The House on Mango Street

Question 1

Who is the protagonist of this novel?

Answer 1

Esperanza

Question 2

What is the structure of this novel?

Answer 2

A series of vignettes about life on Mango Street, a poor, Latino district of Chicago

Question 3

What does Esperanza long for most?

Answer 3

A house of her own

Question 4

Discuss gender in “The House on Mango Street.”

Answer 4

Cisnero’s series of vignettes focuses primarily on the experiences of women. Not just our narrator, teenage Esperanza (who is sexually assaulted), but of the women around her neighborhood she observes - her mother (who “could have been something”), Mamacita (controlled by her husband and longing for home), Sally (beautiful but abused by her father), Raefaela (controlling husband), and others.

Question 5

Compare Cisneros and Diaz.

Answer 5

• Cisneros is from an earlier generation
• Both are products of MFA programs
• Cisneros focuses on women, Diaz primarily on men
• Both found mainstream success

Question 6

What is the name of Esperanza’s sister?

Answer 6

Nenny

Question 7

What other Quals author is considered part of the same movement as Cisneros?

Answer 7

Lorna Dee Cervantes. Both were part of a second wave of Chicano literature in the 1970s and 1980s that focused more on style and form than their predecessors, as well as on women’s experiences and stories.

Question 8

What is the difference between “Chiana” and “Latina” literature?

Answer 8

Chicana is specifically those of Mexican heritage, while Latina incorporates other Latin identities.

Question 9

What is the Mexican term for Esperanza’s neighborhood?

Answer 9

Barrio