HOMS Packet directions 4/25-4/26
Section One: Self Definition and Identity
Pre-reading #1 question: What is the personal significance of your given name (first, middle
and last)? Does your name mean different things to you, your family, and your friends? What are
your nicknames? What do your nicknames mean to you and those who call you those names?
Respond in a paragraph of 8 sentences.
“Hairs"
“The House on Mango Street”
Two similes:
One metaphor:
One example of personification:
Details they want in a Details they have in
House
the Mango House
Section Two: Friendship, neighborhood, home
Pre-reading #2 questions: Is living in a house your family owns different than living in a house
or apartment your family rents? How? Are renters, owners, and homeless people all considered
equal citizens in America? Why or why not?
Reading Activities
While reading “Cathy Queen of Cats,” “Our Good Day,” “Laughter,” “Gil’s Furniture Bought
and Sold,” “ Meme Ortiz,” and “Louie, his Cousin, and his Other Cousin” write down each new
character that is introduced and the details you learn about them. Also, look for which literary
device the author uses the most in each story. Provide examples.
Today- finish all of the stories you didn’t read yesterday! When finished read outside reading
book.
Example:
“Cathy Queen of Cats”
Cathy
- great great grand cousin of the queen of France
-has a lot of cats!
-she’s moving on Tuesday
Joe
- baby grabber (?)
-lives next door to Cathy.
Benny, Blanca
- own the corner store
-don’t like it when people lean on the candy counter
Edna
- owns the building next to Esperanza’s house
-used to own a bigger building given to her by her mom; her brother sold it.
Alicia- went to college
-is stuck up
Poetic device simile: “raggedy as rats” “cats asleep like little donut” “her house is like cat
heaven”
Section Three: Freedom and Entrapment
Pre-reading Questions #3: In what areas of your life are you most free to do what you like? In
what areas of your life do you have the least freedom? Consider the roles gender, race, religion,
education, class, age, and upbringing play in limiting an individual’s personal freedom.
When finished, read “Marin” and “Those Who Don’t” and answer the questions about each
story, being sure to restate the questions.
“Marin”
1. What does Marin teach Esperanza? Answer in 2-3 sentences.
“Those Who Don’t”
1. What type of people do you think are afraid to come into Esperanza’s neighborhood?
2. What type of neighborhood do you think Esperanza is afraid to go into?
Read
“There was an Old Woman She Had So Many Children She Didn’t Know What to Do,”
“Alicia Who Sees Mice,”
“Darius and the Clouds,”
“And Some More.” Pages 29-38.
For each story, pick one passage that meets the theme of freedom or entrapment.
When finished, answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences each.
1. Which character is the most free in section three stories? Why?
2. Which character is the least free in section three three stories? Why
Section Four: Growth, Maturity, and Sexuality
Pre-Reading Question #4: How is growing into a teenage body (physically, mentally, and
emotionally) like moving into a new house/ apartment? Compare the experience of moving into a
new house/ apartment to the experiences of being a teenager. Answer in a paragraph of 8
sentences.
“The Family of Little Feet”
Identify three examples of literary devices- quote and label.
1. What impact do the shoes have on the girls?
2. Do they make them feel different? Why?
Read “A Rice Sandwich”
1. Why do you think Esperanza wanted to eat at school so badly?
2. Were her expectations met? Why or why not?
Read “Chanclas”
Answer the following questions:
1. Compare how Esperanza feels about her shoes in this story, as opposed to “The Family of
Little Feet.” Compare at the beginning of the story and the end of the story.
Read “Hips,” read “Homage to My Hips” by Lucille Clifton. Create a list of similarities that
focus on stylistic traits (literary devices, punctuation, grammar conventions, etc.). Include at least
seven. Then staple the poem into section four.
Section Five: Gender Roles and Expectations
Pre-reading questions: Should parent/ guardians raise their teenage girls in the same way they
raise their teenage boys? Why or why not? What rules should be the same for girls and boys?
What should be different? Do you have siblings or cousins that are treated differently than you
because of gender?
Read “Papa Who Wakes Up Tired in the Dark,” “Born Bad.”
Read “Elenita, Cards, Palm, Water,” “Geraldo No Last Name,” “Edna’s Ruthie,” “The Earl of
Tennessee.”
For each story, identify 2-3 details from the story that describe how the story fits into the theme
of gender roles and expectations.
Tonight’s homework: Read “Sire” and be ready for a quiz tomorrow! (okay to read in class if
you have time)
Section Six: Fitting In
Pre-Reading Questions: Describe a situation where you once felt really out of place or
uncomfortable. Why did you feel this way? What does the word “outcast” mean? What kinds of
attributes make people into outcasts? Why must society have outcasts?
Read “Four Skinny Trees,” “No Speak English,” and “Rafaela Who Drinks Coconut and Papaya
juice on Tuesdays
Read “Rafaela Who Drinks Coconut and Papaya juice on Tuesdays.”
Identify one character from any of the three stories (yesterday and today) that you feel is
the biggest outcast.
List as many details as possible about the character.
Then explain why that character is the biggest outcast and why in 2-3 sentences.
Read “Sally,” “Minerva Writes Poems,” “Bums in the Attic.”
For “Sally,” write down all details learned about her in your packet. Be very specific!
Section Seven: Escape
Pre-Reading questions: What parts of your life would you most like to escape? Can you escape
some of these elements at some point in your life? If so, how? If not, why not?
Answer on the 7th page of your packet in a paragraph of 8 sentences.
Read “Beautiful and Cruel,”

Open Mind worksheet
“A Smart Cookie,” “What Sally Said,”

For each of the stories, answer these two questions:
1. What do the characters want to escape from?
2. How might you predict the characters will escape, if at all?
Read “The Monkey Garden”
“Red Clowns,” “Linoleum Roses.”

Answer questions:
1. How do you think the event that takes place in “Red Clowns” will shape the rest
of Esperanza’s life, or even just the rest of the book?
2. Does Sally’s method of escape in “Linoleum Roses” surprise you? Why or why
not?
Section Eight: Finding one’s “Home”
Pre-Reading Question: What inspires you most in life? What do you see your future holding for
you? What obstacles might stand in your way? In what ways will you attempt to overcome them
and achieve your future desires?
Read “The Three Sisters,” Answer the following questions:
1. How does Esperanza meet the three sisters?
2. What responsibility do they place on her?
Read “Alicia and I Talking on Edna’s Steps.”
Read “A House of My Own.”
Find two examples of alliteration.
Find one example of a simile.
Find one example of repetition.
Read “Mango Says Goodbye Sometimes,” then answer the following question in 3-4 sentences:
1. How does the ending of The House on Mango Street come full circle?