The House on Mango
Street Project (55 Points)
Sandra Cisneros uses
vignettes to describe, share, and reveal various aspects of the life of
Esperanza. In doing so, she also
incorporates various poetic devices
and figurative language throughout
these pieces to paint a vivid picture for her audience. Using The House on Mango Street as a
model, write your own vignettes by doing “copy changes.” To “copy change” means to write your own
vignettes following the structure and style of one that already exists. It is similar to taking a song, keeping the
same music, but rewriting the lyrics.
Therefore, keep the sentence structure of Cisneros, while changing the
words to make it your own. The procedure
and vignette topics are listed below.
- Each vignette will have a title.
- Each vignette will have at least two examples of figurative language (similes, metaphors, imagery, personification, etc.).
- Each example of figurative language must stand out in the typed vignette – you may bold them, underline them, put in italics, etc. (be consistent throughout)
- You may substitute an example of figurative language by including internal rhyme, end rhymes, and near rhymes sporadically throughout the different vignettes – “Lazy Poetry.”
- Each vignette will be typed – use appropriate font style, size, and color.
- Each vignette will be visually appealing – borders, watermarks, clip art, and/or own artistic abilities may be used.
- All vignettes will be placed in order and compiled into a short booklet with a visually appealing cover – The title page will include The House on [insert your street name], your name, class, and date.
House Vignette
“The House on Mango Street”
Pages 3-5
Create your own “The House on Mango Street” vignette. It will be called “The House on [insert your
street name here].”
Using the questions below, make a list of details to include
in your vignette. Focus on the
importance of the details – the feelings they evoke, the stories associated
with them, and their history. Once you
are satisfied with your list, you’ll be ready to write your vignette.
What does it look like?
What colors stand out? How big or small are surrounding buildings,
plants, fields, and/or yards? How wide are the streets? What is the house like
inside?
How does your house make you feel? What sounds are found in
your house? Who or what makes these
sounds? Any other important details?
Family Vignette
“Hairs”
Page 6
What metaphor could you use to describe your family? Could it be the style of jeans they
wear? What about their eyes? Pay attention to Cisneros’s style. Who does she devote an entire paragraph
to? Why?
Who would you devote an entire paragraph to? Write this vignette in Cisneros’s style.
Name Vignette
“My Name”
Page 10
Section 1 sets the mood with sensory details. What does your name mean in English? What emotion, action, and number does your
name represent? What color describes
your name? What sound? How does it look? What type of song or music is your name?
Section 2 is the story behind the name. Who were you named after? Describe this person? If you were not named after someone, tell the
story behind your chosen name? Notice
how this is the first time the name is mentioned.
Section 3 shares a school story. Do teachers say your name wrong? What school activities does your name
mean? What does your name mean to your
friends? This section is to show me the
type of person you are now. You could
include nicknames in this section, too.
Section 4 enables you to rename yourself. Follow the format of the last paragraph. What would you rather be called? Why?
Neighborhood
Vignette
“Those Who Don’t”
Page 28
Why are people that are not from your neighborhood/hometown
afraid of it? How do you react going in
a town you are not familiar with, especially in a city area? Why do you feel safe in your neighborhood/hometown? Try to create a short but effective
neighborhood vignette mimicking Cisneros’s style.
It would be acceptable to mimic the style of a different
neighbor/neighborhood vignette in place of “Those Who Don’t.” We will discuss these other options during
our class discussion on Esperanza’s neighborhood.
Dream House
Vignette
“A House of My
Own”
Page 108
Attempt to follow Cisneros’s style in this vignette. She has a very short but very effective
vignette. You may simply want to take
the template below to create this vignette or go on your own. However, if you go on your own, it is not to
be long and wordy. The specific
requirements will be given when we read “A House of My Own” together.
Not a ______. Not a _______. Not a _________. A House all of my own. With my ______, my _______, my _______. My ________ and my ________. Nobody to _______. Nobody’s __________.
Only a house (simile) _________ as
________, a ______ for me to go, (simile) ______ as _________.
