The House on Mango Street Activity Pack

P
H
R E S T W I C K
O U S E
Activity Pack
THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET
B Y
S
A N D R A
C
I S N E R O S
Copyright © 2001 by Prestwick House, Inc., P.O. Box 246, Cheswold, DE 19936. 1-800-932-4593. www.prestwickhouse.com Permission to use this unit for
classroom use is extended to purchaser for his or her personal use. This material, in whole or part, may not be copied for resale.
ISBN 1-58049-600-6
Reorder No. PA0103
The House on Mango Street
Introduction
In our ongoing quest to continually provide English teachers with new ways to stimulate
learning, to develop new methods of approaching literature, and to give students of
varying abilities the tools with which to understand what they read, Prestwick House
offers the following tips and rationales:
Suggestions
•
Activities for one group of students may not be suitable for all. We encourage you to
select activities that are appropriate for the level you teach.
• These are activities, not exercises; as such, we feel that they should be graded as
“acceptable” or “unacceptable,” rather than the traditional A, B, C, etc.
• Use some activities during the reading and some after the book has been completed.
• Bolster the students’ participation and comprehension by using videos or audio tapes,
if available
• Some activities require artistic talent; reassure students that they will not be judged
strictly on that ability, but solely on trying to do a good job on the activity.
• Stress the importance of everyone’s participation in group work.
Rationale
•
•
•
Many teachers have requested activities for many books, instead of solely relying on
academic approaches to reading. If you want specific teaching materials for literature
that have strong academic objectives and tests of comprehension, please refer to our
extensive list of Teaching Units.
We have heard from newly hired teachers who feel their prep time is so short that
they cannot possibly develop a good variety of literary activities for their students.
Most of their time is devoted to teaching the academic necessities.
The importance of helping teachers reach and stimulate students in as many ways as
possible will always be one of our main goals.
All page references and quotations in this Activity Pack come from the Vintage Edition
of The House on Mango Street published 1991.
The House on Mango Street
Table of Contents
(Page numbers after each section name correspond to pages in the book)
Pre-reading ..................................................................................................................... 1
Characterization
Pages 10-11 ................................................................................................................ 10
Pages 3-16 .................................................................................................................. 13
Pages 14-16 ................................................................................................................ 24
Pages 31-32 ................................................................................................................ 32
Pages 81-83 ................................................................................................................ 58
Pages 92-93 ................................................................................................................ 58
Pages 99-102 .............................................................................................................. 58
Computer Shorthand
Pages 92-93 ................................................................................................................ 51
Culture
Pages 3-5 .................................................................................................................... 8
Dialogue
Pages 88-89 ................................................................................................................ 46
Emphasis
Pages 56-57 ................................................................................................................ 37
Inference
Pages 67-71 ................................................................................................................ 40
Pages 90-91 ................................................................................................................ 48
Pages 109-110............................................................................................................. 61
Journalistic Style
Pages 23-25 ................................................................................................................ 29
Metaphor
Pages 74-75 ................................................................................................................ 42
Motivation
Pages 26-27 ................................................................................................................ 30
Plot
Pages 76-108 .............................................................................................................. 43
Pages 35-110 .............................................................................................................. 54
Poetry
Pages 17-18 ................................................................................................................ 28
Page 108 ..................................................................................................................... 59
Point of View
Pages 3-16 .................................................................................................................. 13
Pages 3-20 .................................................................................................................. 20
Pages 72-73 ................................................................................................................ 41
Realistic Representation of Life
Pages 28-29 ................................................................................................................ 31
Setting
Pages 94-98 ................................................................................................................ 52
Significance of title
Pages 109-110............................................................................................................. 61
Style
Pages 3-20 .................................................................................................................. 20
Pages 33-34 ................................................................................................................ 33
Pages 35-38 ................................................................................................................ 34
Page 108 ..................................................................................................................... 59
Superstitions
Pages 62-64 ................................................................................................................ 38
Theme
Pages 12-13 ................................................................................................................ 23
Pages 12-18 ................................................................................................................ 27
Pages 31-32 ................................................................................................................ 32
Pages 39-52 ................................................................................................................ 35
Pages 53-55 ................................................................................................................ 36
Pages 94-98 ................................................................................................................ 52
Pages 35-110 .............................................................................................................. 54
Tone
Pages 3-16 .................................................................................................................. 13
Writing
Pages 88-89 ................................................................................................................ 46
Wrap Up.......................................................................................................................... 62
Appendix
Directions for Small Group Activities .........................................................................A-1
Emoticons...................................................................................................................A-2
Terms and Definitions.................................................................................................A-4
Activity Pack
The House on Mango Street
by Sandra Cisneros
Teacher’s Edition
Pre-reading
Objective:
Establishing a purpose for reading the story.
Activity
Read the following student reviews for The House on Mango Street. Based on these reviews,
complete the chart on the next page. Note: All references come from the Vintage edition of The
House on Mango Street, published 1991.
Note: If the class has access to the Internet, the teacher may have students go to the site
http://www.amazon.com to read these and other online reviews.
A.
“When I read this book in my seventh grade English class, I was instantly in love! This book tells
the story of Esperanza, a young girl living in the Latino section of a poor city, through a series of
vignettes. It talks about the joys and hardships of being a young girl and having to live with what
is around her, even something as simple as wanting her name to be something more like ‘…Zeze
the X. Yes, something like Zeze the X will do.’ Cisneros’ distinct style of writing captured my
mind and got me lost in these vignettes. It’s a very unique style; this one is like no other. My class
wrote a book based on the style of writing and the storyline Cisneros displays in The House on
Mango Street because of how much we love it! This book is one you will read and will not be
disappointed with!”
B.
“Well, I think it’s now safe to say that Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street is a classic.
Not just a “Chicano/a Classic,” but a book that rightfully is included in school curricula
throughout the United States. This heartbreaking coming of age novella is presented in short but
powerful chapters. Esperanza Cordero (note: “Esperanza” means “hope”; “Cordero” means
“lamb”) is a young girl in a poor Latino neighborhood who tells us her story in vignettes. One of
the most moving chapters is “Red Clowns” where Esperanza tells her friend Sally about being
raped at the carnival: ‘Sally Sally’ a hundred times. Why didn’t you hear me when I called? Why
didn’t you tell them to leave me alone? The one who grabbed me by the arm, he wouldn’t let me
go. He said I love you, Spanish girl, I love you, and pressed his sour mouth to mine.’ This short
chapter displays the beauty and potency of Cisneros’ prose: she uses simple language, that of a
young girl, and juxtaposes the child-like world of the carnival with the adult ugliness of rape. This
is a moving, well-crafted book that should be on your list of ‘must reads.’”
C.
“This book is directed towards females so that might be why I didn’t like it. It never got my
attention. Maybe it was the way it was written or maybe the contents of the book. There were very
few parts of this book that I enjoyed. One part I enjoyed was when Louie’s cousin stole a car and
all of the kids asked where he got it from and he said, ‘get in.’ Another part I liked was when she
got her first kiss and it wasn’t all she thought it was supposed to be. Esperanza said, ‘I waited my
whole life. You’re a liar.” Reading this book was like reading French, another language because it
was a girl book. I would recommend this book to a girl, but not to a guy. ‘One day you wake up
and they are there,’ says Esperanza. She was talking about hips and growing up from a girl to a
young woman throughout the whole book.”
T-1
Activity Pack
The House on Mango Street
by Sandra Cisneros
Student Edition
Pre-reading
Objective:
Establishing a purpose for reading the story.
Activity
Read the following student reviews for The House on Mango Street. Based on these reviews,
complete the chart on the next page. Note: All references come from the Vintage edition of The
House on Mango Street, published 1991.
A.
“When I read this book in my seventh grade English class, I was instantly in love! This book tells
the story of Esperanza, a young girl living in the Latino section of a poor city, through a series of
vignettes. It talks about the joys and hardships of being a young girl and having to live with what
is around her, even something as simple as wanting her name to be something more like ‘…Zeze
the X. Yes, something like Zeze the X will do.’ Cisneros’ distinct style of writing captured my
mind and got me lost in these vignettes. It’s a very unique style; this one is like no other. My class
wrote a book based on the style of writing and the storyline Cisneros displays in The House on
Mango Street because of how much we love it! This book is one you will read and will not be
disappointed with!”
B.
“Well, I think it’s now safe to say that Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street is a classic.
Not just a “Chicano/a Classic,” but a book that rightfully is included in school curricula
throughout the United States. This heartbreaking coming of age novella is presented in short but
powerful chapters. Esperanza Cordero (note: “Esperanza” means “hope”; “Cordero” means
“lamb”) is a young girl in a poor Latino neighborhood who tells us her story in vignettes. One of
the most moving chapters is “Red Clowns” where Esperanza tells her friend Sally about being
raped at the carnival: ‘Sally Sally’ a hundred times. Why didn’t you hear me when I called? Why
didn’t you tell them to leave me alone? The one who grabbed me by the arm, he wouldn’t let me
go. He said I love you, Spanish girl, I love you, and pressed his sour mouth to mine.’ This short
chapter displays the beauty and potency of Cisneros’ prose: she uses simple language, that of a
young girl, and juxtaposes the child-like world of the carnival with the adult ugliness of rape. This
is a moving, well-crafted book that should be on your list of ‘must reads.’”
C.
“This book is directed towards females so that might be why I didn’t like it. It never got my
attention. Maybe it was the way it was written or maybe the contents of the book. There were very
few parts of this book that I enjoyed. One part I enjoyed was when Louie’s cousin stole a car and
all of the kids asked where he got it from and he said, ‘get in.’ Another part I liked was when she
got her first kiss and it wasn’t all she thought it was supposed to be. Esperanza said, ‘I waited my
whole life. You’re a liar.” Reading this book was like reading French, another language because it
was a girl book. I would recommend this book to a girl, but not to a guy. ‘One day you wake up
and they are there,’ says Esperanza. She was talking about hips and growing up from a girl to a
young woman throughout the whole book.”
1
Motivation for Reading
Chart
State two reasons this
novel is or should be
part of your school’s curriculum.
The novel is a coming of age story, which
is a universal theme. In today’s diverse
world, it is important for students to learn
about other cultures.
What two things seem to interest
the reviewers most?
Students may be interested in why
Esperanza wants to change her name,
the circumstances of her rape, or
why she did not like her first kiss.
What two things do some reviewers
dislike about the book?
Some of the students may not
enjoy a book about a girl growing up.
Other students may be worried about the
author’s unique writing style and whether
the novel will be comfortable and easy to
read.
T-2
Motivation for Reading
Chart
State two reasons this
novel is or should be
part of your school’s curriculum.
What two things seem to interest
the reviewers most?
What two things do some reviewers
dislike about the book?
2
Objective:
Drawing conclusions and writing poetry.
Activity
A.
As a child, one of Sandra Cisneros’ favorite books was The Little House by Virginia Lee
Burton. The following is an excerpt from this story:
Once upon a time
there was a Little House
way out in the country.
She was a pretty Little House
and she was strong and well built.
The man who built her so well said,
“This Little House shall never be sold
for gold or silver and she will live to see
our great-great-grandchildren’s
great-great-grandchildren living in her.”
The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton
Houghton Mifflin Company Boston 1969
Identify the traits you think Cisneros is looking for in a house.
______1.
______2.
______3.
______4.
______5.
B.
permanent
feeble
enduring
rattletrap
rural
______6.
______7.
______8.
______9.
______10.
strong
attractive
loathsome
picturesque
ancestral
______11.
______12
______13.
______14.
______15.
pretty
brawny
stable
decrepit
snug
Rewrite the except from The Little House so that it reflects your home. Be sure to use
words that convey the mood of your home.
Example:
Once upon a time
there was a large White House
in a quiet part of a small city.
She was a comely colonial house
nestled between four tall trees.
The man who built her said,
“This large White House will be cherished
and filled with our children’s laughter, love,
and the promise of our great-great-grandchildren’s
great-great-grandchildren’s joyful smiles.
T-3
Objective:
Drawing conclusions and writing poetry.
Activity
A.
As a child, one of Sandra Cisneros’ favorite books was The Little House by Virginia Lee
Burton. The following is an excerpt from this story:
Once upon a time
there was a Little House
way out in the country.
She was a pretty Little House
and she was strong and well built.
The man who built her so well said,
“This Little House shall never be sold
for gold or silver and she will live to see
our great-great-grandchildren’s
great-great-grandchildren living in her.”
The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton
Houghton Mifflin Company Boston 1969
Identify the traits you think Cisneros is looking for in a house.
______1.
______2.
______3.
______4.
______5.
B.
permanent
feeble
enduring
rattletrap
rural
______6.
______7.
______8.
______9.
______10.
strong
attractive
loathsome
picturesque
ancestral
______11.
______12
______13.
______14.
______15.
pretty
brawny
stable
decrepit
snug
Rewrite the except from The Little House so that it reflects your home. Be sure to use
words that convey the mood of your home.
3
Objective:
Appreciating the historical, social, and economic forces that impact the story line
in regard to Americans from Latino backgrounds.
Activity
Read the following newspaper article from the Chicago Tribune. Using this article as a resource,
complete the graph below. Note: This graph can be created using Microsoft Excel or any other
spreadsheet program. If no program is available, fill in the graph by hand.
Create a bar graph with the title: Statewide Rise in Hispanic Population for Illinois
Over the Last Decade According to the 2000 Census. Show the percentage of growth
for the Cuban, Puerto Rican, and Mexican populations in Illinois. 75% Mexican, 8%
Puerto Rican, 1.3% Cuban
Statewide Rise in Hispanic Population for Illinois
Over the Last Decade, According to the 2000 Census
Percentage of
Growth of
Hispanics Living in
Illinois from
1990-2000
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Cuban
Puerto Rican
Ethnic Populations
T-4
Mexican
Objective:
Appreciating the historical, social, and economic forces that impact the story line
in regard to Americans from Latino backgrounds.
Activity
Read the following newspaper article from the Chicago Tribune. Using this article as a resource,
complete the graph below. Note: This graph can be created using Microsoft Excel or any other
spreadsheet program. If no program is available, fill in the graph by hand.
Create a bar graph with the title: Statewide Rise in Hispanic Population for Illinois
Over the Last Decade According to the 2000 Census. Show the percentage of growth
for the Cuban, Puerto Rican, and Mexican populations in Illinois
Statewide Rise in Hispanic Population for Illinois
Over the Last Decade, According to the 2000 Census
Percentage of
Growth of
Hispanics Living in
Illinois from
1990-2000
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Cuban
Puerto Rican
Ethnic Populations
4
Mexican
Chicago a hub for Mexicans
Population trails only L.A. among cities nationwide
By Dan Mihalopoulos and Evan Osnos
Tribune staff reporters
May 10, 2001
come from countries whose cultures are as varied as
Americans of European or Asian descent.
A decade of surging immigration from Mexico has
helped Chicago vault past Houston and San Antonio
to make its Mexican community the second largest in
the nation after Los Angeles.
Los Angeles County remains home to the largest
number of Mexicans in the nation. It recorded an
ethnic Mexican population of 3 million, a
concentration surpassed only by Mexico City,
Guadalajara, and Monterrey. The Mexican
population of Harris County stood at 815,000.
The number of Chicago residents of Mexican origin
grew 50 percent over the last decade to more than
530,000, according to newly released data from the
2000 census.
Of the 35 million Hispanics counted in the 2000
census, more than 20.6 million were Mexican. That
means that more than one in 12 U.S. residents now
claims Mexican roots.
The rate of growth in all of Cook County was even
greater, with the ethnic Mexican population soaring
69 percent to 786,000. Only Los Angeles County and
Harris County in Texas, which includes Houston, are
home to more Mexicans in this country.
The profile of the Hispanic community differs from
region tc, region. The number of Puerto Ricans in the
50 states totals 3.4 million, with the bulk
concentrated in New York and the Northeast. The
Cuban population totals 1.24 million, with 67 percent
of that in Florida.
Statewide, the Hispanic population grew from
904,446 to 1.53 million over the decade, with
Mexicans making up 75 percent of the total. The
state is now home to 1.14 million
Mexican-Americans and Mexican immigrants.
Experts cite a variety of reasons leading to the rapid
growth of the Chicago area's Mexican population.
They include a high birthrate, the lure of jobs
prompted by a strong economy in recent years, and a
century-long history of Mexican immigration to the
area.
The Puerto Rican population in Illinois rose only 8
percent and stands at 157,851 while the Cuban
population grew 1.3 percent to 18,438, census data
shows. The rest of the Hispanic community consists
mostly of Central and South Americans.
With more Mexicans living in Cook County than in
such Mexican metropolises as Alcapulco,
Cuernavaca, Chihuahua, or Veracruz, the county also
is home to the largest population of ethnic Mexicans
outside of the Southwest.
Roots lie in South Chicago
The city's first Mexican neighborhood formed early
in the 20th Century in South Chicago, near steel mills
and rail yards. Significant clusters of Mexicans have
now spread as far from the city as Lake and
McHenry Counties, with service and small-scale
manufacturing jobs acting as a magnet to draw
people away from traditional enclaves on the West
Side and Far South Side.
The Mexican population of Chicago actually grew by
a large' number than the Mexican population of Los
Angeles over the last decade, census data show.
"The Mexicans here are the largest community
outside of the area that used to be part of Mexico,"
said Carlos Manuel Sada Solana, Mexico's consul
general in Chicago.
The census data gives new insights into the breadth
of the nation's Hispanic community. Non-Hispanics
often fail to appreciate the diversity among
Hispanics, who may speak a common language but
T-5
Chicago a hub for Mexicans
Population trails only L.A. among cities nationwide
By Dan Mihalopoulos and Evan Osnos
Tribune staff reporters
May 10, 2001
come from countries whose cultures are as varied as
Americans of European or Asian descent.
A decade of surging immigration from Mexico has
helped Chicago vault past Houston and San Antonio
to make its Mexican community the second largest in
the nation after Los Angeles.
Los Angeles County remains home to the largest
number of Mexicans in the nation. It recorded an
ethnic Mexican population of 3 million, a
concentration surpassed only by Mexico City,
Guadalajara, and Monterrey. The Mexican
population of Harris County stood at 815,000.
The number of Chicago residents of Mexican origin
grew 50 percent over the last decade to more than
530,000, according to newly released data from the
2000 census.
Of the 35 million Hispanics counted in the 2000
census, more than 20.6 million were Mexican. That
means that more than one in 12 U.S. residents now
claims Mexican roots.
The rate of growth in all of Cook County was even
greater, with the ethnic Mexican population soaring
69 percent to 786,000. Only Los Angeles County and
Harris County in Texas, which includes Houston, are
home to more Mexicans in this country.
The profile of the Hispanic community differs from
region tc, region. The number of Puerto Ricans in the
50 states totals 3.4 million, with the bulk
concentrated in New York and the Northeast. The
Cuban population totals 1.24 million, with 67 percent
of that in Florida.
Statewide, the Hispanic population grew from
904,446 to 1.53 million over the decade, with
Mexicans making up 75 percent of the total. The
state is now home to 1.14 million
Mexican-Americans and Mexican immigrants.
Experts cite a variety of reasons leading to the rapid
growth of the Chicago area's Mexican population.
They include a high birthrate, the lure of jobs
prompted by a strong economy in recent years, and a
century-long history of Mexican immigration to the
area.
The Puerto Rican population in Illinois rose only 8
percent and stands at 157,851 while the Cuban
population grew 1.3 percent to 18,438, census data
shows. The rest of the Hispanic community consists
mostly of Central and South Americans.
With more Mexicans living in Cook County than in
such Mexican metropolises as Alcapulco,
Cuernavaca, Chihuahua, or Veracruz, the county also
is home to the largest population of ethnic Mexicans
outside of the Southwest.
Roots lie in South Chicago
The city's first Mexican neighborhood formed early
in the 20th Century in South Chicago, near steel mills
and rail yards. Significant clusters of Mexicans have
now spread as far from the city as Lake and
McHenry Counties, with service and small-scale
manufacturing jobs acting as a magnet to draw
people away from traditional enclaves on the West
Side and Far South Side.
The Mexican population of Chicago actually grew by
a large' number than the Mexican population of Los
Angeles over the last decade, census data show.
"The Mexicans here are the largest community
outside of the area that used to be part of Mexico,"
said Carlos Manuel Sada Solana, Mexico's consul
general in Chicago.
The census data gives new insights into the breadth
of the nation's Hispanic community. Non-Hispanics
often fail to appreciate the diversity among
Hispanics, who may speak a common language but
5
"Pilsen is not Hispanic. It's Mexican," he said.
"Immigration continues because the regional
economy is a part of the global economy, and it
demands low-skilled as well as high-skilled
workers," said Susan Gzesh, director of the
Mexico-U.S. Advocates Network based in Chicago.
"Imagine a day where there are no Mexicans in
Chicago. No restaurants would function."
With those distinctions come separate loyalties and
political passions, Tortolero said. Immigration
policy, a vitally important issue for the
Mexican-American community, has no bearing on
those from Puerto Rico, a U.S. commonwealth. And
Mexican-Americans have no direct stake in the
military bombing on Vieques, though the issue of
naval exercises there has angered Puerto Ricans.
In Little Village, a predominantly Mexican
neighborhood on Chicago's West Side, the owner of
the El Norteno Western-wear shop said he opened his
business in Chicago because Mexicans here are able
to earn higher wages than in the Southwest.
But as they push for more representation in the
legislature and the City Council, Hispanic activists
insist that there is more to unite Hispanics than
divide them. Gutierrez, for instance, is pushing for an
amnesty that would grant legal status to
undocumented immigrants.
"In Texas the wages are lower, so the people have
less money to buy a pair of boots," said Efrain
Sanchez, a 38-year-old native of the state of
Aguascalientes in north-central Mexico.
The flow of immigrants from Mexico is not expected
to ease, in part because wages are seven times higher
in the United States than in Mexico, according to a
study last year by the Federal Reserve Bank of
Dallas.
Down 26th Street from Sanchez's shop, Maria
Salazar sold cups of slushy tamarind and guayaba
juice on a street corner Wednesday, five years after
arriving in Chicago. Salazar, 26, said she came here
because her aunts and uncles were here first. They, in
turn, came to live with their relatives decades ago.
All speak English and Spanish, Salazar said.
"Despite encountering an environment that is
completely alien to what they knew in Mexico, the
immigrants keep coming to Chicago," said Sada,
Mexico's representative here. "They adapt in the
spirit of sacrificing for their families."
With the Mexican community far larger than other
Hispanic groups, political tensions have begun to stir
among Chicago's Latinos. Recent aldermanic and
state legislative races have pitted Mexican-American
candidates against Puerto Ricans, and ethnicity
became an issue in the races just as it has over the
decades for Irish, Polish and other white ethnic
political blocs.
Courtesy of The Chicago Tribune
Political tension stirs
One reason for the tension is that Puerto Ricans, all
of whom are U.S. citizens, enjoy an outsize share of
the political representation among Hispanics.
Roughly half of the 25 Hispanic elected officials in
Cook County are Puerto Rican even though
Mexicans predominate, according to the
Chicago-based U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute.
The two most powerful Hispanic politicians in
Chicago, U.S Rep. Luis Gutierrez and state Sen.
Miguel del Valle, are both of Puerto Rican heritage.
Carlos Tortolero, director of the Mexican Fine Arts
Center in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, bristles at
the description of the area--named after the home city
of 19th Century Czech immigrants--as a Latino
enclave.
T-6
"Pilsen is not Hispanic. It's Mexican," he said.
"Immigration continues because the regional
economy is a part of the global economy, and it
demands low-skilled as well as high-skilled
workers," said Susan Gzesh, director of the
Mexico-U.S. Advocates Network based in Chicago.
"Imagine a day where there are no Mexicans in
Chicago. No restaurants would function."
With those distinctions come separate loyalties and
political passions, Tortolero said. Immigration
policy, a vitally important issue for the
Mexican-American community, has no bearing on
those from Puerto Rico, a U.S. commonwealth. And
Mexican-Americans have no direct stake in the
military bombing on Vieques, though the issue of
naval exercises there has angered Puerto Ricans.
In Little Village, a predominantly Mexican
neighborhood on Chicago's West Side, the owner of
the El Norteno Western-wear shop said he opened his
business in Chicago because Mexicans here are able
to earn higher wages than in the Southwest.
But as they push for more representation in the
legislature and the City Council, Hispanic activists
insist that there is more to unite Hispanics than
divide them. Gutierrez, for instance, is pushing for an
amnesty that would grant legal status to
undocumented immigrants.
"In Texas the wages are lower, so the people have
less money to buy a pair of boots," said Efrain
Sanchez, a 38-year-old native of the state of
Aguascalientes in north-central Mexico.
The flow of immigrants from Mexico is not expected
to ease, in part because wages are seven times higher
in the United States than in Mexico, according to a
study last year by the Federal Reserve Bank of
Dallas.
Down 26th Street from Sanchez's shop, Maria
Salazar sold cups of slushy tamarind and guayaba
juice on a street corner Wednesday, five years after
arriving in Chicago. Salazar, 26, said she came here
because her aunts and uncles were here first. They, in
turn, came to live with their relatives decades ago.
All speak English and Spanish, Salazar said.
"Despite encountering an environment that is
completely alien to what they knew in Mexico, the
immigrants keep coming to Chicago," said Sada,
Mexico's representative here. "They adapt in the
spirit of sacrificing for their families."
With the Mexican community far larger than other
Hispanic groups, political tensions have begun to stir
among Chicago's Latinos. Recent aldermanic and
state legislative races have pitted Mexican-American
candidates against Puerto Ricans, and ethnicity
became an issue in the races just as it has over the
decades for Irish, Polish and other white ethnic
political blocs.
Courtesy of The Chicago Tribune
Political tension stirs
One reason for the tension is that Puerto Ricans, all
of whom are U.S. citizens, enjoy an outsize share of
the political representation among Hispanics.
Roughly half of the 25 Hispanic elected officials in
Cook County are Puerto Rican even though
Mexicans predominate, according to the
Chicago-based U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute.
The two most powerful Hispanic politicians in
Chicago, U.S Rep. Luis Gutierrez and state Sen.
Miguel del Valle, are both of Puerto Rican heritage.
Carlos Tortolero, director of the Mexican Fine Arts
Center in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, bristles at
the description of the area--named after the home city
of 19th Century Czech immigrants--as a Latino
enclave.
6
Objective:
Reading to infer the author’s interests and possible themes.
Activity
Read the following quotations from and about Sandra Cisneros. What themes or motifs do you
think she might address in this novel?
“As a person growing up in a society where the class norm was superimposed on a television screen, I
couldn’t understand why our home wasn’t all green lawns and white wood like the ones in ‘Leave It to
Beaver’ and ‘Father Knows Best.”
“The meaning of literary success,” she [Cisneros] declares, “is that I could change the way someone thinks
about my community, or my gender, or my class.”
“Cisneros’ brothers sought to control and mold her according to this dominating, male-oriented ideology so
much so that she later professed that she felt as if she had ‘seven fathers’ instead of one. Consequently she
confesses in a 1990 interview: ‘to this day when any man tells me to do something in a certain way, the
hair on the back of my neck just stands up.”
Answers will vary.
Example:
• growing up or coming of age
• injustices society places on women, Latin-Americans, or the poor
• struggle for identity when caught between cultures
• cultural influence on siblings relationships
T-7
Objective:
Reading to infer the author’s interests and possible themes.
Activity
Read the following quotations from and about Sandra Cisneros. What themes or motifs do you
think she might address in this novel?
“As a person growing up in a society where the class norm was superimposed on a television screen, I
couldn’t understand why our home wasn’t all green lawns and white wood like the ones in ‘Leave It to
Beaver’ and ‘Father Knows Best.”
“The meaning of literary success,” she [Cisneros] declares, “is that I could change the way someone thinks
about my community, or my gender, or my class.”
“Cisneros’ brothers sought to control and mold her according to this dominating, male-oriented ideology so
much so that she later professed that she felt as if she had ‘seven fathers’ instead of one. Consequently she
confesses in a 1990 interview: ‘to this day when any man tells me to do something in a certain way, the
hair on the back of my neck just stands up.”
7
Boys & Girls
Pages 3-5
Culture
Objective:
Recognizing salient aspects of a culture.
Activity
A.
Read the following passage from this chapter:
“The boys and the girls live in separate worlds. The boys in their universe and we in ours. My
brothers for example. They’ve got plenty to say to me and Nenny inside the house. But outside
they can’t be seen talking to girls. Carlos and Kiki are each other’s best friend…not ours.” (Pg.
8)
Note to Teacher: For small group work, see Appendix II
In your small group, consider the following:
1.
Why do they live in separate worlds?
2.
Why are the boys worried about being seen outside talking to girls?
B.
After reading the following definition and excerpts from an article on machismo, list at
least four justifications and four criticisms on the concept of machismo.
The Dictionary of Mexican Cultural Code Words defines Machismo as “…the
repudiation of all ‘feminine’ virtues such as unselfishness, kindness, frankness and
truthfulness.”
It is commonly said that men, particularly men of color, tend to be abusive, controlling, and violent toward
women and children. These characteristics are often said to be typical of a patriarchal, or “machismo,”
culture. Jerry Tello, one of the founders of the National Compadres Network, says that to be abusive is not
an inherent attribute of Chicano/Latino culture.
In Latin America, the word “macho” simply means male, and a true man is someone who carries respect,
responsibility, and honor. That’s why when the Compadres (acting as ‘co-fathers’) speak to young men
around the country, they tell them: “Let us guide you to be an ‘hombre noble’–a noble man.” The
Compadres Network aims to strengthen, balance, and redevelop the traditional compadre extended family
system. As defined by U.S. society, the concept of “machismo” takes on strictly negative overtones. And
some young Latinos fulfill this distorted definition by acting out a false manliness in response to living in a
foreign culture where they feel emasculated by racism and a lack of educational and job opportunities. The
objective of the Compadres is to recast the definition of manhood in a positive light.
T-8
Boys & Girls
Pages 3-5
Culture
Objective:
Recognizing salient aspects of a culture.
Activity
A.
Read the following passage from this chapter:
“The boys and the girls live in separate worlds. The boys in their universe and we in ours. My
brothers for example. They’ve got plenty to say to me and Nenny inside the house. But outside
they can’t be seen talking to girls. Carlos and Kiki are each other’s best friend…not ours.” (Pg.
8)
In your small group, consider the following:
1.
Why do they live in separate worlds?
2.
Why are the boys worried about being seen outside talking to girls?
B.
After reading the following definition and excerpts from an article on machismo, list at
least four justifications and four criticisms on the concept of machismo.
The Dictionary of Mexican Cultural Code Words defines Machismo as “…the
repudiation of all ‘feminine’ virtues such as unselfishness, kindness, frankness and
truthfulness.”
It is commonly said that men, particularly men of color, tend to be abusive, controlling, and violent toward
women and children. These characteristics are often said to be typical of a patriarchal, or “machismo,”
culture. Jerry Tello, one of the founders of the National Compadres Network, says that to be abusive is not
an inherent attribute of Chicano/Latino culture.
In Latin America, the word “macho” simply means male, and a true man is someone who carries respect,
responsibility, and honor. That’s why when the Compadres (acting as ‘co-fathers’) speak to young men
around the country, they tell them: “Let us guide you to be an ‘hombre noble’–a noble man.” The
Compadres Network aims to strengthen, balance, and redevelop the traditional compadre extended family
system. As defined by U.S. society, the concept of “machismo” takes on strictly negative overtones. And
some young Latinos fulfill this distorted definition by acting out a false manliness in response to living in a
foreign culture where they feel emasculated by racism and a lack of educational and job opportunities. The
objective of the Compadres is to recast the definition of manhood in a positive light.
8
Machismo
How someone might justify it.
Why someone might criticize it.
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
4.
4.
C.
Write a dialogue, a one-act play, or a short story with two or three male and two or three
female characters. In what you write, present both viewpoints and how one of the
characters undergo a change in thinking.
T-9
Machismo
How someone might justify it.
Why someone might criticize it.
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
4.
4.
C.
Write a dialogue, a one-act play, or a short story with two or three male and two or three
female characters. In what you write, present both viewpoints and how one of the
characters undergo a change in thinking.
9
My Name
Pages 10 and 11
Characterization
Objective:
Understanding the importance of a person’s name to his or her identity.
Activity
A.
Names are very important to the characters in the following excerpts. Read each selection
and consider why each character places value on his or her name.
from: Othello
By William Shakespeare
[Iago to Othello]
He that filches from me my good name
Robs me of that which not enriches him
And makes me poor indeed.
from: The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
by Ernest J. Gaines
[A major in the union army is talking to a young slave girl.]
“Well, just call me Mr. Brown,” he said. “And I’m go’n call you something else ‘sides Ticey.
Ticey is a slave name, and I don’t like slavery. I’m go’n call you Jane,” he said. “That’s right,
I’ll call you Jane. That’s my girl’s name back there in Ohio. You like for me to call you that?”
I stood there grinning like a little fool. I rubbed my foot with my big toe and just stood there
grinning. The other Troops was grinning at me, too.
“Yes,” he said, “I think you do like that name. Well, from now on your name is Jane. Not
Ticey no more. Jane. Jane Brown. Miss Jane Brown. When you get older you can change it to
what else you want. But till then your name is Jane Brown.”
[Later, the mistress of the plantation is talking to Jane.]
“You little wench, didn’t you hear me calling you?” she said. I raised my head high and
looked her straight in the face and said: “You called me Ticey. My name ain’t no Ticey no more,
it’s Miss Jane Brown. And Mr. Brown say catch him and tell him if you don’t like it.”
My mistress’ face got red, her eyes got wide, and for about half a minute she just stood there
gaping at me. Then she gathered up her dress and started running for the house. That night when
the master and the rest of them came in from the swamps she told my master I had sassed her in
front of the Yankees. My master told two of the other slaves to hold me down. One took my
arms, the other one took my legs. My master jecked up my dress and gived my mistress the whip
and told her to teach me a lesson. Every time she hit me she asked my what I said my name was.
I said Jane Brown. She hit me again: what I said my name was. I said Jane Brown.
My mistress got tired beating me and told my master to beat me some. He told her that was
enough, I was already bleeding.” (Pgs. 8,9)
T-10
My Name
Pages 10 and 11
Characterization
Objective:
Understanding the importance of a person’s name to his or her identity.
Activity
A.
Names are very important to the characters in the following excerpts. Read each selection
and consider why each character places value on his or her name.
from: Othello
By William Shakespeare
[Iago to Othello]
He that filches from me my good name
Robs me of that which not enriches him
And makes me poor indeed.
from: The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
by Ernest J. Gaines
[A major in the union army is talking to a young slave girl.]
“Well, just call me Mr. Brown,” he said. “And I’m go’n call you something else ‘sides Ticey.
Ticey is a slave name, and I don’t like slavery. I’m go’n call you Jane,” he said. “That’s right,
I’ll call you Jane. That’s my girl’s name back there in Ohio. You like for me to call you that?”
I stood there grinning like a little fool. I rubbed my foot with my big toe and just stood there
grinning. The other Troops was grinning at me, too.
“Yes,” he said, “I think you do like that name. Well, from now on your name is Jane. Not
Ticey no more. Jane. Jane Brown. Miss Jane Brown. When you get older you can change it to
what else you want. But till then your name is Jane Brown.”
[Later, the mistress of the plantation is talking to Jane.]
“You little wench, didn’t you hear me calling you?” she said. I raised my head high and
looked her straight in the face and said: “You called me Ticey. My name ain’t no Ticey no more,
it’s Miss Jane Brown. And Mr. Brown say catch him and tell him if you don’t like it.”
My mistress’ face got red, her eyes got wide, and for about half a minute she just stood there
gaping at me. Then she gathered up her dress and started running for the house. That night when
the master and the rest of them came in from the swamps she told my master I had sassed her in
front of the Yankees. My master told two of the other slaves to hold me down. One took my
arms, the other one took my legs. My master jecked up my dress and gived my mistress the whip
and told her to teach me a lesson. Every time she hit me she asked my what I said my name was.
I said Jane Brown. She hit me again: what I said my name was. I said Jane Brown.
My mistress got tired beating me and told my master to beat me some. He told her that was
enough, I was already bleeding.” (Pgs. 8,9)
10
from: When I Was Puerto Rican
by Esmeralda Santiago
[Mami talks to her daughter Negi about her name.]
Delsa’s black curly hair framed a heart-shaped face with tiny pouty lips and round eyes thick
with lashes. Mami called her Munequita, Little Doll. Norma’s hair was the color of clay, her
yellow eyes slanted at the corners, and her skin glowed the same color as the inside of a yam.
Mami called her La Colorá, the red girl. I thought I had no nickname until she told me my name
wasn’t Negi but Esmeralda.
“You’re named after your father’s sister, who is also your god mother. You know her as Titi
Merín.”
“Why does everyone call me Negi?”
“Because when you were little you were so black, my mother said you were a negrita [a word
of endearment meaning “little black one”]. And we all called you Negrita, and it got shortened to
Negi.”
“So Negi means I’m black?”
“It’s a sweet name because we love you, Negrita.” She hugged and kissed me.
“Does anyone call Titi Merin Esmeralda?”
“Oh, sure. People who don’t know her well–the government, her boss. We all have our
official names, and then our nicknames, which are like secrets that only the people who love us
use.” (Pgs. 13, 14)
from: The House on Mango Street
by Sandra Cisneros
“At school they say my name funny as if the syllables were made out of tin and hurt the roof
of your mouth. But in Spanish my name is made out of a softer something, like silver, not quite as
thick as sister’s name–Magdalena–which is uglier than mine. Magdalena who at least can come
home and become Nenny. But I am always Esperanza.
I would like to baptize myself under a new name, a name more like the real me, the one
nobody sees. Esperanza as Lisandra or Maritza or Zeze the X. Yes. Something like Zeze the X
will do.” (Pg. 11)
How would you rate, on a scale of one to five, with one representing a high degree of
concern and five representing no concern, the reasons each of the characters in these
selections is concerned about his or her name? The first one is done for you.
There is no correct answer. The exercise is to encourage the students to think
about the importance of names.
Othello
Personal Honor
Cultural Identity
Indicator of Self Worth
Symbol of Family Love
Ancestral Connection
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
T-11
4
4
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
5
from: When I Was Puerto Rican
by Esmeralda Santiago
[Mami talks to her daughter Negi about her name.]
Delsa’s black curly hair framed a heart-shaped face with tiny pouty lips and round eyes thick
with lashes. Mami called her Munequita, Little Doll. Norma’s hair was the color of clay, her
yellow eyes slanted at the corners, and her skin glowed the same color as the inside of a yam.
Mami called her La Colorá, the red girl. I thought I had no nickname until she told me my name
wasn’t Negi but Esmeralda.
“You’re named after your father’s sister, who is also your god mother. You know her as Titi
Merín.”
“Why does everyone call me Negi?”
“Because when you were little you were so black, my mother said you were a negrita [a word
of endearment meaning “little black one”]. And we all called you Negrita, and it got shortened to
Negi.”
“So Negi means I’m black?”
“It’s a sweet name because we love you, Negrita.” She hugged and kissed me.
“Does anyone call Titi Merin Esmeralda?”
“Oh, sure. People who don’t know her well–the government, her boss. We all have our
official names, and then our nicknames, which are like secrets that only the people who love us
use.” (Pgs. 13, 14)
from: The House on Mango Street
by Sandra Cisneros
“At school they say my name funny as if the syllables were made out of tin and hurt the roof
of your mouth. But in Spanish my name is made out of a softer something, like silver, not quite as
thick as sister’s name–Magdalena–which is uglier than mine. Magdalena who at least can come
home and become Nenny. But I am always Esperanza.
I would like to baptize myself under a new name, a name more like the real me, the one
nobody sees. Esperanza as Lisandra or Maritza or Zeze the X. Yes. Something like Zeze the X
will do.” (Pg. 11)
How would you rate, on a scale of one to five, with one representing a high degree of
concern and five representing no concern, the reasons each of the characters in these
selections is concerned about his or her name? The first one is done for you.
Othello
Personal Honor
Cultural Identity
Indicator of Self Worth
Symbol of Family Love
Ancestral Connection
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
11
4
4
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
5
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
Personal Honor
Cultural Identity
Indicator of Self Worth
Symbol of Family Love
Ancestral Connection
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
5
When I Was Puerto Rican
Personal Honor
Cultural Identity
Indicator of Self Worth
Symbol of Family Love
Ancestral Connection
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
The House on Mango Street
Personal Honor
Cultural Identity
Indicator of Self Worth
Symbol of Family Love
Ancestral Connection
B.
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
Choose one of the selections and justify your reasons for any number 1 and any
number 5.
T-12
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
Personal Honor
Cultural Identity
Indicator of Self Worth
Symbol of Family Love
Ancestral Connection
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
5
When I Was Puerto Rican
Personal Honor
Cultural Identity
Indicator of Self Worth
Symbol of Family Love
Ancestral Connection
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
The House on Mango Street
Personal Honor
Cultural Identity
Indicator of Self Worth
Symbol of Family Love
Ancestral Connection
B.
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
Choose one of the selections and justify your reasons for any number 1 and any
number 5.
12
The House on Mango Street to Our Good Day
Pages 3-16
Characterization
Point of View
Tone
Objective:
Inferring character traits from the text.
Activity
A.
Identify the traits you think Esperanza possesses.
_____1.
_____2.
_____3.
_____4.
_____5.
_____6.
_____7.
_____8.
_____9.
____10.
B.
aloof
conventional
courageous
energetic
honest
insensitive
methodical
confident
coarse
cautious
_____11.
_____12.
_____13.
_____14.
_____15.
_____16.
_____17.
_____18.
_____19.
_____20.
difficult
practical
reliable
resourceful
intelligent
sensitive
diligent
conscientious
tender
callous
_____21.
_____22.
_____23.
_____24.
_____25.
_____26.
_____27.
_____28.
_____29.
_____30.
wise
compassionate
understanding
thoughtful
simple
imaginative
persistent
stubborn
reasonable
impudent
Of the traits you identified for Esperanza:
•
Which of the traits did you infer from the character’s comments or actions?
courageous, intelligent, sensitive, wise, imaginative, reasonable
•
Which traits did you learn of because the narrator or another character told you?
none
T-13
The House on Mango Street to Our Good Day
Pages 3-16
Characterization
Point of View
Tone
Objective:
Inferring character traits from the text.
Activity
A.
Identify the traits you think Esperanza possesses.
_____1.
_____2.
_____3.
_____4.
_____5.
_____6.
_____7.
_____8.
_____9.
____10.
B.
aloof
conventional
courageous
energetic
honest
insensitive
methodical
confident
coarse
cautious
_____11.
_____12.
_____13.
_____14.
_____15.
_____16.
_____17.
_____18.
_____19.
_____20.
difficult
practical
reliable
resourceful
intelligent
sensitive
diligent
conscientious
tender
callous
_____21.
_____22.
_____23.
_____24.
_____25.
_____26.
_____27.
_____28.
_____29.
_____30.
wise
compassionate
understanding
thoughtful
simple
imaginative
persistent
stubborn
reasonable
impudent
Of the traits you identified for Esperanza:
•
Which of the traits did you infer from the character’s comments or actions?
•
Which traits did you learn of because the narrator or another character told you?
13
Objective:
Recognizing character similarities and differences relevant to the story.
Activity
A.
Compare and/or contrast Cathy and Esperanza.
Cathy
Esperanza
Attitude Toward the
Neighborhood
Cathy thinks the neighborhood is getting bad.
Prejudices
Cathy does not like poor
people or girls who go to
college.
Cathy does not want to ride
the bike and was friends with
a college student, so she is
probably older than Esperanza.
Age
Esperanza is new to
the area, but she
wants to make friends
and fit in.
No prejudice is
revealed at this point
in the story.
Esperanza is of school
age, but still wants to
play, so a reader can
infer she is not a
teenager yet.
Esperanza’s family
is not wealthy; the
house her family
lives in is
impoverished.
Socio-Economic
Position
Cathy’s family is moving to
a “better” neighborhood, so they
must be better off financially
than Esperanza’s family. Cathy
also brags to Esperanza about
being related to the Queen of
France.
Ethnic Background
Cathy is
French.
Esperanza is
Mexican.
Importance to
the Story
Cathy is moving away in two
days, so she is not a major
character in the story.
Esperanza is the
narrator and
protagonist.
T-14
Objective:
Recognizing character similarities and differences relevant to the story.
Activity
A.
Compare and/or contrast Cathy and Esperanza.
Cathy
Esperanza
Attitude Toward the
Neighborhood
Prejudices
Age
Socio-Economic
Position
Ethnic Background
Importance to
the Story
14
Objective:
Recognizing and working with point of view.
Activity
A.
1.
Complete the chart for each of the following sections. (Do not lose these excerpts. They
will be used later for a style activity.)
Selection from Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
They would have gone on arguing had Ofoedu not come in just then. It was clear from his twinkling
eyes that he had important news. But it would be impolite to rush him. Obierika offered him a lobe of the
kola nut he had broken with Okonkwo. Ofoedu ate slowly and talked about the locusts. When he finished
his kola nut he said:
“The things that happen these days are very strange.”
“What has happened?” asked Okonkwo.
“Do you know Ogbuefi Ndulue?” Ofoedu asked.
“Ogbuefi Ndulue of Ire village,” Okonkwo and Obierika said together.
“He died this morning,” said Ofoedu.
“That is not strange. He was the oldest man in Ire,” said Obierika.
2.
Selection from Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
He was the only man of us who still “followed the sea.” The worse that could be said of him
was that he did not represent his class. He was a seaman, but he was a wanderer, too, while most
seamen lead, if one may so express it, a sedentary life. Their minds are of the stay-at-home order,
and their home is always with them – the ship; and so is their country – the sea. One ship is very
much like another, and the sea is always the same. In the immutability of their surroundings the
foreign shores, the foreign faces, the changing immensity of life, glide past, veiled not be a sense
of mystery but by a slightly disdainful ignorance; for there is nothing mysterious to a seaman
unless it be the sea itself, which is the mistress of his existence and as inscrutable as destiny. For
the rest, after his hours of work, a casual stroll or a casual spree on shore suffices to unfold for him
the secret of a whole continent, and generally he finds the secret not worth knowing. The yarns of
seamen have a direct simplicity, the whole meaning of which lies within the shell of a cracked nut.
But Marlow was not typical (if his propensity to spin yarns be excepted), and to him the meaning
of an episode was not inside like a kernel but outside, enveloping the tale which brought it out
only as a glow brings out a haze, in the likeness of one of these misty halos that sometimes are
made visible by the spectral illumination of moonshine.
3.
Selection from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
You don’t know about me, without you have read a book by the name of “The Adventures of
Tom Sawyer,” but that ain’t no matter. That book was made by Mr. Mark Twain, and he told the
truth, mainly. There was things which he stretched, but mainly he told the truth. That is nothing.
I never seen anybody but lied, one time or another, without it was Aunt Polly, or the widow, or
maybe Mary. Aunt Polly–Tom’s Aunt Polly, she is–and Mary, and the Widow Douglas, is all told
about in that book–which is mostly a true book; with some stretchers, as I said before.
T-15
Objective:
Recognizing and working with point of view.
Activity
A.
1.
Complete the chart for each of the following sections. (Do not lose these excerpts. They
will be used later for a style activity.)
Selection from Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
They would have gone on arguing had Ofoedu not come in just then. It was clear from his twinkling
eyes that he had important news. But it would be impolite to rush him. Obierika offered him a lobe of the
kola nut he had broken with Okonkwo. Ofoedu ate slowly and talked about the locusts. When he finished
his kola nut he said:
“The things that happen these days are very strange.”
“What has happened?” asked Okonkwo.
“Do you know Ogbuefi Ndulue?” Ofoedu asked.
“Ogbuefi Ndulue of Ire village,” Okonkwo and Obierika said together.
“He died this morning,” said Ofoedu.
“That is not strange. He was the oldest man in Ire,” said Obierika.
2.
Selection from Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
He was the only man of us who still “followed the sea.” The worse that could be said of him
was that he did not represent his class. He was a seaman, but he was a wanderer, too, while most
seamen lead, if one may so express it, a sedentary life. Their minds are of the stay-at-home order,
and their home is always with them – the ship; and so is their country – the sea. One ship is very
much like another, and the sea is always the same. In the immutability of their surroundings the
foreign shores, the foreign faces, the changing immensity of life, glide past, veiled not be a sense
of mystery but by a slightly disdainful ignorance; for there is nothing mysterious to a seaman
unless it be the sea itself, which is the mistress of his existence and as inscrutable as destiny. For
the rest, after his hours of work, a casual stroll or a casual spree on shore suffices to unfold for him
the secret of a whole continent, and generally he finds the secret not worth knowing. The yarns of
seamen have a direct simplicity, the whole meaning of which lies within the shell of a cracked nut.
But Marlow was not typical (if his propensity to spin yarns be excepted), and to him the meaning
of an episode was not inside like a kernel but outside, enveloping the tale which brought it out
only as a glow brings out a haze, in the likeness of one of these misty halos that sometimes are
made visible by the spectral illumination of moonshine.
3.
Selection from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
You don’t know about me, without you have read a book by the name of “The Adventures of
Tom Sawyer,” but that ain’t no matter. That book was made by Mr. Mark Twain, and he told the
truth, mainly. There was things which he stretched, but mainly he told the truth. That is nothing.
I never seen anybody but lied, one time or another, without it was Aunt Polly, or the widow, or
maybe Mary. Aunt Polly–Tom’s Aunt Polly, she is–and Mary, and the Widow Douglas, is all told
about in that book–which is mostly a true book; with some stretchers, as I said before.
15
4.
Selection from Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
I AM BY BIRTH a Genevese, and my family is one of the most distinguished of that republic.
My ancestors had been for many years counsellors and syndics; and my father had filled several
public situations with honour and reputation. He was respected by all who knew him, for his
integrity and indefatigable attention to public business. He passed his younger days perpetually
occupied by the affairs of his country; a variety of circumstances had prevented his marrying
early, nor was it until the decline of life that he became a husband and the father of a family.
Point of
View
1st
Omniscient or
Limited Omniscient
Description
of Narrator
A young MexicanAmerican girl.
Things Fall
Apart
3rd
Limited
Someone not in.
the story, who was simply
relating it.
Heart of
Darkness
1st
A seaman with
knowledge of other seamen.
The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn
1st
Frankenstein
1st
A young person who
appreciates honesty
and knows Tom
Sawyer.
A member of a deeplyrooted and wellrespected Genevese
family.
The House on
Mango Street
B.
Have you ever wondered what the story of Goldilocks would look like if it were written
from the point-of-view of one of the bears, or what the story Little Red Riding Hood would
look like if told from the point-of-view of the wolf? Choose either story and rewrite the
tale using the new perspective.
T-16
4.
Selection from Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
I AM BY BIRTH a Genevese, and my family is one of the most distinguished of that republic.
My ancestors had been for many years counsellors and syndics; and my father had filled several
public situations with honour and reputation. He was respected by all who knew him, for his
integrity and indefatigable attention to public business. He passed his younger days perpetually
occupied by the affairs of his country; a variety of circumstances had prevented his marrying
early, nor was it until the decline of life that he became a husband and the father of a family.
Point of
View
Omniscient or
Limited Omniscient
Description
of Narrator
The House on
Mango Street
Things Fall
Apart
Heart of
Darkness
The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn
Frankenstein
B.
Have you ever wondered what the story of Goldilocks would look like if it were written
from the point-of-view of one of the bears, or what the story Little Red Riding Hood would
look like if told from the point-of-view of the wolf? Choose either story and rewrite the
tale using the new perspective.
16
Objective:
Recognizing the intended meaning of a word and understanding how connotations
can affect the imagery and tone of literature.
Activity
A.
A thesaurus lists the following related words for the word run: “charge,” “scuttle,” “lope,”
“bolt,” “hurry,” “bound,” “scamper,” and “dart.” Read the following sentences and
indicate what is suggested by each target word. The first one is done for you.
The girls charged down the hall, oblivious to the stares.
“Charged” means the girls are running down the hall in a purposeful way, as if they have an
important mission at the end of the hall.
The boys scuttled down the alley every evening.
The word “scuttled” implies that the boys are scampering down the alley, running away after
causing mischief.
The gentlemen loped down the dusty road.
“Loped” indicates that the men are relaxed.
The man bolted into the bar.
“Bolted” hints that the man is running quickly from something, possibly danger.
The geologist chased around the laboratory for days.
The word “chased” has the connotation that the geologist is under pressure to finish his work
quickly. It could also indicate that he is disorganized.
One after another, the prisoners tumbled off the bus.
“Tumbled” gives the impression that the prisoners were disorderly as they quickly exited the
bus.
His sister whirled down the street in her new coat.
“Whirled” indicates that she is excited about her new coat.
Before going to college, Sam darted around Europe for two months.
The word “darted” alerts the reader that Sam traveled quickly from destination to destination.
T-17
Objective:
Recognizing the intended meaning of a word and understanding how connotations
can affect the imagery and tone of literature.
Activity
A.
A thesaurus lists the following related words for the word run: “charge,” “scuttle,” “lope,”
“bolt,” “hurry,” “bound,” “scamper,” and “dart.” Read the following sentences and
indicate what is suggested by each target word. The first one is done for you.
The girls charged down the hall, oblivious to the stares.
“Charged” means the girls are running down the hall in a purposeful way, as if they have an
important mission at the end of the hall.
The boys scuttled down the alley every evening.
The gentlemen loped down the dusty road.
The man bolted into the bar.
The geologist chased around the laboratory for days.
One after another, the prisoners tumbled off the bus.
His sister whirled down the street in her new coat.
Before going to college, Sam darted around Europe for two months.
17
B.
Each of the following passages from The House on Mango Street uses words to create a
visual image. First, indicate what is suggested by the underlined word or words in each
passage. Next, using a synonym, change the word or words so that the meaning of the
passage also changes. The first one is done for you.
1.
“But the house on Mango Street is not the way they told it at all. It’s small and
red with tight steps in front and windows so small you’d think they were holding
their breath.” (Pg. 4)
The phrase “tight steps” suggests to the reader that the steps are small and
cramped. “Tight” might be changed to “secure,” suggesting that both the house
and the steps are safe rather than small.
2.
“Everybody in our family has different hair. My papa’s hair is like a broom, all
up in the air. And me, my hair is lazy.” (Pg. 6)
“Lazy” suggests that Esperanza’s hair lies down. One possibility is to change
“lazy” to “careless” suggesting that Esperanza’s hair is very messy, rather than
having no body.
3.
“Someday I will have a best friend all my own. One I can tell my secrets to. One
who will understand my jokes without my having to explain them. Until then I
am a red balloon, a balloon tied to an anchor.” (Pg. 9)
“Tied” suggests that, although Esperanza is tied to an anchor (her sister Nenny)
this connection can be untied or removed. One option is to change “tied” to
“bound,” suggesting a strong, difficult-to-loosen bond.
4.
“In English my name means hope. In Spanish it means too many letters. It means
sadness, it means waiting. It is like the number nine. A muddy color.” (Pg. 10)
“Muddy” suggests that Esperanza’s nature is a combination of both the Spanish
and the American meanings for her name and is confusing. One suggestion is to
change “muddy” to “ dull,” implying that Esperanza is not intelligent.
5.
“She [Cathy] says, I am the great great grand cousin of the queen of France. She
lives upstairs, over there, next door to Joe the baby-grabber. Keep away from
him, she says. He is full of danger. Benny and Blanca own the corner store.
They’re okay except don’t lean on the candy counter. Two girls raggedy as rats
live across the street.” (Pg. 12)
The word “raggedy” suggests that the girls are poor. One suggestion is to
change “raggedy” to “battered,” indicating the girls are abused rather than
poor.
T-18
B.
Each of the following passages from The House on Mango Street uses words to create a
visual image. First, indicate what is suggested by the underlined word or words in each
passage. Next, using a synonym, change the word or words so that the meaning of the
passage also changes. The first one is done for you.
1.
“But the house on Mango Street is not the way they told it at all. It’s small and
red with tight steps in front and windows so small you’d think they were holding
their breath.” (Pg. 4)
The phrase “tight steps” suggests to the reader that the steps are small and
cramped. “Tight” might be changed to “secure,” suggesting that both the house
and the steps are safe rather than small.
2.
“Everybody in our family has different hair. My papa’s hair is like a broom, all
up in the air. And me, my hair is lazy.” (Pg. 6)
3.
“Someday I will have a best friend all my own. One I can tell my secrets to. One
who will understand my jokes without my having to explain them. Until then I
am a red balloon, a balloon tied to an anchor.” (Pg. 9)
4.
“In English my name means hope. In Spanish it means too many letters. It means
sadness, it means waiting. It is like the number nine. A muddy color.” (Pg. 10)
5.
“She [Cathy] says, I am the great great grand cousin of the queen of France. She
lives upstairs, over there, next door to Joe the baby-grabber. Keep away from
him, she says. He is full of danger. Benny and Blanca own the corner store.
They’re okay except don’t lean on the candy counter. Two girls raggedy as rats
live across the street.” (Pg. 12)
18
Objective:
Recognizing the tone in a piece of writing.
Activity
A.
Below are selected lines from three stanzas of the poem Does It Matter? by Siegfried
Sassoon. The tone of this poem is clearly portrayed through Sassoon’s choice of words.
Compose a statement that portrays the tone of this poem, and cite the words and phrases used to
support the thesis.
Does It Matter? by Siegfried Sassoon
Does it matter? – losing your legs? …
For people will always be kind,
And you need not show that you mind
When the others come in after hunting
To gobble their muffins and eggs.
Does it matter? – losing your sight? ...
There’s such splendid work for the blind;
And people will always be kind,
As you sit on the terrace remembering
And turning your face to the light.
Do they matter? – those dreams from the pit?…
You can drink and forget and be glad,
And people won’t say that you’re mad;
For they’ll know you’ve fought for your country
And no one will worry a bit.
Answers will vary.
Sample statement:
The tone of “Does It Matter?” is sarcastic and bitter toward those who fail to recognize the true
horrors of war.
B.
Try rewriting this poem, in order to create a different tone. Read your poem to the class
and determine if your classmates can identify the tone you are attempting to convey.
Sample:
It Matters
It matters – losing your legs …
For though people will always be kind,
It is hard to wait and watch inside
When others come in after hunting
To gobble their muffins and eggs.
Tone: sad
C.
Find a passage in The House on Mango Street that you believe clearly expresses a tone.
Copy the passage down and state what words or phrases are important in creating the tone.
Explain what tone Cisneros created in the selection you choose.
T-19
Objective:
Recognizing the tone in a piece of writing.
Activity
A.
Below are selected lines from three stanzas of the poem Does It Matter? by Siegfried
Sassoon. The tone of this poem is clearly portrayed through Sassoon’s choice of words.
Compose a statement that portrays the tone of this poem, and cite the words and phrases used to
support the thesis.
Does It Matter? by Siegfried Sassoon
Does it matter? – losing your legs? …
For people will always be kind,
And you need not show that you mind
When the others come in after hunting
To gobble their muffins and eggs.
Does it matter? – losing your sight? ...
There’s such splendid work for the blind;
And people will always be kind,
As you sit on the terrace remembering
And turning your face to the light.
Do they matter? – those dreams from the pit?…
You can drink and forget and be glad,
And people won’t say that you’re mad;
For they’ll know you’ve fought for your country
And no one will worry a bit.
B.
Try rewriting this poem, in order to create a different tone. Read your poem to the class
and determine if your classmates can identify the tone you are attempting to convey.
C.
Find a passage in The House on Mango Street that you believe clearly expresses a tone.
Copy the passage down and state what words or phrases are important in creating the tone.
Explain what tone Cisneros created in the selection you choose.
19
The House on Mango Street to
Gil’s Furniture Bought and Sold
Pages 3-20
Style/Point of View
Objective: Understanding the concept of style and recognizing the elements that characterize it.
In general the two elements that constitute a writer’s style are diction (choice of words)
and the structure and length of sentences.
We hope this outline gives you a general overview, which you may use to view and
understand a writer’s style.
Style
I. Diction
A. Type of language
1. Standard English – formal
2. Standard English – informal
3. Dialect
B. Vocabulary – level of difficulty
1. Concrete words–words that have specific meanings; refer to things that are
usually familiar and easily recognized. The more concrete the writing is, the
easier it is to comprehend.
2. Abstract words– the use of words to evoke sensory impressions; refer to concepts;
a large number of abstract words usually results in a higher level of difficulty and
unfamiliarity.
C. Imagery
1. Use of connotations
2. Use of descriptive nouns and verbs
3. Figurative language
a. Metaphors
b. Similes
c. Personification
D. Tone–the writer’s attitude toward subjects or readers
II. Sentences
A. Length (Number of words in sentences)
B. Types of sentences
1. Simple
2. Complex
3. Compound
4. Compound-complex
C. Form
1. Dialogue
2. Narrative
D. Rhetorical devices - use of literary terms. More literary terms, like simile or
metaphor, usually makes the writing more poetic.
T-20
The House on Mango Street to
Gil’s Furniture Bought and Sold
Pages 3-20
Style/Point of View
Objective: Understanding the concept of style and recognizing the elements that characterize it.
In general the two elements that constitute a writer’s style are diction (choice of words)
and the structure and length of sentences.
We hope this outline gives you a general overview, which you may use to view and
understand a writer’s style.
Style
I. Diction
A. Type of language
1. Standard English – formal
2. Standard English – informal
3. Dialect
B. Vocabulary – level of difficulty
1. Concrete words–words that have specific meanings; refer to things that are
usually familiar and easily recognized. The more concrete the writing is, the
easier it is to comprehend.
2. Abstract words– the use of words to evoke sensory impressions; refer to concepts;
a large number of abstract words usually results in a higher level of difficulty and
unfamiliarity.
C. Imagery
1. Use of connotations
2. Use of descriptive nouns and verbs
3. Figurative language
a. Metaphors
b. Similes
c. Personification
D. Tone–the writer’s attitude toward subjects or readers
II. Sentences
A. Length (Number of words in sentences)
B. Types of sentences
1. Simple
2. Complex
3. Compound
4. Compound-complex
C. Form
1. Dialogue
2. Narrative
D. Rhetorical devices - use of literary terms. More literary terms, like simile or
metaphor, usually makes the writing more poetic.
20
Activity
A.
Read the following selection from The House on Mango Street, and write an essay
describing Cisneros’s writing style. Be sure to include items such as vocabulary usage,
tone, and sentence structure.
Meme has a dog with gray eyes, a sheepdog with two names, one in English and one in
Spanish. The dog is big, like a man dressed in a dog suit, and runs the same way its owner does,
clumsy and wild and with the limbs flopping all over the place like untied shoes.
Cathy’s father built the house Meme moved into. It is wooden. Inside the floors slant. Some
rooms uphill. Some down. And there are no closets. Out front there are twenty-one steps, all
lopsided and jutting like crooked teeth (made that way on purpose, Cathy said, so the rain will
slide off), and when Meme’s mama calls from the doorway, Meme goes scrambling up the twentyone wooden stairs with the dog with two names scrambling after him.”
Fill in the style chart below with short phrases or words that will help you write the essay.
Style Chart
The House on Mango Street
Diction
Type of language
Standard English
Vocabulary Level
easy
Imagery
clumsy, crooked teeth, lopsided, flopping
Literary Techniques/Devices
simile
Tone
sad
Sentences
Length
short and long
Types
simple, compound, fragments
Punctuation
deliberately leaving out quotation marks and
speakers’ names.
Dialogue/Narrative
narrative with some dialogue
Rhetorical devices
the writing has a rhythm that is almost like
poetry
Answers will vary. Sample thesis statement:
Cisneros’ writing style is easy to read because of her short paragraphs, basic vocabulary,
rhythmic sentence structure, clever similes, and meaningful word choice.
T-21
Activity
A.
Read the following selection from The House on Mango Street, and write an essay
describing Cisneros’s writing style. Be sure to include items such as vocabulary usage,
tone, and sentence structure.
Meme has a dog with gray eyes, a sheepdog with two names, one in English and one in
Spanish. The dog is big, like a man dressed in a dog suit, and runs the same way its owner does,
clumsy and wild and with the limbs flopping all over the place like untied shoes.
Cathy’s father built the house Meme moved into. It is wooden. Inside the floors slant. Some
rooms uphill. Some down. And there are no closets. Out front there are twenty-one steps, all
lopsided and jutting like crooked teeth (made that way on purpose, Cathy said, so the rain will
slide off), and when Meme’s mama calls from the doorway, Meme goes scrambling up the twentyone wooden stairs with the dog with two names scrambling after him.”
Fill in the style chart below with short phrases or words that will help you write the essay.
Style Chart
The House on Mango Street
Diction
Type of language
Vocabulary Level
Imagery
Literary Techniques/Devices
Tone
Sentences
Length
Types
Punctuation
Dialogue/Narrative
Rhetorical devices
21
B.
Type of
Language
Vocabulary
Level
Literary
Techniques
Style Chart
Diction
Tone
Repetition
Rhythm
Sentences
Length
Refer to the selections on from Point of View (pages T-17) and complete the following Style Chart.
Selection
Things Fall
Apart
Heart of
Darkness
The Adventures
Of Huckleberry
Finn
Frankenstein
T-22
B.
Type of
Language
Vocabulary
Level
Literary
Techniques
Style Chart
Diction
Tone
Repetition
Rhythm
Sentences
Length
Refer to the selections on from Point of View (pages T-17) and complete the following Style Chart.
Selection
Things Fall
Apart
Heart of
Darkness
The Adventures
Of Huckleberry
Finn
Frankenstein
22
Cathy Queen of Cats
Pages 12 and 13
Theme
Objective:
Recognizing themes that involve ethnic prejudice.
Activity
Cathy seems indifferent to Esperanza’s feelings and does not recognize that her (Cathy’s)
comments are offensive. As Esperanza, write a letter to Cathy explaining why her
comments are bigoted and how you felt during the conversation.
Sample letter:
Dear Cathy,
I know that you are moving on Tuesday, but before you go I want to tell you how much
you hurt me when we first met. All I wanted was to make a new friend and to feel
welcome in the neighborhood. Maybe you thought you were helping when you told me
scary things about our neighbors, but instead you made me feel unwanted and unsafe in
my new home.
You said to stay away from the girls across the street because they are “raggedy.” I am
“raggedy,” too. Do you think the other children in the neighborhood should stay away
from me? You said the reason you are moving is because the neighborhood is getting
bad. I just moved here! Do you think the neighborhood is getting bad because my family
moved here? And what did you mean by “people like us”?
I am not sorry that you are moving away.
Your ex-neighbor,
Esperanza
T-23
Cathy Queen of Cats
Pages 12 and 13
Theme
Objective:
Recognizing themes that involve ethnic prejudice.
Activity
Cathy seems indifferent to Esperanza’s feelings and does not recognize that her (Cathy’s)
comments are offensive. As Esperanza, write a letter to Cathy explaining why her
comments are bigoted and how you felt during the conversation.
23
Our Good Day
Pages 14-16
Characterization
Objective:
Interpreting the distinguishing traits of a character through language.
Activity
One way to understand a character is by creating a dramatization from a passage or chapter. This
is done by converting the text into a dramatic dialogue. For example, the chapter, Our Good
Day, may begin as follows:
[Esperanza, Lucy, Rachel, and Cathy are playing outside on the sidewalk.]
Rachel:
Are you the new girl? Do you have five dollars?
Cathy:
Don’t talk to her Esperanza. She is one of the girls I was telling you about.
Look! She is not even wearing socks!”
[Cathy tugs on Esperanza’s arm.]
Esperanza: Why do you want five dollars?
[Esperanza smiles at Rachel. She likes the way Rachel and her sister Lucy laugh.]
Rachel:
We are going to buy a bicycle from this kid named Tito. We….
In your group, rewrite this chapter as a dramatic dialogue, including any necessary stage
directions. Then, select rolls and prepare for a dramatic reading. Dramatic readings can be done
from your seats, but try to capture the appropriate tone of the character you are portraying.
The dramatic dialogues from each group will vary. Example:
Rachel:
We have ten dollars and only need five more.
Esperanza:
Only five more dollars?
Cathy:
Don’t talk to them; they smell funny.
Rachel:
Five dollars, only five.
[Rachel, the little one, looks at Esperanza with a hopeful, pleading look.]
Esperanza:
Cathy, stop tugging on my arm.
[Esperanza pulls away from Cathy.]
Esperanza:
Just a minute; I have three dollars saved. My sister, Nenny, isn’t home, but she has two
dollars. I know she will be glad when she finds out we own a bike.
Cathy:
Esperanza, where are you going? Don’t give them any money.
[Esperanza runs into her house to get the money. Cathy leaves.
Lucy is talking to Esperanza after she returns with the money.]
Lucy:
Hi, my name is Lucy. Stuck- up, old Cathy left. This here is Rachel.
Rachel:
I’m her sister, who are you?
Esperanza:
I wish my name was Cassandra or Alexis or Maritza, but it is Esperanza.
Lucy:
I like your name – Esperanza. It is fun to say. We come from Texas. Rachel was born
here, but I’m from Texas.
Rachel:
This bike is three ways ours. Mine today, Lucy’s tomorrow, and yours the day after.
T-24
Our Good Day
Pages 14-16
Characterization
Objective:
Interpreting the distinguishing traits of a character through language.
Activity
One way to understand a character is by creating a dramatization from a passage or chapter. This
is done by converting the text into a dramatic dialogue. For example, the chapter, Our Good
Day, may begin as follows:
[Esperanza, Lucy, Rachel, and Cathy are playing outside on the sidewalk.]
Rachel:
Are you the new girl? Do you have five dollars?
Cathy:
Don’t talk to her Esperanza. She is one of the girls I was telling you about.
Look! She is not even wearing socks!”
[Cathy tugs on Esperanza’s arm.]
Esperanza: Why do you want five dollars?
[Esperanza smiles at Rachel. She likes the way Rachel and her sister Lucy laugh.]
Rachel:
We are going to buy a bicycle from this kid named Tito. We….
In your group, rewrite this chapter as a dramatic dialogue, including any necessary stage
directions. Then, select rolls and prepare for a dramatic reading. Dramatic readings can be done
from your seats, but try to capture the appropriate tone of the character you are portraying.
24
Objective:
Relating literature to life.
Activity
A.
Using the Internet, go to www.usanetwork.com/functions/nhday/V4.html to view the national hate
test. Each scenario has a title, a one-paragraph summary of the situation, and a values-based
question at the end. There are also appropriate pictures to help set the scene. After working
through five situations and completing the chart, make a list of the topics covered by this test. If
you can, add any values or topics you think could be interesting or applicable.
Answers will vary depending on the tests the students take.
B.
Working as a group, create a scenario and situation for a test item. Each group of students will
select a value they want to present and write a brief scenario, including any appropriate graphics or
pictures.
Students should select situations and issues that are relevant to today’s adolescents. The scenarios
from all of the groups can then be combined into one presentation for the class using PowerPoint
or the overhead projector.
Below is an example of this exercise. Do not use this example, though; make up one of your own.
Restaurant Host/ Hostess
You are the hostess in a restaurant. It is your job to seat the customers at tables. One of your
responsibilities is to try to distribute the customers in the restaurant so that all of the servers wait on the
same number of customers, which is important because the servers depend on you to equalize the money
they earn from tips.
One of your good friends tells you that she needs money; she does not however, explain why. You know
you have the power to help, but if you do you will be cheating the other waiters and waitresses out of tips.
What do you do and why?
C.
In the Chapter titled Our Good Day, Esperanza must choose between remaining friends with Cathy
or collaborating with Lucy and Rachael to buy a bicycle. Write this scenario from Esperanza’s
perspective in the same format as the Hate Test, giving the scenario an appropriate title. What
values-based question might be asked at the end?
Sample Scenario from Esperanza’s point of view:
FRIENDSHIP
You are new to the neighborhood. The first person you meet, Cathy, tells you that she will be
moving away in two weeks, so you know that she will not be your friend for very long. She also
tells you to stay away from the “raggedy” girls, Rachel and Lucy, who live across the street.
While you are outside talking to Cathy, Rachel and Lucy come over excitedly and ask you for five
dollars so they can buy a bicycle. You instantly like Rachel and Lucy, and you want to go in with
them to purchase the bicycle; however, you know if you do, you will lose Cathy as a friend.
Would you give Rachel and Lucy five dollars to buy the bike?
T-25
Objective:
Relating literature to life.
Activity
A.
Using the Internet, go to www.usanetwork.com/functions/nhday/V4.html to view the
national hate test. Each scenario has a title, a one-paragraph summary of the situation, and
a values-based question at the end. There are also appropriate pictures to help set the
scene. After working through five situations and completing the chart, make a list of the
topics covered by this test. If you can, add any values or topics you think could be
interesting or applicable.
B.
Working as a group, create a scenario and situation for a test item. Each group of students
will select a value they want to present and write a brief scenario, including any appropriate
graphics or pictures.
Below is an example of this exercise. Do not use this example, though; make up one of your
own.
Restaurant Host/ Hostess
You are the hostess in a restaurant. It is your job to seat the customers at tables. One of your
responsibilities is to try to distribute the customers in the restaurant so that all of the servers wait
on the same number of customers, which is important because the servers depend on you to
equalize the money they earn from tips.
One of your good friends tells you that she needs money; she does not however, explain why.
You know you have the power to help, but if you do you will be cheating the other waiters and
waitresses out of tips. What do you do and why?
C.
In the Chapter titled Our Good Day, Esperanza must choose between remaining friends
with Cathy or collaborating with Lucy and Rachael to buy a bicycle. Write this scenario
from Esperanza’s perspective in the same format as the Hate Test, giving the scenario an
appropriate title. What values-based question might be asked at the end?
25
Title
Summary
Question
Your Answer
Justification
for your
answer.
#1
#2
Hate Test
#3
List of topics will vary; some examples are:
Race, Gender, Sexual Orientation, Age, Weight, Attire, Economic Status, HIV status
T-26
#4
#5
Title
Summary
Question
Your Answer
Justification
for your
answer.
#1
#2
Hate Test
26
#3
#4
#5
Cathy Queen of Cats to Laughter
Pages 12-18
Theme
Dialogue
Objectives:
Reviewing themes and characters.
Writing dialogue in a dramatic context.
Activity
Write a play to present in front of the class based on the characters and incidents in Cathy Queen
of Cats, Our Good Day, and Laughter.
T-27
Cathy Queen of Cats to Laughter
Pages 12-18
Theme
Dialogue
Objectives:
Reviewing themes and characters.
Writing dialogue in a dramatic context.
Activity
Write a play to present in front of the class based on the characters and incidents in Cathy Queen
of Cats, Our Good Day, and Laughter.
27
Laughter
Pages 17-18
Poetry
Objective:
Understanding differences and similarities between prose and poetry.
Activity
A.
In an interview, Sandra Cisneros stated that many of the chapters in The House on Mango
Street started out as poems. She converted them to prose for the novel, but they still have
many of the elements of poetry. Find examples of a simile and two metaphors from page
17, and record them in the following chart. Then, explain what impression you get from the
phrases you chose.
Uses of Language
Laughter
Example of
Simile/Metaphor
“…like a pile of dishes
breaking.”
Meaning you infer
“…same fat popsicle lips…”
The lips are wet, possibly pursed, and large.
“..shy ice cream bells’ giggle..”
The laughter is quiet, rhythmical, and
inviting.
B.
The laughing is loud, sharp, and
uncontrolled.
Rewrite this page as a poem. You can make your poem rhyme if you wish, but it is not
necessary. Be sure to include rhythm and imagery. It might begin as follows:
Laughter
Nenny laughs in short sudden bursts,
like a pile of dishes breaking…
T-28
Laughter
Pages 17-18
Poetry
Objective:
Understanding differences and similarities between prose and poetry.
Activity
A.
In an interview, Sandra Cisneros stated that many of the chapters in The House on Mango
Street started out as poems. She converted them to prose for the novel, but they still have
many of the elements of poetry. Find examples of a simile and two metaphors from page
17, and record them in the following chart. Then, explain what impression you get from the
phrases you chose.
Uses of Language
Laughter
Example of
Simile/Metaphor
B.
Meaning you infer
Rewrite this page as a poem. You can make your poem rhyme if you wish, but it is not
necessary. Be sure to include rhythm and imagery. It might begin as follows:
Laughter
Nenny laughs in short sudden bursts,
like a pile of dishes breaking…
28
Louie, His Cousin & His Other Cousin
Pages 23-25
Journalistic Style
Objective:
Relating details in the manner of a newspaper.
Activity
A.
Write a headline based on the events in Chapter 10 that may have appeared in the next
day’s issue of The Chicago Tribune. Draw or find an appropriate picture for this story.
Write a caption for the picture.
Example: Cadillac Caper Solved
B.
Write a short news story based on the events in the chapter. Remember to include the
what, when, where, who, why, and how, if this information is available in the chapter. Do
not invent anything; a newspaper story should strive to be factual.
Example:
Today, a juvenile from Mango Street stole a yellow Cadillac. He spent the afternoon
driving his little sisters and cousins around the neighborhood. When the young man
heard the police sirens, he stopped the car so the children could get out. Then, he sped
away, attempting to outrun the police. Unable to navigate a corner, the juvenile smashed
the Cadillac into a lamppost, damaging the front of the vehicle. The young offender
received superficial wounds in the crash. He was handcuffed and arrested on the scene.
His little sisters and cousins waved at him as he was taken away in the police cruiser.
T-29
Louie, His Cousin & His Other Cousin
Pages 23-25
Journalistic Style
Objective:
Relating details in the manner of a newspaper.
Activity
A.
Write a headline based on the events in Chapter 10 that may have appeared in the next
day’s issue of The Chicago Tribune. Draw or find an appropriate picture for this story.
Write a caption for the picture.
B.
Write a short news story based on the events in the chapter. Remember to include the
what, when, where, who, why, and how, if this information is available in the chapter. Do
not invent anything; a newspaper story should strive to be factual.
29
Marin
Pages 26-27
Motivation
Objective:
Inferring character motivation.
Activity
A.
B.
Mark statements about this chapter as True or False.
T
F
Marin’s dreams depend on a man to provide her with a happy life.
T
F
Marin is well liked and respected by Louie’s parents.
T
F
Esperanza admires Marin because Marin is older and knows things.
T
F
Marin is free to come and go as she pleases.
T
F
Esperanza thinks that Marin is too rebellious, but nice.
Which of the following values do you think are important to Marin?
Answers will vary.
_____ hope
_____ family
_____ education
_____ wealth
_____ peace
_____ fame
_____ security
_____ popularity
_____ health
_____ honesty
_____ happiness
_____ friendship
_____ beauty
_____ love
_____ loyalty
T-30
Marin
Pages 26-27
Motivation
Objective:
Inferring character motivation.
Activity
A.
B.
Mark statements about this chapter as True or False.
T
F
Marin’s dreams depend on a man to provide her with a happy life.
T
F
Marin is well liked and respected by Louie’s parents.
T
F
Esperanza admires Marin because Marin is older and knows things.
T
F
Marin is free to come and go as she pleases.
T
F
Esperanza thinks that Marin is too rebellious, but nice.
Which of the following values do you think are important to Marin?
_____ hope
_____ family
_____ education
_____ wealth
_____ peace
_____ fame
_____ security
_____ popularity
_____ health
_____ honesty
_____ happiness
_____ friendship
_____ beauty
_____ love
_____ loyalty
30
Those Who Don’t
Pages 28-29
Realistic Representation of life
Objective:
Relating literature to life.
Esperanza describes the fear she sees in the faces of the people who drive through her
neighborhood. She and the other children are not afraid to live in the neighborhood because it is
familiar to them.
Activity
A.
Write about a time in your life when you were afraid because you found yourself in an
unfamiliar place or unusual situation. Did your fear have any foundation in fact, or was it
based on generalizations you were making about your situation?
Example:
The first time I drove my parents’ car alone, without supervision, a police car came up
behind me. As a new driver, I did not immediately notice the flashing lights in the rearview mirror. All of my concentration was directed at keeping the car on the road. My
head nearly hit the roof of the car when the cop blasted the siren to get my attention.
Shaking, I pulled to the side of the road. The tears were already falling before the cop
came to my window. He glared at me without any hint of sympathy in his face and gave
me a ticket for running a red light. To this day, I do not believe that I ran the light, but I
was too intimidated to quarrel with the officer. I assumed he was right and that he would
not listen to my side of the story.
As an adult, I am no longer frightened of the police. If the same situation were to happen
to me today, I would not automatically be afraid. I would be able to have a polite
discussion of the incident with the officer.
B.
Draw a one-panel cartoon showing Esperanza’s neighborhood and a car full of frightened
people driving down the street. What might the caption read?
Sample caption: Visitors from Another Planet.
T-31
Those Who Don’t
Pages 28-29
Realistic Representation of Life
Objective:
Relating literature to life.
Esperanza describes the fear she sees in the faces of the people who drive through her
neighborhood. She and the other children are not afraid to live in the neighborhood because it is
familiar to them.
Activity
A.
Write about a time in your life when you were afraid because you found yourself in an
unfamiliar place or unusual situation. Did your fear have any foundation in fact, or was it
based on generalizations you were making about your situation?
B.
Draw a one-panel cartoon showing Esperanza’s neighborhood and a car full of frightened
people driving down the street. What might the caption read?
31
Alicia Who Sees Mice
Pages 31-32
Theme
Characterization
Objective:
Involving students in considering theme and characterization.
Activity
A.
Which of the following themes is strongest in this chapter? List details from the chapter
that support your answer. Understand the definition well, so that you can eliminate
answers that do not fit.
Esperanza grows up.
Some women feel trapped in traditional female roles.
Prejudice is founded in fear and ignorance.
It is important to be proud of one’s home.
It is difficult to establish one’s identity when caught between two conflicting cultures.
One has a duty to his or her neighbors and community.
The strongest theme is: Some women feel trapped in traditional female roles.
After the death of her mother, Alicia’s father expects Alicia, as the oldest daughter, to
assume all of her mother’s responsibilities for the other children and the household.
Even though Alicia is a full-time student at the University, in his view, her place is in the
home.
B.
Rewrite this chapter in the form of a dialogue. You might begin as follows:
Father:
Alicia:
Father:
Alicia:
Father:
Close your eyes and they’ll go away.
I can still see the mice.
You’re imagining them. Just get more sleep, and they will go away.
How can I rest? With Mama gone, I must get up early to make the
tortillas for the children’s lunches. Then, I travel to the university on two
trains and a bus.
Stop going to the University, and you will not be so tired. Your place is
here, helping the family.
T-32
Alicia Who Sees Mice
Pages 31-32
Theme
Characterization
Objective:
Involving students in considering theme and characterization.
Activity
A.
Which of the following themes is strongest in this chapter? List details from the chapter
that support your answer. Understand the definition well, so that you can eliminate
answers that do not fit.
Esperanza grows up.
Some women feel trapped in traditional female roles.
Prejudice is founded in fear and ignorance.
It is important to be proud of one’s home.
It is difficult to establish one’s identity when caught between two conflicting cultures.
One has a duty to his or her neighbors and community.
B.
Rewrite this chapter in the form of a dialogue. You might begin as follows:
Father:
Alicia:
Father:
Close your eyes and they’ll go away.
I can still see the mice.
.
32
Darius & the Clouds
Pages 33-34
Style
Objective:
Recognizing elements of poetic writing and attempting to emulate this style.
Activity
A.
This chapter is similar to a poem because some of the sentences have poetic elements, such
as internal rhyme and repetition. Complete the following chart, noting examples of
repetition, internal rhyme, and simile from the chapter. What do you think “sky” might
represent in this chapter?
While answers will vary, “sky” may represent hope.
Example of
Repetition
the word “sky”
B.
Darius & the Clouds
Example of
Internal Rhyme
Example of
Simile
“Darius, who doesn’t like school,
who is sometimes stupid and mostly
a fool…” (Pg. 33)
“…the world was
full of clouds, the kind
like pillows.”(Pg.33)
Rewrite a portion of this chapter in the form of a poem. Try to create a three to five-line
stanza from each paragraph in the chapter. The first stanza is begun for you as a sample.
Never too much sky; sky keeps you safe
You can sleep and wake up drunk on sky
Too much sadness, but not enough sky
T-33
Darius & the Clouds
Pages 33-34
Style
Objective:
Recognizing elements of poetic writing and attempting to emulate this style.
Activity
A.
This chapter is similar to a poem because some of the sentences have poetic elements, such
as internal rhyme and repetition. Complete the following chart, noting examples of
repetition, internal rhyme, and simile from the chapter. What do you think “sky” might
represent in this chapter?
Example of
Repetition
B.
Darius & the Clouds
Example of
Internal Rhyme
Example of
Simile
Rewrite a portion of this chapter in the form of a poem. Try to create a three to five-line
stanza from each paragraph in the chapter. The first stanza is begun for you as a sample.
Never too much sky; sky keeps you safe
You can sleep and wake up drunk on sky
Too much sadness, but not enough sky
33
And Some More
Pages 35-38
Style
Objective:
Recognizing the author’s style of writing.
Activity
A.
Cisneros does not use quotation marks when she writes dialogue. Rewrite one page of this
chapter using quotation marks and traditional punctuation. Compare your work with the
original chapter. Try to vary the verbs you use. We have included a rewritten sample to get
you started.
“The Eskimos got thirty different names for snow,” said Esperanza. “I read it in a book.”
“I got a cousin,” interrupted Rachel. “She got three different names.”
“There ain’t thirty different kinds of snow,” Lucy declared proudly. “There are two
kinds. The clean kind and the dirty kind, clean and dirty. Only two.”
The students should recognize that, while the author’s style helps to create the mood of a
real give-and-take conversation, the style in the novel is more difficult to read than the
rewritten passages.
B.
The traditional and most common ways a novelist writes dialogue is by using a noun or
pronoun and a verb: “He said,”; “said Joanne,”; “Billy screamed,” etc. Cisneros,
however, chose not to follow in this style.
List some reasons why Cisneros chose to use the style she does in The House on Mango Street.
Which technique do you prefer?
T-34
And Some More
Pages 35-38
Style
Objective:
Recognizing the author’s style of writing.
Activity
A.
Cisneros does not use quotation marks when she writes dialogue. Rewrite one page of this
chapter using quotation marks and traditional punctuation. Compare your work with the
original chapter. Try to vary the verbs you use. We have included a rewritten sample to get
you started.
“The Eskimos got thirty different names for snow,” said Esperanza. “I read it in a book.”
“I got a cousin,” interrupted Rachel. “She got three different names.”
“There ain’t thirty different kinds of snow,” Lucy declared proudly. “There are two
kinds. The clean kind and the dirty kind, clean and dirty. Only two.”
B.
The traditional and most common ways a novelist writes dialogue is by using a noun or
pronoun and a verb: “He said,”; “said Joanne,”; “Billy screamed,” etc. Cisneros,
however, chose not to follow in this style.
List some reasons why Cisneros chose to use the style she does in The House on Mango Street.
Which technique do you prefer?
34
The Family of Little Feet to Hips
Pages 39-52
Theme
Objective:
Identifying incidents or comments from the novel that support the main theme,
Esperanza grows up.
Activity
In the following chart, list the incidents from each chapter which supports the theme, “Esperanza
grows up.” The first one is done for you.
Incidents supporting the theme:
Esperanza Grows Up
The Family of Little Feet
Esperanza realizes the girls have “legs.”
Mr. Benny disapproves of the high heels.
The boy on the bicycle compliments the girls.
The girls are frightened by the bum.
A Rice Sandwich
Esperanza is able to talk her mother into
letting her eat at school.
She is embarrassed by the nun.
Esperanza realizes that eating at school is
nothing special.
Chanclas
Esperanza cannot bring herself to dance with
her male cousin.
Esperanza dances beautifully with her uncle.
She realizes the cousin is watching her
dance.
Hips
Esperanza realizes her body is changing.
She realizes she is no longer a child
like Nenny.
T-35
The Family of Little Feet to Hips
Pages 39-52
Theme
Objective:
Identifying incidents or comments from the novel that support the main theme,
Esperanza grows up.
Activity
In the following chart, list the incidents from each chapter which supports the theme, “Esperanza
grows up.” The first one is done for you.
Incidents supporting the theme:
Esperanza Grows Up
The Family of Little Feet
Esperanza realizes the girls have “legs.”
Mr. Benny disapproves of the high heels.
The boy on the bicycle compliments the girls.
The girls are frightened by the bum.
A Rice Sandwich
Chanclas
Hips
35
The First Job
Pages 53-55
Theme
Objective:
Identifying the theme through incidents in the plot.
Activity
Consider the unwanted kiss incident. Write a diary entry Esperanza might make regarding the
incident; include her feelings at the time. In what way does the incident help define the comingof-age theme?
Example:
Dear Diary,
I went to my first job today. It is an easy job – I just match negatives to the prints at the Peter
Pan Photo Finishers on North Broadway. Aunt Lala found the job for me. I ate my lunch in the
washroom because I did not know anyone in the lunchroom. At break time, I sat alone in the
cloak room until this Oriental man said hello to me. At first, he seemed very nice, and I was
grateful that he noticed me. Really, Diary, he had nice eyes and I trusted him. Then, when I was
beginning to relax with him and feel less scared, he said he wanted me to give him a birthday
kiss. I kiss my uncles all of the time, and he seemed like an uncle to me. So I started to give him
a kiss on the cheek, when he grabbed my face and kissed me hard on the mouth! Yuck!! He held
on to me and would not let go! I know that I cannot trust anyone at Peter Pan Photo Finisher
now. How could I have been so wrong about him?
Esperanza realizes that she is no longer viewed or treated as a child when she is out in public.
T-36
The First Job
Pages 53-55
Theme
Objective:
Identifying the theme through incidents in the plot.
Activity
Consider the unwanted kiss incident. Write a diary entry Esperanza might make regarding the
incident; include her feelings at the time. In what way does the incident help define the comingof-age theme?
36
Papa Who Wakes Up Tired in the Dark
Pages 56-57
Emphasis
Objective:
Understanding the use of repetition as a device to emphasize ideas.
Activity
Repetition is most commonly used in songs; however, one of the most well-known examples of
repetition is found in Edgar Allen Poe’s poem “The Raven.”
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
as if someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door –
Complete the chart using examples of repetition from this chapter. The first one is done for you.
Use of Language
Repetition
Excerpt from the Chapter
Idea or Mood it Helps to Define
“…crumples like a coat and cries, my
brave Papa cries.”
Esperanza’s Amazement, Wonder
“My Papa, his thick hands and
thick shoes…”
Solid, Sturdy, Reliable
“I hold my Papa in my arms. I hold
and hold and hold him.”
Fear, Love
T-37
Papa Who Wakes Up Tired in the Dark
Pages 56-57
Emphasis
Objective:
Understanding the use of repetition as a device to emphasize ideas.
Activity
Repetition is most commonly used in songs; however, one of the most well-known examples of
repetition is found in Edgar Allen Poe’s poem “The Raven.”
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
as if someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door –
Complete the chart using examples of repetition from this chapter. The first one is done for you.
Use of Language
Repetition
Excerpt from the Chapter
Idea or Mood it Helps to Define
“…crumples like a coat and cries, my
brave Papa cries.”
Esperanza’s Amazement, Wonder
37
Elenita, Cards, Palm, Water
Pages 62-64
Superstitions
Objective:
Recognizing the presence of superstitions in everyday life.
Activity
A.
There are many Internet sites listing common superstitions, such as
www.islandnet.com/~luree/silly.html. If you have access to the Internet, visit this site to
read about the alleged origins of many common superstitions. If you do not have access to
a computer, a partial printout from this site is below
Superstitions, Beliefs, and Their Origins
It's bad luck to walk under a ladder. This came from the early Christian belief that a leaning ladder formed a
triangle with the wall and ground. You must never violate the Holy Trinity by walking through a triangle, lest you
be considered in league with the devil. (And you all know what good Christians did to people they suspected of
being in league with the devil.)
Beware of Friday the Thirteenth. Those who know about these things, inform us that Adam and Eve were
expelled from the Garden of Eden on a Friday, Noah's flood started on a Friday, and Christ was crucified on a
Friday. Christians also noted that twelve witches plus one devil are present at Satanic ceremonies, so Friday and 13
make a deadly combination.
God Bless You. During the sixth century, it was customary to congratulate people who sneezed because they were
expelling evil from their bodies. Later, when a great plague took hold of Europe and people began sneezing
violently, the Pope passed a law. Since sneezing meant that the person was going to die of plague, people were
required to bless the sneezer.
Don't spill the salt. Although some people believe that Judas spilt salt during the last supper, this claim can't be
proven. Salt was a very precious expensive commodity in the middle ages. It was also used for medicinal purposes.
If you spill any, you must immediately throw it over your left shoulder to strike the nasty spirits in the eye, thus
preventing sickness.
Wear a St. Christopher Medal when you travel. Historians don't believe there ever was a Saint Christopher.
Black cats are evil. In ancient Egypt, the Goddess Bast was a black female cat. Christian priests wanted to wipe out
all traces of other religions, so they convinced their ignorant followers to destroy the evil demons that were black
cats. While they were at it, they destroyed the kindly little old ladies who cared for the cats, believing them to be
witches.
Ladybug, ladybug, fly away home. It is bad luck to kill a ladybug because it represents the Virgin Mary.
Make up a superstition, one that doesn’t really exist. After you come up with one, write it down
and devise a scenario to justify its origin.
T-38
Elenita, Cards, Palm, Water
Pages 62-64
Superstitions
Objective:
Recognizing the presence of superstitions in everyday life.
Activity
A.
There are many Internet sites listing common superstitions, such as
www.islandnet.com/~luree/silly.html. If you have access to the Internet, visit this site to
read about the alleged origins of many common superstitions. If you do not have access to
a computer, a partial printout from this site is below
Superstitions, Beliefs, and Their Origins
It's bad luck to walk under a ladder. This came from the early Christian belief that a leaning ladder formed a
triangle with the wall and ground. You must never violate the Holy Trinity by walking through a triangle, lest you
be considered in league with the devil. (And you all know what good Christians did to people they suspected of
being in league with the devil.)
Beware of Friday the Thirteenth. Those who know about these things, inform us that Adam and Eve were
expelled from the Garden of Eden on a Friday, Noah's flood started on a Friday, and Christ was crucified on a
Friday. Christians also noted that twelve witches plus one devil are present at Satanic ceremonies, so Friday and 13
make a deadly combination.
God Bless You. During the sixth century, it was customary to congratulate people who sneezed because they were
expelling evil from their bodies. Later, when a great plague took hold of Europe and people began sneezing
violently, the Pope passed a law. Since sneezing meant that the person was going to die of plague, people were
required to bless the sneezer.
Don't spill the salt. Although some people believe that Judas spilt salt during the last supper, this claim can't be
proven. Salt was a very precious expensive commodity in the middle ages. It was also used for medicinal purposes.
If you spill any, you must immediately throw it over your left shoulder to strike the nasty spirits in the eye, thus
preventing sickness.
Wear a St. Christopher Medal when you travel. Historians don't believe there ever was a Saint Christopher.
Black cats are evil. In ancient Egypt, the Goddess Bast was a black female cat. Christian priests wanted to wipe out
all traces of other religions, so they convinced their ignorant followers to destroy the evil demons that were black
cats. While they were at it, they destroyed the kindly little old ladies who cared for the cats, believing them to be
witches.
Ladybug, ladybug, fly away home. It is bad luck to kill a ladybug because it represents the Virgin Mary.
Make up a superstition, one that doesn’t really exist. After you come up with one, write it down
and devise a scenario to justify its origin.
38
B.
List the superstitions Esperanza refers to in this chapter.
Esperanza looks into a cup of hot water to see if there is a face.
Elenita tells her fortune using cards.
The spirits are in the room if it feels cold.
A man on a dark horse means jealousy.
A pillar of bees means luxury.
If you have a headache rub a cold egg across your face.
If you need to forget an old romance, tie a red string on a chicken’s foot, spin it over your
head three times and then burn it.
If bad spirits keep you awake, sleep next to a holy candle for seven days and on the
eighth day, spit.
Note to Teacher: We recommend that students do the following activity in small groups.
C.
List any three superstitions that you would like to know the origins of. Once a list is
compiled, each group should switch their list with another group, so that each one has a
different group’s list. Then, research the origins of the superstitions on the list and report
your findings to the class.
T-39
B.
List the superstitions Esperanza refers to in this chapter.
C.
List any three superstitions that you would like to know the origins of. Once a list is
compiled, each group should switch their list with another group, so that each one has a
different group’s list. Then, research the origins of the superstitions on the list and report
your findings to the class.
39
Edna’s Ruthie to The Earl of Tennessee
Pages 67-71
Inference
Objective:
Inferring meanings that the narrator does not understand
Activity
A.
The characters in Edna’s Ruthie and The Earl of Tennessee help the reader understand that
Esperanza is still young and immature. She does not understand that Ruthie is mentally
handicapped or why Earl brings a prostitute into his apartment.
Write a character sketch about someone in your neighborhood, someone you have read
about, or someone from television or the movies whose lifestyle might be misinterpreted
by a youngster, but is clearly understood by adults.
The House on Mango Street is told from Esperanza’s perspective. Try to write your
character sketch from the perspective of an innocent child.
Example:
Mr. Bob is fun to watch. Sometimes he parks his car with the front wheel over the curb.
If I see the lights left on in the car, sometimes I turn them off for him. One day he took a
nap on the front lawn. He just laid down on his back with his arms spread out, closed his
eyes, and made loud, snoring sounds. My mom called me into the house to play that day.
I wonder why he likes to sleep outside when he must have a perfectly good bed in the
house.
B.
It is clear from the information that the narrator (Esperanza) does not understand the
implications behind the facts she relates. Frequently, on TV, we see a sitcom that
gets its humor because one person does not follow what the other characters
understand easily.
Write down the plot of a sitcom you recently saw in which this type of mixup occurred.
Try to explain why it was funny, or if it was not funny, explain why.
T-40
Edna’s Ruthie to The Earl of Tennessee
Pages 67-71
Inference
Objective:
Inferring meanings that the narrator does not understand
Activity
A.
The characters in Edna’s Ruthie and The Earl of Tennessee help the reader understand that
Esperanza is still young and immature. She does not understand that Ruthie is mentally
handicapped or why Earl brings a prostitute into his apartment.
Write a character sketch about someone in your neighborhood, someone you have read
about, or someone from television or the movies whose lifestyle might be misinterpreted
by a youngster, but is clearly understood by adults.
The House on Mango Street is told from Esperanza’s perspective. Try to write your
character sketch from the perspective of an innocent child.
B.
It is clear from the information that the narrator (Esperanza) does not understand the
implications behind the facts she relates. Frequently, on TV, we see a sitcom that
gets its humor because one person does not follow what the other characters
understand easily.
Write down the plot of a sitcom you recently saw in which this type of mixup occurred.
Try to explain why it was funny, or if it was not funny, explain why.
40
Sire
Pages 72-73
Point of View
Objective:
Viewing an incident from a different point of view.
Activity
Because Esperanza is the narrator, the incidents are told from her perspective. How might the
incident with Sire be written if it were told from his point of view? Try to rewrite all six
paragraphs in this chapter from his perspective. It might begin as follows:
I like to watch Esperanza walk down the street with her nose in the air. She does not look at me,
but I know she notices me. I think to myself, Esperanza, won’t you please cross the street to talk
to me? But she does not come. Once, when I was riding my bike, she surprised me by looking
me straight in the eye, like she was trying to see into my head. I got so nervous that I bumped
into a parked car. I would try to talk to her, but her family does not like me. She will have to
come to me, but I don’t think she will.
T-41
Sire
Pages 72-73
Point of View
Objective:
Viewing an incident from a different point of view.
Activity
Because Esperanza is the narrator, the incidents are told from her perspective. How might the
incident with Sire be written if it were told from his point of view? Try to rewrite all six
paragraphs in this chapter from his perspective. It might begin as follows:
I like to watch Esperanza walk down the street with her nose in the air. She does not look at me,
but I know she notices me.
41
Four Skinny Trees
Pages 74-75
Metaphor
Objective:
Recognizing the trees as a metaphor.
Activity
A.
How might the trees in this chapter be a metaphor for Esperanza?
Answers will vary.
Example: The trees represent the four children in Esperanza’s family. They all support
each other. Esperanza also learns from the trees that it is possible to grow strong on
Mango Street.
Some critics believe that the trees are a metaphor for Esperanza’s sense of herself.
Others believe the limbs of the trees are a metaphor for Esperanza’s hands, which will
help her to achieve greatness.
B.
Write a description of a tree, giving it the characteristics you want to develop in yourself.
Example: There is a swamp oak tree growing in our front yard. Some people remove
swamp oaks because they are known as junk trees. I love the tree, though. It may not be
the most beautiful tree on the block, but it is tall, lovingly protects our home from the hot
sun, and seems to be happy where it is planted.
T-42
Four Skinny Trees
Pages 74-75
Metaphor
Objective:
Recognizing the trees as a metaphor.
Activity
A.
How might the trees in this chapter be a metaphor for Esperanza?
B.
Write a description of a tree, giving it the characteristics you want to develop in yourself.
42
No Speak English to A House of My Own
Pages 76-108
Plot
Objectives:
Distinguishing between traditionally plotted and episodic novels.
Writing statements of theme for episodic novels based on the action in the
vignette.
Activity
A.
Identify which of the five important plot elements are present in each of the
vignettes No Speak English, Minerva Writes Poems, Alicia & I Talking on Edna’s
Steps, and A House of My Own. Write a statement of theme based on the action in
the vignette. The first one is done for you.
Note to the teacher: This activity need not be limited to these four vignettes, but
can be expanded to include any in the book.
T-43
No Speak English to A House of My Own
Pages 76-108
Plot
Objectives:
Distinguishing between traditionally plotted and episodic novels.
Writing statements of theme for episodic novels based on the action in the
vignette.
Activity
A.
Identify which of the five important plot elements are present in each of the
vignettes No Speak English, Minerva Writes Poems, Alicia & I Talking on Edna’s
Steps, and A House of My Own. Write a statement of theme based on the action in
the vignette. The first one is done for you.
43
Title: No Speak English
• Exposition The third floor front apartment across the street.
• Rising Action The fat woman arrives but does not speak English.
• Climax The baby starts to talk in English.
• Falling Action The sad woman cries.
• Resolution Mamacita tells her child not to speak English.
•
Statement of Theme: Immigrants have problems adjusting to their new lives.
•
•
•
•
•
Title:___________________
Exposition ___________________________________
Rising Action_________________________________
Climax_______________________________________
Falling Action_________________________________
Resolution____________________________________
Statement of Theme:
•
•
•
•
•
Title:___________________
Exposition ___________________________________
Rising Action_________________________________
Climax_______________________________________
Falling Action_________________________________
Resolution____________________________________
Statement of Theme:
•
•
•
•
•
_________________________________
_________________________________
Title:___________________
Exposition ___________________________________
Rising Action_________________________________
Climax_______________________________________
Falling Action_________________________________
Resolution____________________________________
Statement of Theme:
___________________________________
T-44
Title: No Speak English
• Exposition The third floor front apartment across the street.
• Rising Action The fat woman arrives but does not speak English.
• Climax The baby starts to talk in English.
• Falling Action The sad woman cries.
• Resolution Mamacita tells her child not to speak English.
•
Statement of Theme: Immigrants have problems adjusting to their new lives.
•
•
•
•
•
Title:___________________
Exposition ___________________________________
Rising Action_________________________________
Climax_______________________________________
Falling Action_________________________________
Resolution____________________________________
Statement of Theme:
•
•
•
•
•
Title:___________________
Exposition ___________________________________
Rising Action_________________________________
Climax_______________________________________
Falling Action_________________________________
Resolution____________________________________
Statement of Theme:
•
•
•
•
•
_________________________________
_________________________________
Title:___________________
Exposition ___________________________________
Rising Action_________________________________
Climax_______________________________________
Falling Action_________________________________
Resolution____________________________________
Statement of Theme:
___________________________________
44
B.
For the four chapters/vignettes, select a list from the following. Write the letter(s)
A, B, C, D, E, or F after the chapter title if you believe that theme is present in the
vignette.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
Esperanza grows up.
Some women feel trapped in traditional female roles.
Prejudice is founded in fear and ignorance.
It is important to be proud of one’s home.
It is difficult to establish one’s identity when caught between two conflicting
cultures.
One has a duty to his or her neighbors and community.
Note to the teacher: Some students will see “A–Esperanza grows up” as part of each of
the vignettes. It is an acceptable answer for any or all of the chapters. However,
students should recognize that the issue of a woman’s role in Mexican culture is also a
common thread in all of these vignettes.
No Speak English: B, D, E
Rafaela Who Drinks Coconut & Papaya Juice on Tuesdays: B, possibly F
Sally: B
Minerva Writes Poems: B, possibly F
T-45
B.
For the four chapters/vignettes, select a list from the following. Write the letter(s)
A, B, C, D, E, or F after the chapter title if you believe that theme is present in the
vignette.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
Esperanza grows up.
Some women feel trapped in traditional female roles.
Prejudice is founded in fear and ignorance.
It is important to be proud of one’s home.
It is difficult to establish one’s identity when caught between two conflicting
cultures.
One has a duty to his or her neighbors and community.
45
Beautiful & Cruel
Pages 88-89
Dialogue
Writing
Objective:
Relating literature to life.
Activity
A.
In this chapter, Esperanza describes the kind of woman she wants to emulate.
“In the movies there is always one with red red lips who is beautiful and cruel. She is the
one who drives the men crazy and laughs them all away. Her power is her own. She will
not give it away.” (Pg. 89)
Think of three female characters from movies, television, or literature who are similar in
character, attitude, or appearance as the “beautiful and cruel” woman Esperanza admires.
Complete the chart on the next page.
B.
Write a dialogue in which you tell Esperanza what she really wants. We’ve provided your
first line.
You:
Esperanza, you really don’t want to be a cruel person.
Esperanza:
T-46
Beautiful & Cruel
Pages 88-89
Dialogue
Writing
Objective:
Relating literature to life.
Activity
A.
In this chapter, Esperanza describes the kind of woman she wants to emulate.
“In the movies there is always one with red red lips who is beautiful and cruel. She is the
one who drives the men crazy and laughs them all away. Her power is her own. She will
not give it away.” (Pg. 89)
Think of three female characters from movies, television, or literature who are similar in
character, attitude, or appearance as the “beautiful and cruel” woman Esperanza admires.
Complete the chart on the next page.
B.
Write a dialogue in which you tell Esperanza what she really wants. We’ve provided your
first line.
You:
Esperanza, you really don’t want to be a cruel person.
Esperanza:
46
Name of Character
Movie, TV Program,
or Novel
Beautiful and Cruel
Brief Character
Description
T-47
What Does the
Character Value
Highly?
What Does the
Character Not Value?
Name of Character
Movie, TV Program,
or Novel
Beautiful and Cruel
Brief Character
Description
47
What Does the
Character Value
Highly?
What Does the
Character Not Value?
A Smart Cookie
Pages 90-91
Inference
Objective:
Interpreting details from the text.
Activity
A.
Attached is a sample resume. Notice that the resume includes job objectives, past
positions, current talents or skills, and personal interests. Based on the information in this
chapter, write a resume for Esperanza’s mother. What kind of job do you think she might
be qualified for? What do you think she would write as her job objective?
If it is available in your school, you may wish to use the Resume Wizard in Microsoft Word.
Click on File on the menu bar, click New. Click Other Documents. Double click Resume
Wizard. Follow the instructions.
For classrooms without access to a computer or to Microsoft Word, a blank resume form is
included.
T-48
A Smart Cookie
Pages 90-91
Inference
Objective:
Interpreting details from the text.
Activity
A.
Attached is a sample resume. Notice that the resume includes job objectives, past
positions, current talents or skills, and personal interests. Based on the information in this
chapter, write a resume for Esperanza’s mother. What kind of job do you think she might
be qualified for? What do you think she would write as her job objective?
If it is available in your school, you may wish to use the Resume Wizard in Microsoft Word.
Click on File on the menu bar, click New. Click Other Documents. Double click Resume
Wizard. Follow the instructions.
For classrooms without access to a computer or to Microsoft Word, a blank resume form is
included.
48
4006 Mango Street
Phone 604-555-1234
E-mail [email protected]
M. Cisneros
Objective
To acquire a position as a television repair person.
Education
1950-1953
Mango Street Catholic School
Completed Junior High
left school to marry
Interests and
activities
Repairing televisions for friends and neighbors.
Languages
Fluent in Spanish and English
Work experience
1953-present
Housewife and mother
four beautiful daughters
Volunteer
experience
Catholic Charities
Hobbies
embroidery, opera, singing
References
Available upon request
T-49
Chicago, IL
4006 Mango Street
M. Cisneros
Objective
Education
Interests and
activities
Languages
Work experience
Volunteer
experience
Hobbies
References
49
Phone 604-555-1234
E-mail [email protected]
B.
Note Mama’s words and Cisneros’ description of Mama in this chapter; carefully reread the
chapter and determine how Mama might actually speak her words. In addition, understand
how Mama’s life seems to parallel the opera.
Mama claims she was “a smart cookie” to drop out of school because she had no nice
clothes. We can see that she does not believe that, which means her statement is ironic. She
sings Madame Butterfly, which is an allusion to a famous opera.
Write the ironic words and phrases Cisneros uses, which show you that Mama recognizes she is
not a “smart cookie.” How do you think Mama would have made her comments? What is the
overall feeling of this chapter?
“but I had brains” – sadly; angrily at herself
“then” – sorrowfully, ironically
“fool” – bitterly
“disgusted”
“sighs”
“someday”
“I could have been somebody.” – She could have emphasized any of the words except for
“have” in order to give the sentence a nostalgic, broken-hearted, self-pitying, or angry tone.
The overall feel of the chapter is one of lost dreams and hopes, sadness and regrets.
C.
Find a synopsis of the opera, Madame Butterfly on the Internet or elsewhere. Read it, and
decide how it might be similar to Mama’s life story. Afterwards, write a short paragraph
explaining how Mama’s life is similar to the opera, thereby making the allusion more
powerful.
T-50
B.
Note Mama’s words and Cisneros’ description of Mama in this chapter; carefully reread the
chapter and determine how Mama might actually speak her words. In addition, understand
how Mama’s life seems to parallel the opera.
Mama claims she was “a smart cookie” to drop out of school because she had no nice
clothes. We can see that she does not believe that, which means her statement is ironic. She
sings Madame Butterfly, which is an allusion to a famous opera.
Write the ironic words and phrases Cisneros uses, which show you that Mama recognizes she is
not a “smart cookie.” How do you think Mama would have made her comments? What is the
overall feeling of this chapter?
C.
Find a synopsis of the opera, Madame Butterfly on the Internet or elsewhere. Read it, and
decide how it might be similar to Mama’s life story. Afterwards, write a short paragraph
explaining how Mama’s life is similar to the opera, thereby making the allusion more
powerful.
50
What Sally Said
Pages 92-93
Computer Shorthand
Objective:
Interpreting a character’s thoughts and feelings.
Activity
A.
Rewrite the chapter What Sally Said in the form of a dramatic dialogue between Sally and
Esperanza. It might begin as follows:
Sally: I’m okay, Esperanza. He never hits me hard.
Esperanza:
But you have bruises everywhere!
Sally: Mama rubs lard on all of the places where it hurts.
Esperanza:
You need to tell the teacher about this.
Sally: Who would believe me? Last year a teacher asked me what happened. I said I fell, and the
teacher let it go at that. It is what she wanted to hear.
Esperanza:
B.
Write this chapter as a conversation between Sally and Esperanza as if they are talking online in a
chat room. Give each girl a “screen name.” Write this using the customary shorthand most people
use when typing on the Internet. Guidelines to follow are:
•
•
•
•
•
emoticons (shorthand icons for expressing emotions online; for an extended list of emoticons
go to www.techdictionary.com and click on Emoticon List or see Appendix III). Sometimes
the computer automatically converts these emoticons into sad or happy face symbols.
no capital letters
short sentences
screen names
words that sound like letters are written that way; for example, how r u?
LittleMommy:
i’m ok. he never hits me hard. :[
ZezeX:
u have bruises everywhere. LittleMommy:
mama rubs lard on all of the places where it hurts.
ZezeX: hehe…lard. that’s gross. :-p u need to tell the teacher about this.
LittleMommy:
who would believe me? last year a teacher asked me what happened. i
said i fell – the teacher let it go at that. :X
ZezeX:
u’re face looks bruised to me. 8-[
LittleMommy:
he thinks i am going to run away like my sisters, so he beats me like a
dog. my sisters made him feel ashamed – i am the only daughter he has left, so he beats me. ;-(
ZezeX:
come and stay with my family for a while. i know it would be fine with my
mother. [ ]
LittleMommy:
i’ll ask, but he will come for me, crying and sorry. and then when i even
talk to a boy, he will beat me again. i am afraid that one more time he will beat me and I cannot
go to school anymore! ZezeX:
it is not right that he does this to u just because u r a daughter. u must get away.
8-[
LittleMommy:
it is hard. ;(
Probing Deeper:
Consider the growing number of emoticons. In what sense may the use of emoticons be
considered a new language?
T-51
What Sally Said
Pages 92-93
Computer Shorthand
Objective:
Interpreting a character’s thoughts and feelings.
Activity
A.
Rewrite the chapter What Sally Said in the form of a dramatic dialogue between Sally and
Esperanza. It might begin as follows:
Sally: I’m okay, Esperanza. He never hits me hard.
Esperanza: But you have bruises everywhere!
Sally: Mama rubs lard on all of the places where it hurts.
Esperanza: You need to tell the teacher about this.
Sally: Who would believe me? Last year a teacher asked me what happened. I said I fell, and
the teacher let it go at that. It is what she wanted to hear.
Esperanza:
B.
Write this chapter as a conversation between Sally and Esperanza as if they are talking
online in a chat room. Give each girl a “screen name.” Write this using the customary
shorthand most people use when typing on the Internet. Guidelines to follow are:
•
•
•
•
•
emoticons (shorthand icons for expressing emotions online; for an extended list of
emoticons go to www.techdictionary.com and click on Emoticon List or see
Appendix III). Sometimes the computer automatically converts these emoticons into
sad or happy face symbols.
no capital letters
short sentences
screen names
words that sound like letters are written that way; for example, how r u?
Probing Deeper:
Consider the growing number of emoticons. In what sense may the use of emoticons be
considered a new language?
51
The Monkey Garden
Pages 94-98
Setting
Theme
Objective:
Reading for detail in order to visualize location.
Activity
A.
In the following description of the monkey gardens, note the presence of concrete words
and the absence of abstract ones. Using primarily concrete words, write a description of a
room or area you know well.
The garden has large sunflowers, peach trees, green apples, roses, thistle, pears, and many weeds
and bushes. Rotting wood dust and rocks litter the garden. It is all overgrown. Junk cars,
including a blue pickup truck, are abandoned in the garden. There is an old, stone wall, covered
with morning glories and a hibiscus tree nearby. The children have made a clubhouse in the
back of the old pickup truck.
B.
In the first pages of this chapter, Cisneros uses descriptions that deal with all our senses.
Across from each sense on the following chart copy a phrase or sentence from the chapter
that relates to it.
Sense
Phrase or Sentence
Sight
Taste
Sound
Touch
Smell
T-52
The Monkey Garden
Pages 94-98
Setting
Theme
Objective:
Reading for detail in order to visualize location.
Activity
A.
In the following description of the monkey gardens, note the presence of concrete words
and the absence of abstract ones. Using primarily concrete words, write a description of a
room or area you know well.
The garden has large sunflowers, peach trees, green apples, roses, thistle, pears, and many weeds
and bushes. Rotting wood dust and rocks litter the garden. It is all overgrown. Junk cars,
including a blue pickup truck, are abandoned in the garden. There is an old, stone wall, covered
with morning glories and a hibiscus tree nearby. The children have made a clubhouse in the
back of the old pickup truck.
B.
In the first pages of this chapter, Cisneros uses descriptions that deal with all our senses.
Across from each sense on the following chart copy a phrase or sentence from the chapter
that relates to it.
Sense
Phrase or Sentence
Sight
Taste
Sound
Touch
Smell
52
Objective:
Recognizing themes.
Activity
The Monkey Garden is a place where the children play. Consider the way Esperanza’s feelings
about the garden change as the chapter progresses. Identify key phrases in this chapter which
support the theme of Esperanza’s maturity. The first one is done for you.
Esperanza Grows Up
“Who was it that said I was getting too old to play the games?”
“Something wanted to say no when I watched Sally going into the garden with Tito’s buddies all
grinning.”
“They all looked at me as if I was the one that was crazy and made me feel ashamed.”
“I looked at my feet in their white socks and ugly round shoes. They seemed far away.”
“And the garden that had been such a good place to play didn’t seem mine either.”
T-53
Objective:
Recognizing themes.
Activity
The Monkey Garden is a place where the children play. Consider the way Esperanza’s feelings
about the garden change as the chapter progresses. Identify key phrases in this chapter which
support the theme of Esperanza’s maturity. The first one is done for you.
Esperanza Grows Up
“Who was it that said I was getting too old to play the games?”
53
And Some More to Mango Says Goodbye Sometimes
Pages 35-110
Plot
Theme
Objective:
Identifying significant incidents and recognizing a theme in literature.
Activity
A.
Write a short summary for each of the following chapters. Include in your synopsis what
you consider to be the central idea or topic for the chapter. A sample synopsis for the
chapter called “Alicia Sees Mice” might be as follows:
Alicia’s father fails to appreciate his daughter’s efforts to better her life. Since her mother
is dead, he believes Alicia should stay at home to make tortillas and take care of her
siblings.
T-54
And Some More to Mango Says Goodbye Sometimes
Pages 35-110
Plot
Theme
Objective:
Identifying significant incidents and recognizing a theme in literature.
Activity
A.
Write a short summary for each of the following chapters. Include in your synopsis what
you consider to be the central idea or topic for the chapter. A sample synopsis for the
chapter called “Alicia Sees Mice” might be as follows:
Alicia’s father fails to appreciate his daughter’s efforts to better her life. Since her mother
is dead, he believes Alicia should stay at home to make tortillas and take care of her
siblings.
54
Chapter Title
The Family of Little
Feet
Synopsis
Esperanza describes a family who have small feet and
remembers a time when she, Lucy, and Rachel dressed up
in adult women’s shoes. The children are just playing,
but they are noticed by the men in the neighborhood,
making the young girls feel uncomfortable in the shoes.
Chanclas
Esperanza goes to a baptism and dances with her uncle.
A boy at the dance notices Esperanza and watches
her dance.
Sire
A boy named Sire looks at Esperanza with sexual
interest. She looks back at him one time to show him
she is not afraid, but the relationship does not go any
further. Sire has a girlfriend, and Esperanza wonders
what they do together.
Rafaela Who Drinks
Coconut & Papaya
Juice on Tuesdays
Rafaela is a beautiful young wife whose husband forbids her
to leave the house because he is afraid
she will run away. The neighborhood children
buy her some coconut or papaya juice, which she must
pull up to her room on the clothesline.
Minerva Writes Poems
Minerva is a young woman not much older than
Esperanza. She is married and has two children, but
her life is unhappy. Minerva’s husband comes and
goes as he pleases and beats Minerva. She does not
know what to do, so she keeps taking him back.
A Smart Cookie
Esperanza’s mother is a woman who can sing opera,
fix televisions, and speak two languages, but she does
not know which subway to take downtown. She advises
Esperanza to take care of herself by getting an education.
What Sally Said
Sally’s father beats her because he is afraid she will
run away with a boy and bring shame to the family.
Red Clowns
Sally and Esperanza are at a carnival together. Sally
goes off with a boy, leaving Esperanza alone. Some boys
come along, and one of them rapes Esperanza.
Linoleum Roses
Sally marries a marshmallow salesman to escape her
father, but her new husband, like her father, keeps
her trapped in the house.
T-55
Chapter Title
Synopsis
The Family of Little
Feet
Chanclas
Sire
Rafaela Who Drinks
Coconut & Papaya
Juice on Tuesdays
Minerva Writes Poems
A Smart Cookie
What Sally Said
Red Clowns
Linoleum Roses
55
B.
Based on the synopses you wrote for the chapters in Activity A, complete the following
Theme Chart. Identify which of the episodes provides the greatest support for either the
theme Esperanza grows up or the theme Some women feel trapped in traditional female
roles. Remember that themes intertwine, so one episode may provide support for both of
these themes. Select the theme you believe provides the greatest level of support. It is
important to understand that theme grows out of these episodes and is not separate from
them.
Theme One: Esperanza grows up.
Theme Two: Some women feel trapped in traditional female roles.
T-56
B.
Based on the synopses you wrote for the chapters in Activity A, complete the following
Theme Chart. Identify which of the episodes provides the greatest support for either the
theme Esperanza grows up or the theme Some women feel trapped in traditional female
roles. Remember that themes intertwine, so one episode may provide support for both of
these themes. Select the theme you believe provides the greatest level of support. It is
important to understand that theme grows out of these episodes and is not separate from
them.
Theme One: Esperanza grows up.
Theme Two: Some women feel trapped in traditional female roles.
56
Episode/Theme
Chart
Chapter
The Family of Little
Feet
Esperanza’s Response
Theme
Esperanza is uncomfortable
playing dress-up and wearing
high-heeled shoes because of the
behavior of the neighborhood men.
Theme 1
Chanclas
Esperanza enjoys dancing
with her uncle, but is aware
that a boy is watching her dance.
Theme 1
Sire
Esperanza feels sexual
for the first time.
Theme 1
Rafaela Who Drinks
Coconut & Papaya Juice
on Tuesdays
Esperanza feels sad when she
sees a beautiful woman like
Rafaela held prisoner in her home.
Theme 2
Minerva Writes Poems
Esperanza feels sorry for Minerva
and frustrated because there is nothing
she can do to help Minerva to escape
from her bad marriage.
Theme 2
A Smart Cookie
Esperanza listens about how
her mother’s life could have
been better if she had stayed
in school.
Theme 2
What Sally Said
Esperanza feels unhappy that she
is unable to help Sally escape
her abusive father.
Theme 2
Red Clowns
Esperanza is upset and disgusted
after she is raped. She also claims
she cannot trust what sally has been
saying about sex.
Theme 1
Linoleum Roses
Sally marries a marshmallow salesman
to escape her father, but her new
husband, like her father, keeps her
trapped in the house.
Theme 2
T-57
Episode/Theme
Chart
Chapter
The Family of Little
Feet
Esperanza’s Response
Chanclas
Sire
Rafaela Who Drinks
Coconut & Papaya Juice
on Tuesdays
Minerva Writes Poems
A Smart Cookie
What Sally Said
Red Clowns
Linoleum Roses
57
Theme
Sally; What Sally Said; Red Clowns; Linoleum Roses
Pages 81-83, 92-93, 99-102
Characterization
Objective:
Understanding the purpose of a foil in literature.
Activity
A.
Identify the character traits you think Esperanza possesses.
_____independent
_____beautiful
_____intelligent
_____unloved
_____understanding
_____unconquerable
_____trustworthy
_____deluded
_____naïve
_____thoughtful
B.
Identify the character traits you think Sally possesses.
_____independent
_____beautiful
_____intelligent
_____unloved
_____understanding
_____unconquerable
_____trustworthy
_____deluded
_____naïve
_____thoughtful
C.
_____lonely
_____hopeful
_____persecuted
_____afraid
_____creative
_____sad
_____compassionate
_____self-reliant
_____popular
_____reliable
_____lonely
_____hopeful
_____persecuted
_____afraid
_____creative
_____sad
_____compassionate
_____self-reliant
_____popular
_____reliable
Which character traits do they share? Why do you think Esperanza includes Sally in these
four chapters?
Answers will vary. The students should recognize that while the two girls share some
character traits, they are very different people. Sally does not escape from Mango Street;
she ends up with the life Esperanza most fears for herself.
T-58
Sally; What Sally Said; Red Clowns; Linoleum Roses
Pages 81-83, 92-93, 99-102
Characterization
Objective:
Understanding the purpose of a foil in literature.
Activity
A.
Identify the character traits you think Esperanza possesses.
_____independent
_____beautiful
_____intelligent
_____unloved
_____understanding
_____unconquerable
_____trustworthy
_____deluded
_____naïve
_____thoughtful
B.
Identify the character traits you think Sally possesses.
_____independent
_____beautiful
_____intelligent
_____unloved
_____understanding
_____unconquerable
_____trustworthy
_____deluded
_____naïve
_____thoughtful
C.
_____lonely
_____hopeful
_____persecuted
_____afraid
_____creative
_____sad
_____compassionate
_____self-reliant
_____popular
_____reliable
_____lonely
_____hopeful
_____persecuted
_____afraid
_____creative
_____sad
_____compassionate
_____self-reliant
_____popular
_____reliable
Which character traits do they share? Why do you think Esperanza includes Sally in these
four chapters?
58
A House of My Own
Page 108
Style
Poetry
Objective:
Working with the author’s poetic writing style.
Activity
A.
Rewrite this chapter in the form of a poem.
Answers will vary. Example:
A House of My Own
A house of my own
Not a flat, not an apartment,
not a man’s house, not daddy’s.
A house of my own
With a porch and my pillow,
my pretty purple petunias.
My books and my stories,
my two shoes by the bed.
A house of my own
Nobody to shake a stick at,
nobody’s garbage to pick up after.
A house of my own
A house quiet as snow,
a space for myself to go.
Clean as paper before the poem,
a house of my own
T-59
A House of My Own
Page 108
Style
Poetry
Objective:
Working with the author’s poetic writing style.
Activity
A.
Rewrite this chapter in the form of a poem.
59
B.
Visualize the house you want in the future and describe it in a three or four stanza poem.
Answers will vary. Example:
My Future Home
When I think of my home
way in the future
I don’t see a white house
or something with windows and doors.
When I think of a home
I picture the people
With little feet, and men feet
growing up and growing old together.
With my family around me
any house is a home
to be cared for with love
everlasting, ever faithful, home.
T-60
B.
Visualize the house you want in the future and describe it in a three or four stanza poem.
60
Mango Says Goodbye Sometimes
Pages 109-110
Significance of title
Inference
Objective:
Drawing conclusions from the text.
Recognizing the significance of a novel’s title and dedication to infer theme.
(Dedications are usually on the page before the story begins.)
Activity
A.
List three statements you can make about Esperanza’s adult life. For example: Esperanza
will one day have the house of her dreams. For each conclusion, state what details in the
book led you to that determination.
Some sample statements are:
Esperanza’s writing ability will enable her to leave Mango Street on day.
Esperanza will return to Mango Street to help her old community.
Mango Street will always be part of Esperanza’s identity.
B.
Write two or three paragraphs in which you speculate on the significance of the title that
the author gave her book, The House on Mango Street.
How does the name of this fruit fit with Esperanza’s feelings about her home there?
C.
Based on her dedication in the book, write a statement of the theme for this novel.
T-61
Mango Says Goodbye Sometimes
Pages 109-110
Significance of title
Inference
Objective:
Drawing conclusions from the text.
Recognizing the significance of a novel’s title and dedication to infer theme.
(Dedications are usually on the page before the story begins.)
Activity
A.
List three statements you can make about Esperanza’s adult life. For example: Esperanza
will one day have the house of her dreams. For each conclusion, state what details in the
book led you to that determination.
.
B.
Write two or three paragraphs in which you speculate on the significance of the title that
the author gave her book, The House on Mango Street.
How does the name of this fruit fit with Esperanza’s feelings about her home there?
C.
Based on her dedication in the book, write a statement of the theme for this novel.
61
Wrap Up
Pages 1-110
Writing a Review
Realistic Representation of Life
Objective:
Considering the strengths and weaknesses of a book as well as your likes and
dislikes.
Activity
One of the pre-reading activities was to go to www.amazon.com and read the reviews other
students have written about this book. Write your own review. Include what you liked or disliked
about the story. What did it teach you? Would you recommend it to a friend or teacher?
Objective:
Writing descriptive or narrative paragraphs that convey a theme.
Activity
Using vignettes, write a mini-novel set in your own neighborhood. Each of the vignettes in this
novel helped to define one of the novel’s themes. In your mini-novel, select a theme you want to
present and tailor each of your stories to define your theme.
Note to teacher: Another possibility is for these vignettes to be compiled into a class book. The
students could design the book cover and compose the synopsis for the back cover.
T-62
Wrap Up
Pages 1-110
Writing a Review
Realistic Representation of Life
Objective:
Considering the strengths and weaknesses of a book as well as your likes and
dislikes.
Activity
One of the pre-reading activities was to go to www.amazon.com and read the reviews other
students have written about this book. Write your own review. Include what you liked or disliked
about the story. What did it teach you? Would you recommend it to a friend or teacher?
Objective:
Writing descriptive or narrative paragraphs that convey a theme.
Activity
Using vignettes, write a mini-novel set in your own neighborhood. Each of the vignettes in this
novel helped to define one of the novel’s themes. In your mini-novel, select a theme you want to
present and tailor each of your stories to define your theme.
62
Objective:
Inferring values from literature and relating them to life.
Activity
A.
For the following characters, list three concepts that each person values highly. You may
pick the values from this list or you may add any you think are missing.
• Esperanza
• Sally
• Esperanza’s mother
1.
1.
1.
•
2.
2.
2.
3.
3.
3.
Kathy
1.
•
Geraldo
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
Values
hope
wealth
security
honesty
beauty
skill
B.
family
peace
popularity
happiness
love
glory
knowledge
fame
health
friendship
loyalty
power
status
recognition
freedom
independence
risk taking
prestige
List the three things you value most highly. They may be different from the list above.
Explain, in one sentence each, why that particular value is important to you.
T-63
Objective:
Inferring values from literature and relating them to life.
Activity
A.
For the following characters, list three concepts that each person values highly. You may
pick the values from this list or you may add any you think are missing.
• Esperanza
• Sally
• Esperanza’s mother
1.
1.
1.
•
2.
2.
2.
3.
3.
3.
Kathy
1.
•
Geraldo
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
Values
hope
wealth
security
honesty
beauty
skill
B.
family
peace
popularity
happiness
love
glory
knowledge
fame
health
friendship
loyalty
power
status
recognition
freedom
independence
risk taking
prestige
List the three things you value most highly. They may be different from the list above.
Explain, in one sentence each, why that particular value is important to you.
63
Appendix I
Directions for Small Group Activities
1.
Assign/organize students into groups. The number of students in each group should be
appropriate to the activity.
2.
In each group, one student should have the role of the recorder. The reader is responsible
for taking notes and/or preparing the written part of the assignment. Another student
should be the monitor. This person’s role is to keep the group focused on the tasks and to
make sure everyone in the group is heard. (Everyone should have input.) A third role is
that of the speaker. This person is responsible for presenting information, if the
assignment requires groups to present their work.
3.
If the assignment is short, students should have about 15 minutes to prepare their work.
On longer assignments, the group may need to work together the entire period. Each
group should present its work to the rest of the class.
Some of the small group activities have a list of topics or parts. Each group can
accomplish one, or each group can do all of the parts. Then, after the group’s
presentations, a discussion can compare the different responses to the topics.
4.
After all groups have presented, there should be a short discussion about the information.
The points of each group should be summarized.
Appendix-1
Appendix II
Emoticons
Laughter
:-)
Humor
:-) (-: Masking theatrical comments
:-T
Keeping a straight face (tight-lipped)
:-D
Said with a smile
:->
Alternate happy face
:-) :-) :-) Loud guffaw
:*)
Clowning around
:-?
Licking lips
%-}
Silly
Sarcasm
:/)
Not funny
:-"
Pursing lips
:-r
Bleahhh (sticking tongue out)
:-f
Smirks
:-p
"
:-1
"
:-,
"
:-|
Disgusted
:-J
Tongue-in-cheek comments
:-!
Foot in mouth
:-$
Put your money where your mouth is
:-D
Talks too much
:-I
Chewing on bone
Anger
%&$%&
You know what that means...
:-P
Shouting
:-y
"
:-o
"
:-(
Unhappy
:-c
Real unhappy
(:-&
Anger
(:^(
Broken nose
(:<)
Blabber mouth
?-(
Black eye
%-)
Broken glasses
:-b
Tongue stuck out
:-p
Left-handed tongue stuck out
Appendix-2
Sentiment
>--->--- A rose
||*(
Handshake offered
||*)
Handshake accepted
:-x
Kiss kiss
o=
A burning candle to start a flame
~=
Flaming message
-=
A doused candle to end a flame
|-<>
Kissy face
[]
Hug
Conspiracy
(-_-)
Secret smile
'-)
Wink
;-)
Say no more; nudge, nudge
:-*
Oops! (Covering mouth with hand)
:-#
Censored
:-8
Talking out both sides of your mouth
>:>
Leer
:-X
Not saying a word
Despondency
(:-...
Heart-breaking message...
:-o
"Oh, noooooo!" (a la Mr. Bill)
#:-o
Same as previous
...---... S.O.S.
:-<
Forlorn
|-(
Late night messages
(:-$
Ill
(:-(
Sad
%Hung over
:~/
All mixed up
#-)
Another all-night partier
:-'|
With a cold
%+{
Loser in a fight
Astonishment
()
You're kidding!
<:-O
Eeek!
:-C
Unbelieving (jaw dropped)
:-(*)
About to vomit
Appendix-3
The House on Mango Street
Activity Pack
Terms and Definitions
Characterization - the methods, incidents, speech, etc., an author uses to reveal the people in the
book.
Climax - the point of greatest dramatic tension or excitement in a story. Example: Othello’s
murder of Desdemona.
Coming of Age - a novel in which the main character or characters grow, mature, or understand
the world in adult terms. Example: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
Connotation - a meaning of a word that carries a suggestion apart from the actual definition.
Example: The word “fireplace” has a connotation of warmth, comfort, security, and home.
The actual definition, though is a brick area in a home that contains a fire.
Episodic novel - a novel made up of a succession of loosely connected incidents rather than an
integrated plot.
Exposition - the background information which the reader has to know and/or understand.
Falling Action - additional action following the climax.
Foil - a character whose qualities or actions usually serve to emphasize the actions or qualities of
the main character, the protagonist, by providing a strong contrast. On occasion, the foil is
used as a contrast to a character other than the main one.
Generalization - an idea, statement, or conclusion that is formed for an entire group or category.
Generalizations can pertain to nearly anything. Example: Pit bulls are vicious dogs.
Inference - the act of drawing a conclusion that is not actually stated. For example, in The
Pigman, since John and Lorraine are writing a memorial epic about the incident with the
Pigman, we may infer that the Pigman is now dead and the incident is important to them.
Internal rhyme - the rhyming of words within one line of poetry or prose. Example: “And the
river of green slides unseen beneath the trees.”
Appendix-4
Metaphor - a comparison of two things that are basically dissimilar but are brought together in
order to create a sharp image. Example: The moon, a haunting lantern, shone through the
clouds.Plot - the pattern of events in a novel. Is it believable or credible given its setting?
Is it well-paced as opposed to slow moving?
Poetry - literature that is arranged in lines of differing and arbitrary lengths, not in paragraphs as
in prose. Sound, rhythm, and literary terms are frequently utilized. Examples: Paradise
Lost, Shakespeare’s Sonnets
Point of View - the position or vantage point from which the events of a story seem to come and
are presented to the reader. The author determines the point of view. The two most
common are First-person and Third-person. Example: In The Adventures of Huckleberry
Finn, the reader receives all the information from Huck’s vantage point, which is an
example of a first-person point of view; the only things that are known come through him.
Prose - the ordinary form of written or spoken language, without rhyme or meter; speech or
writing that is not poetry.
Reliable and Unreliable narrator - Reliable narrators are those whose accounts we trust, whereas
unreliable narrators may be sick, ill-informed, deliberately or innocently misleading, or
incapable of understanding what is happening. Most third-person narrators are trustworthy,
but first-person narration is frequently unreliable, due to the narrator’s closeness to the
story. Examples: Anne Frank, even though she is a first-person narrator, tells her story in
an accurate manner; what she says can be believed. Chief Bromden, the narrator of One
Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, is delusional; therefore, the reader must question whether
what he says is true.
Rising Action - the part of the story’s plot that adds complications to the problems and increases
the reader’s interest. setting
Setting - when and where the short story, play, or novel takes place. Example: Macbeth takes
place in the eleventh century in Scotland, which greatly influences the story and adds the
elements of truthfulness to its violence.
Simile - a comparison between two different things using either like or as. Example: I am as
hungry as a horse.
Style - the way an author chooses and uses words, phrases, and sentences to tell the story. For
example, in an action/adventure story, the author may use simple words and short, choppy
sentences, because this style moves the story along quickly. But in a story about a college
professor, the same author may choose to use polysyllabic, unfamiliar words and long,
convoluted sentences.
Appendix-5
Symbol - an object, person, or place that has a meaning in itself and that also stands for
something larger than itself, usually an idea or concept; some concrete thing which
represents an abstraction. Example: The sea could be symbolic for “the unknown;” since
the sea is something which is physical and can be seen by the reader, but has elements
which cannot be understood, it can be used symbolically to stand for the abstraction of
“mystery,” “obscurity,” or “the unknown.”
Theme - the central or dominant idea behind the story; the most important aspect that emerges
from how the book treats its subject. Sometimes theme is easy to see, but, at other times, it
may be more difficult. Theme is usually expressed indirectly, as an element the reader must
figure out. It is a universal statement about humanity, rather than a simple statement
dealing with plot or characters in the story. Themes are generally hinted at through
different devices: a phrase or quotation that introduces the novel, a recurring element in the
book, or an observation made that is reinforced through plot, dialogue, or characters. It
must be emphasized that not all works of literature have themes in them.
In a story about a man who is diagnosed with cancer and, through medicine and willpower, returns to his former occupation, the theme might be: “real courage is demonstrated
through internal bravery and perseverance.” In a poem about a flower that grows, blooms,
and dies, the theme might be: “youth fades and death comes to all.”
Tone - the atmosphere in a literary work or the attitude the author puts in a literary work.
Examples: The gloom and representation of decay is the dominant tone in Poe’s The Fall of
the House of Usher; the tone of Catch-22 is one of sarcasm and absurdity.
Vignette - a short literary work composed of one incident.
Appendix-6
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Drama
ITU1
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New titles
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Call or visit our
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ITU17
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Hamlet
Julius Caesar
King Lear
Macbeth
Merchant of Venice, The
Midsummer Night’s Dream, A
Much Ado About Nothing
Othello
Romeo and Juliet
Taming of the Shrew, The
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ITU150
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An Enemy of the People
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Death of A Salesman
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Effect of Gamma Rays on Man
in-the-Moon Marigolds, The
Everyman
Glass Menagerie, The
Hedda Gabbler
Importance of Being Earnest, The
Inherit the Wind
Man For All Seasons, A
Medea
Miracle Worker, The
Misanthrope, The
Night Thoreau Spent in Jail, The
Oedipus the King
Our Town
Pygmalion
Raisin in the Sun, A
Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern are Dead
School for Scandal, The
She Stoops to Conquer
Streetcar Named Desire, A
Twelve Angry Men
Waiting for Godot
Prose and Poetry
ITU68
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ITU98
1984
Across Five Aprils
Adventures of Huckleberry
Finn, The
Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The
I NDIVIDUAL L EARNING PACKET /T EACHING U NIT
The Red Badge
of Courage
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ITU75
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ITU7
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ITU170
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Alice in Wonderland
All Quiet on the Western Front
And Then There Were None
Animal Farm
Anthem
Autobiography of
Jane Pittman, The
Awakening, The
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Bless Me Ultima
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Bridge to Terabithia
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Candide
Canterbury Tales, The (sel.)
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Chocolate War, The
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Contender, The
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Arthur’s Court, A
Crime and Punishment
Cry, The Beloved Country
Daisy Miller
Day No Pigs Would Die, A
Demian
Diary of A Young Girl:
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Dr. Faustus
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
Dracula
Dubliners
Edith Hamilton’s Mythology
Education of Little Tree, The
Ethan Frome
Fahrenheit 451
Farewell to Arms, A
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Flowers for Algernon
Frankenstein
Giver, The
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Grapes of Wrath, The
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Homecoming
Hound of the Baskervilles, The
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I Know What You Did
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I Know Why the Caged
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Inferno, The
Invisible Man - Ellison
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Island of the Blue Dolphins
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ITU93
ITU140
ITU160
ITU25
ITU194
ITU26
ITU60
ITU169
ITU65
ITU186
ITU103
ITU163
ITU128
ITU94
ITU176
ITU106
ITU101
ITU33
ITU34
ITU154
ITU78
ITU137
ITU37
ITU38
ITU135
ITU61
ITU148
ITU129
ITU172
ITU112
ITU127
Island of Dr. Moreau, The
Jacob Have I Loved
Jane Eyre
Johnny Tremaine
Joy Luck Club, The
Julie of the Wolves
Jungle, The
Killing Mr. Griffin
Learning Tree, The
Lesson Before Dying, A
Lord of the Flies
Lord of the Rings (Fellowship of
the Rings)
Lost Horizon
Metamorphosis, The
Moby Dick
My Antonia
My Brother Sam is Dead
Narrative of the Life of
Frederick Douglass
Narrative of Sojourner Truth
Native Son
Night
Number the Stars
O Pioneers!
Odyssey, The
Of Mice and Men
Old Man and the Sea, The
Once and Future King, The
One Day in the Life of
Ivan Denisovich
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Outsiders, The
Pearl, The
Picture of Dorian Gray, The
Pigman, The
Pigman’s Legacy, The
Portrait of the Artist
as a Young Man, A
Prayer for Owen Meany, A
Pride and Prejudice
Prince, The
ITU40
ITU41
ITU72
ITU42
ITU45
ITU134
ITU47
ITU107
ITU95
ITU70
ITU49
ITU19
ITU96
ITU119
ITU153
ITU97
ITU121
ITU111
ITU151
ITU51
ITU109
ITU110
ITU52
ITU53
ITU123
ITU54
ITU124
ITU192
ITU122
ITU100
ITU167
ITU178
ITU80
ITU157
ITU71
ITU99
Red Badge of Courage, The
Red Pony, The
Rime of the Ancient Mariner, The
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Scarlet Letter, The
Sense and Sensibility
Separate Peace, A
Siddhartha
Sign of the Beaver, The
Silas Marner
Slaughterhouse Five
Snows of Kil. & Other
Stories by Hemingway
Sounder
Spoon River Anthology
Stranger, The
Summer of My German
Soldier, The
Sun Also Rises, The
Tale of Two Cities, A
Tex
That Was Then,This Is Now
Their Eyes Were Watching God
Things Fall Apart
Time Machine, The
To Kill A Mockingbird
Treasure Island
Turn of the Screw, The
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Walden
War of the Worlds, The
Watsons Go To
Birmingham-1963, The
When I Was Puerto Rican
When The Legends Die
Where the Red Fern Grows
White Fang
Wrinkle in Time, A
Wuthering Heights
Save Time and Money with
Downloadable Teaching Units!
I
F YOU DON’T HAVE TIME TO WAIT
for FedEx or UPS to arrive, or you want to eliminate the
cost of shipping, we now have the solution to your problems. The same Teaching Units,
Response Journals, Mastery of Writing and, Mastery of Grammar programs that you have
trusted for years to prepare your students are now available for immediate download! Each
Unit contains the same high-quality resources, in easy-to-use Adobe Acrobat format. The
Unit or Journal is downloadable directly from our site, saving you shipping charges. Visit
http://www.prestwickhouse.com for more details.
1-800-932-4593
•
FAX 1-888-718-9333
•
www.prestwickhouse.com
Response Journals for young adult and selected adult novels
Relating Literature To Their Lives
B
Y REFLECTING ON what they have read, students develop new
ideas and link these ideas to their lives. To facilitate this process, in
the tradition and spirit of the response-centered teaching movement, we offer reproducible response journals. For an objective evaluation, a reproducible test for the novel is also included. The journals are
priced at only $19.95. Response Journals are also available with a set of 30
books for most of the titles above. To receive a free sampler of our Response
Journals call 1.800.932.4593.
IRJ58
IRJ05
IRJ34
1984
Across Five Aprils
Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn, The
IRJ40 Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The
IRJ49 Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
IRJ91 Angela’s Ashes
IRJ55 Animal Farm
IRJ23 Anne Frank: Diary of a
Young Girl, The
IRJ87 Around The World in Eighty Days
IRJ41 Bean Trees, The
IRJ39 Call of the Wild, The
IRJ31 Catcher in the Rye, The
IRJ95 Chocolate War, The
IRJ24 Christmas Carol, A
IRJ67 Crucible, The
IRJ09 Day No Pigs Would Die, A
IRJ32 Death of a Salesman
IRJ8264 Death Be Not Proud
IRJ85 Devil’s Arithmetic, The
IRJ8299 Dibs: In Search of Self
IRJ47 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
IRJ51 Dracula
IRJ79 Durango Street
IRJ78 Education of Little Tree
IRJ92 Ender’s Game
IRJ46 Ethan Frome
IRJ35 Fahrenheit 451
IRJ94 Fences
IRJ59 Flowers for Algernon
IRJ43 Frankenstein
IRJ8256 From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs.
Basil E. Frankweiler
IRJ37 Giver, The
IRJ64 Good Earth, The
IRJ99 Great Expectations
IRJ29 Great Gatsby, The
IRJ952X Hamlet
IRJ07 Hatchet
IRJ10 Hero Ain’t Nothin’ But a
Sandwich, A
IRJ57 Hobbit, The
IRJ66 Holes
IRJ26 House on Mango Street, The
IRJ11 I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
IRJ76 Indian in the Cupboard, The
IRJ45 Invisible Man, The (Wells)
IRJ84 Jane Eyre
IRJ73 Johnny Tremain
IRJ56 Joy Luck Club, The
IRJ62 Julius Caesar
IRJ04 Killing Mr. Griffin
IRJ63 Lesson Before Dying, A
IRJ918X Light in the Forest, The
IRJ75 Lion, the Witch, and the
Wardrobe, The
IRJ22 Lord of the Flies
IRJ68 Lyddie
IRJ65 Macbeth
IRJ966X Midsummer Night’s Dream, A
IRJ77 Miracle Worker, The
IRJ904X Much Ado About Nothing
IRJ50 My Antonia
IRJ06 My Darling, My Hamburger
IRJ98 My Name is Asher Lev
IRJ96 Narrative of the Life of Frederick
Douglass
IRJ13 Nothing but the Truth
IRJ60 Number the Stars
IRJ54 O Pioneers!
IRJ70 Odyssey, The
IRJ27 Of Mice and Men
IRJ28 Old Man and the Sea, The
New titles
are constantly
being added.
Call or visit our
website for a
current listing.
IRJ03 Outsiders, The
IRJ71 Parrot in the Oven
IRJ30 Pearl, The
IRJ01 Pigman, The
IRJ08 Pistachio Prescription, The
IRJ82 Prayer for Owen Meany, A
IRJ86 Prince and the Pauper, The
IRJ33 Raisin in the Sun, A
IRJ81 Rebecca
IRJ38 Red Badge of Courage, The
IRJ42 Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
IRJ61 Romeo and Juliet
IRJ80 Rumble Fish
IRJ97 Scorpions
IRJ21 Separate Peace, A
IRJ74 Shane
IRJ14 Sign of the Beaver, The
IRJ48 Silas Marner
IRJ69 Slam!
IRJ935X Soldier’s Heart
IRJ7624 Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes
IRJ90 Story of My Life, The
IRJ44 Sun Also Rises, The
IRJ921X Their Eyes Were Watching God
IRJ8272 Things Fall Apart
IRJ89 Through the Looking Glass
IRJ25 Time Machine, The
IRJ17 To Kill a Mockingbird
IRJ52 Treasure Island
IRJ72 Tuck Everlasting
IRJ83 Uncle Tom’s Cabin
IRJ53 War of the Worlds, The
IRJ36 Watson Go to Birmingham1963, The
IRJ02 Where the Red Fern Grows
IRJ93 Witch of Blackbird Pond, The
Save Time and Money with Downloadable
Response Journals!
I
F YOU DON’T HAVE TIME TO WAIT
for FedEx or UPS to arrive, or you want to eliminate the cost of
shipping, we now have the solution to your problems. The same Teaching Units, Response
Journals, Mastery of Writing and, Mastery of Grammar programs that you have trusted for years to
prepare your students are now available for immediate download! Each Unit contains the same highquality resources, in easy-to-use Adobe Acrobat format. The Unit or Journal is downloadable directly
from our site, saving you shipping charges. Visit http://www.prestwickhouse.com for more details.
1-800-932-4593
•
FAX 1-888-718-9333
•
www.prestwickhouse.com
Ready-to-go Activity Packs
for popular classroom novels
I
for activities related to statemandated objectives and/or national guidelines, we have created
activity packs for frequently taught novels and selected works of
non-fiction.
N RESPONSE TO TEACHER REQUESTS
Activities include group and/or individual work
• Role playing
• Creating dramatizations
• Five modes of writing
• Completing maps and charts
• Creating collages
• Drawing editorial cartoons
• Staging sets and scenes
• Conducting surveys
• Writing screenplays
• Creating scenarios, and more.
• Responding to photographs and
pictures
Activity Packs are now available for:
IPA0111
IPA6334
IPA6393
IPA0118
IPA0113
IPA0108
IPA0116
IPA0127
IPA6342
IPA0106
IPA6369
IPA613X
IPA0105
IPA0121
IPA0125
IPA0120
IPA0103
Adventures of Huckleberry
Finn, The
Adventures of
Tom Sawyer, The
Animal Farm
Awakening, The
Call of the Wild, The
Catcher in the Rye, The
Edith Hamilton’s Mythology
Education of Little Tree, The
Ethan Frome
Frankenstein
Giver, The
Great Expectations
Great Gatsby, The
Hamlet
Hatchet
Holes
House on Mango Street, The
IPA0124
IPA0119
IPA0110
IPA0122
IPA0117
IPA6288
IPA630X
IPA0104
IPA0109
IPA0115
IPA6318
IPA0107
IPA0114
IPA0126
IPA0112
IPA6415
IPA6326
IPA0123
Indian in the Cupboard, The
Julius Caesar
Lord of the Flies
Macbeth
Maus I and II
Midsummer Night’s Dream, A
Much Ado About Nothing
Narrative of the Life of
Frederick Douglass, The
Of Mice and Men
Old Man and the Sea, The
Othello
Outsiders, The
Red Badge of Courage, The
Romeo and Juliet
Scarlet Letter, The
Separate Peace, A
Siddhartha
Slam!
New titles
are constantly
being added.
Call or visit our
website for a
current listing.
IPA6377
IPA6296
IPA0102
IPA0100
IPA6350
Tale of Two Cities, A
Tears of a Tiger
Their Eyes Were Watching
God
To Kill a Mockingbird
Wuthering Heights
All Titles
$34.95 Each
Save Time and Money with
Downloadable Activity Packs!
If you don’t have time to wait for FedEx or UPS to arrive, or you want to eliminate the cost of shipping, we now have the solution to your problems. The same Teaching Units, Response Journals,
Mastery of Writing and, Mastery of Grammar programs that you have trusted for years to prepare
your students are now available for immediate download! Each Unit contains the same high-quality
resources, in easy-to-use Adobe Acrobat format. The Unit or Journal is downloadable directly from our
site, saving you shipping charges. Visit http://www.prestwickhouse.com for more details.
1-800-932-4593
•
FAX 1-888-718-9333
•
www.prestwickhouse.com
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