Guiding Questions for The House on Mango Street ("The House on Mango Street"-"Marin" Chapters)
Directions: Use these questions to help you study for the reading check quiz next class. The questions on the quiz will
look very similar to these, though not all of the questions will appear there. The quiz will with either be open-ended
(requiring short responses) or multiple choice!
"The House on Mango Street"
*Who owns the Mango Street house?
*How does the narrator (Esperanza) feel about the Mango Street house?
*How does the narrator describe the house she wishes she was moving into? What does this reveal about the narrator's
desires?
*How does the narrator describe the Mango Street house? What does this reveal about the narrator's desires? About
her situation in life.
*Why does Cisneros include the story about the Loomis Street apartment and the nun? What does this reveal about the
narrator's desires and her situation in life?
*What does it mean when the narrator says she wants a house she can "point to."
"Hairs"
*Why does Cisneros include this description of the characters hair?
"Boys & Girls"
*How do the boys and girls act when they are inside the Mango Street house? How does this compare to how the
interact outside of the Mango Street house?
"My Name"
*What does the narrator's name mean in English? Why might this be significant (why would Cisneros choose to name
her this)?
*What does the anecdote about the narrator's grandmother reveal about the narrator?
*What name does the narrator wish for?
"Cathy Queen of Cats"
*Who is Cathy?
*What purpose does Cathy's character serve?
"Our Good Day"
*Why does Esperanza give Lucy and Rachel five dollars?
*How does Cathy feel about Esperanza talking to Lucy and Rachel? Why does Cathy feel this way?
*In what manner do the girls finally ride the bike?
"Laughter"
*How are Esperanza and Nenny alike?
"Gil's Furniture Bought & Sold"
*What type of store is Gil's?
*What item does Nenny ask about in Gil's?
"Meme Ortiz"
*Who is Meme?
"Louie, His Cousin & His Other Cousin"
*What happened when the kids met Louie's other cousin (the one with the Cadillac)? What does this reveal about the
setting?
"Marin"
*Who is Marin?
*What does Marin possess that is enviable to the other girls?
*What advice does Marin give the girls about boys?
*What does Marin desire most?