AP Lit
THoMS
Andrew and Matt.
1. Notes.
2. THEME: One can find a “ray of light” in even the darkest of places.
3. CONFLICTS
a. Gil can’t afford to turn the lights on in the store unless someone has money and is going
to buy something.
b. In the store Esperanza and Nenny are trying to not get lost.
c. Nenny is talking to Gil about the store and Esperanza is jealous of Nenny’s ignorance.
d. Nenny really wants to buy the music box from Gil but Gil says its not for sale
e. Esperanza wants the music box but she does not want to appear “stupid” like Nenny.
4. CHARACTERIZATIONS
a. The Store
i. Labyrinthine
ii. Like a labyrinth; irregular and twisting
iii. “Everything is on top of everything so the whole store has skinny aisles to walk
through. You can get lost easy.”
1. Pg 19 bottom
2. “Everything is on top of everything”-Imagery.
b. Gil
i. Sentimental
ii. Excessively prone to feelings of tenderness, sadness or nostalgia.
iii. “This, the old man says shutting the lid, this ain’t for sale.”
1. Pg 20 Last line
2. Esperanza wants to let go and free herself from the past yet Gil seems
to be holding on the music box which could represent his hopes and
dreams from the past. - Irony
c. Esperanza
i. Jealous
ii. Feeling or showing envy of someone or their achievements and advantages.
iii. “I have to turn around and pretend I don’t care about the box so Nenny won’t
see how stupid I am. But Nenny, who is stupider, already is asking how much.”
1. Pg 20 Bottom
2. The music box- symbol
AP Lit
THoMS
Andrew and Matt.
5. LITERARY TECHNIQUES
a. “The store is small with just a dirty window for light. He doesn’t turn the lights on unless
you got money to buy things with.”
i. Imagery
ii. Describes the setting
b. “ The owner, he is a black man who doesn’t talk much and sometimes if you didn’t
know better you could be in there a long time before your eyes notice a pair of gold
glasses floating in the dark.”
i. Imagery
ii. Contrast
c. “Its like all of a sudden he let go a million moths all over the dusty furniture and swanneck shadows and in our bones. Its like drops of water. Or like marimbas only with a
funny little plucked sound to it like if you were running your fingers across the teeth of a
metal comb.”
i. Irony
ii. The box is ugly yet beautiful and it stands out amongst all the junk/ Esperanza vs
Gil/ Foreshadowing