House on Mango Street Our Good Day

In "Our Good Day", Cisneros reveals something about Esperanza, our narrator, in this exchange:

"We come from Texas, Lucy says and grins. Her was born here, but me I'm Texas.

"You mean she, I say

No, I'm from Texas, and doesn't get it.

What does this reveal about Esperanza?

• She doesn't know where Texas is.

• She cares about language and corrects people's grammar.

• She does not want to be Lucy's friend.

• She wishes people would get her jokes.

In "Laughter", Esperanza and her little sister Nenny agree that a house they pass by with their friends reminds them of Mexico:

Esperanza says, "I don't know why. There was nothing about the house that looked exactly like the houses I remembered. I'm not even sure why I thought it, but it seemed to feel right."

Nenny's agreement with her makes Esperanza feel close to her sister. Why?

• Nenny will never disagree with Esperanza in public.

• They will win the bet with their friends.

• Sharing the same uncertainty and feeling of loss about their past comforts Esperanza.

• Esperanza likes to feel smarter than Nenny.

Why does Marin live with Louie's family?

• her family is in Puerto Rico
• they needed help with the two little sisters
• she needed a job
• she had no where to live

Marin is a character who represents conventional expectations for girls at the time. Cisneros ends the vignette with this image:

"Marin, under the streetlight, dancing by herself is singing the same song somewhere. I know. Is waiting for a car to stop, a star to fall, someone to change her life."

What is Cisneros saying about this character and her expectations?

• She will go to Hollywood and become famous.

• She doesn't believe in her own ability to change her circumstances.

• She likes to sing and dance and is happy by herself.

• She should go back to Puerto Rico.

Esperanza pays a dime to buy something symbolic at Gil's Furniture. What is it?

• A music box

• Gold glasses

• A Statue of Liberty

• A broken tv

One could say the character Meme Ortiz is a "hot mess". Provide two examples from the way Cisneros describes him that indicate this.

What can we infer from what happens in "Louie, His Cousin & His Other Cousin"?

• Louie's cousin stole the yellow Cadillac.

• Louie will marry Marin

• The police have the wrong man

• Esperanza will never learn to drive.