Ruthie both physically while giving off details of her personality. 

2. Does the author's syntax and/or diction change when s/he focuses on character?  How?  Example(s)?

The diction throughout the entire story and each vignette is very simple and easy to read. This is due that the story is written through Esperanza's perspective and her age plays a factor in the vocabulary used in the text.

3. Is the protagonist static or dynamic?  Flat or round?  Explain.

Esperanza is without a doubt a dynamic and round character. The reader see's her growth in the story from a young and playful, even childish, girl to a matured, experienced young Chicana woman who has gained perspective on life through her living on Mango Street. 

4. After reading the book did you come away feeling like you'd met a person or read a character?  Analyze one textual example that illustrates your reaction. 

After reading Sandra Cisnero's House on Mango Street, I definitely felt like I met Esperanza and also related her to some of the friends and peers I've met in my life. Through her P.O.V., I felt like I was right there next to her while she struggled with self-identity, abuse, and angst. Through culture and overcoming obstacles, I connected with Esperanza while reading the story and it felt as if I was reading one of my friend's journal. I just felt like I knew, literally any quote used from the book in this literature analysis can back that such as, "She looked out the window her whole life, the way so many women sit their sadness on an elbow". This can be applied to so many young men and women who live in the Santa Maria/Guadalupe/Los Alamos area who lives a life that is practically set-up to follow that of their parents with no progress or evolution. Their life is a giant, metaphorical Mango Street.