Cisneros and The House on Mango Street

1. Cisneros and The House on Mango Street

2. Before we start… What do these quotes imply about Cisneros and her style or text content? • “Americana has welcomed Cisneros like a cool drink of water on an hot Chicago day.” • “Sandra Cisneros is one of the most brilliant of today’s young writers. Her work is sensitive, alert, nuanceful, rich with music and picture”

3. 1954-present Mexican/American Born in Chicago Grew up in poverty Only girl in a family of seven Family moved around a lot How did this affect her as a child? What was the impact these things had on Cisneros? Sandra Cisneros Cisneros became a quiet, careful observer of the people and events around her. She recorded her feelings through secret writings at home.

4. The format • Narrated in voice of young girl, but should be internalized •  "You, the reader, are Esperanza . . . You cannot forget who you are,” says Cisneros • Book of vignettes • Sometimes not full stories, but snapshots of a time, place, people • Stories add up to tell one big story • Cisneros says it is “to tell one big story, each story contributing to the whole – like beads in a necklace“ • No “revelation” at the end • no “AHA! Now I understand!” moment--very similar to life • In order to help you understand the purpose of each story, you will keep a chart of notes (handout)

5. So what’s it about? • Simply written stories from the voice of a young girl • The place she lives, the people she sees and the things she feels • Our individual perception: allows us to see how others perceive the same literature/world…to see it through their eyes, and then to respond in our own individual ways. • Growing up and learning to survive in the world around you. Essentially, we are going to spend a lot of time in the next few weeks just talking. Hooray! Be prepared to TALK (which means you must have READ!)

6. What is it about? • Book about culture, racism, poverty, prejudice, childhood, identity, shame, anger, growing up, humanity, love, acceptance, identity • …and much, much more!

7. YOU! • This unit will focus on YOU! • Goal: for you to think about and write about your own experiences: • your house, • your family, • your neighbors, • your dreams and disappointments, • the way you relate to others, • your fears, • your future

8. Reading Schedule • The focus of this text is to critically read it . Look for solid observations while you read. Keep your brain active. There is a LOT of deep stuff here, but you have to be cognoscente to recognize it! • That means we will move slowly and think deeply…get ready to do a whole different kind of work! • We will start by doing a lot of the reading and thinking together, and then you will move on to doing it mostly yourself.

9. Reading Process 1. Reading Chart: analysis of the meaning of each chapter You will record your thinking on your chart This chart will be collected and will be used for you to write an in-class essay at the end of the unit 2. Personal reflection: you will have a project in which you write your own narrations that are similar in style to the book, but are about your actual life