Name: ___________________________________ Date: __________________ Period: _______
The House on Mango Street, Sandra Cisneros
Pages 12-22: “Cathy Queen of Cats”; “Our Good Day”; “Laughter”; “Gil’s Furniture Bought &
Sold”; “Meme Ortiz”
“Cathy Queen of Cats”
1. What is distinctive about Cathy?
2. What does the neighborhood “getting bad” mean?
3. Do you think Cathy’s father will fly to France one day? Why or why not?
4. What do you think the last line implies?
“Our Good Day”
5. Who are Lucy and Rachel?
6. What do the children want $5 for?
7. How does Cathy react to Lucy and Rachel? How does she reach her opinion?
8. What would have happened if Esperanza listened to Cathy?
“Laughter”
9. How are Rachel and Lucy alike?
10. How are Nenny and Esperanza alike?
11. What is the special bond between Esperanza and Nenny? How is it expressed?
“Gil’s Furniture Bought & Sold”
12. How does the author describe Gil’s junk shop?
13. Why is Esperanza interested in the music box?
14. Why do you think she feels she has to look away and pretend it doesn’t interest her?
“Meme Ortiz”
15. What is Meme’s real name?
16. Who/what is compared to “untied shoes”? Is this a simile or a metaphor [Is it like
something or is something]?
17. What takes place in Meme’s back yard?
18. What happens at this event?
Tracking Down Important Quotes
Find quotes from this reading section that you feel match the description. Make sure you write
the quote word for word, and be sure to include a page number!
Description
Find a quote (or
quotes) that helps
describe a
character who
stood out to you in
this reading
section.
Then explain your
thoughts about this
quote.
Find a quote (or
quotes) that
describes an object
that you think may
be important to the
reading section or
to the narrator.
Then explain your
thoughts about this
quote.
Find a quote (or
quotes) that helps
prove a major
theme of the novel
[Find a quote that
helps provide a
deeper message
that the author
portrays in
writing]
Then explain your
thoughts about this
quote.
Exact Quote and Page Number