The Family of Little Feet
Riley Jones and Jacob LeQuire
1.
Notes -
2.
Theme - (changed as we worked through the vignette)
Seeking the approval of all those around you is a foolish and futile act that will leave one
frustrated and tired.
When one doesn't have a lot in life, receiving even the most basic gifts is an impactful moment.
Physical beauty is nothing but an act, an act that one performs to be exalted by society;
however, the show will ultimately grow old, fading to reveal something much more important:
one's inner beauty.
3.
4.
Major Conflicts ● walking in the new shoes was difficult
○ “tee-tottering”
● harassment from bum man
○ “If I give you a dollar will you kiss me?”
-bum man
● struggle with self-image
○ “it’s scary to look down at your foot that is no longer yours”
○ “We are tired of being beautiful.”
● struggle seeking approval from others
○ “Do you like these shoes?” (repeated four times)
● shoes were dangerous to wear around
○ “Them are dangerous.”
○ “your mother know you got shoes like that?”
● poverty - never receiving nice shoes before caused their overly excited response
○ “Today we are Cinderella”
○ “We must be Christmas”
Characterization and Setting 1) Shoe Gang: (Esperanza, Rachel, Lucy): naive, impressionable, energetic
● fanatical: obsessively concerned with something
●
“The lemon shoes for the red shoes, the red for the pair that were once white but
are now pale blue, the pale blue for the lemon, and take them off and put them
back on until we are tired.” (40)
○ Ellipsis
○ Repetition - description repeated throughout vignette
○ Repetition - repeated in last paragraph
2) Mother of the family of little feet: sincere?, ignorant, thoughtful (possible irony)
● adored: (by Esperanza) – liked by something or someone very much.
● “The mother’s feet, plump and polite, descended like white pigeons from the sea
of pillow, across the linoleum roses … 5,6,7, blue sky.” (40)
○ Personification
○ Simile
○ diction/tone - compared to the negative connotations of the descriptions
of the other family member’s feet, the mother’s feet seem to be a sort of
royalty.
3) Rachel: naive, brash, credulous
● skillful: having the ability, coming from one's knowledge, practice, aptitude, etc.,
to do something well.
● “It’s Rachel who learns to walk the best all strutted in those magic high heels”.
(40)
○ Diction/Repetition - as if they are putting on an act. (same verb is
repeated later)
○ plays into an extended metaphor
5. Literary Techniquesa) “Today we are Cinderella” “to walk best all strutted in those magic high heels” “We are
tired of being beautiful” (40) (42)
i)
This extended metaphor speaks volumes as to how Esperanza and the girls see
themselves. The shoes offer greater self-confidence, thus allowing the girls to
see themselves as princesses.
b) “There was a family, they all were little… and their feet very small.” “His feet were...the
grandma’s feet were... the baby’s feet had ten tiny toes...the mother’s feet, plump and
polite…” (39) (40)
i)
Synecdoche- Esperanza characterizes the members of this family by only a part
of them: their feet. She characterizes people by parts of their bodies throughout
the entire novel.
ii)
Anaphora - The idea of little feet is repeated multiple times throughout the
vignette, even in the title. The small feet are juxtaposed to the “long long” legs
the girls had.
iii)
iv)
Personification - Esperanza employs personification to describe the feet as if
they were a person.
Alliteration - It is not necessary to include that there was ten toes. It is used for
the alliteration.
c) “Do you like these shoes?” (40) (41)
i)
Repetition - This same question is repeated throughout the vignette four times.
This connects with the conflict of the struggle for approval from others.
Also used:
● Alliteration - “Skinny and spotted with satin scars where scabs were picked” (40)
● Anaphora - “shoes that used to be white but are now pale blue” (40, 41, 42)
● Personification - “shoes talk back to you” (40)
Connection to the novel: The shoes are another thing of enjoyment that are temporary in her
life. In fact, when the shoes get thrown away “no one complains” because they are used to
things not lasting.