The vignettes from The House on Mango Street that affected me the most is Red Clowns. This story is really sad. It talks about someone who trusted a friend but got hurt instead. The words and feelings that it paints this story with were so strong and make it very emotional. The person keeps begging for somebody named Sally to help them out, showing how scared and alone they were. And these words almost iterate the quote “Sally Sally a hundred times. Why hadn’t you heard me when I called? Why didn’t you told them to leave me alone?” (Cisneros) because they sound like “Why hadn’t you helped me when I needed you?” It is such a strong story because he doesn’t give up how pain causes bad experience and tells us to be kind and understanding to people with a bad past.
Monthly Archives: December 2023
A piece of work from this course that had the most meaning to me was poetry part. Because by the poetry part know I can understand poetry essay way before that I have trouble to understand the poetry and after that I can eassily right an essay on any poetry. Talking about poetry my favourite poetry is “How do I Love Thee?” By elizabeth barret. This poetry describe love and i love how poet has describe it in different ways it has comolex words but it is best poetry I have read till now. In the last line of the poem “I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death.” of the poem he explains his love to her. He can do whatever if god says still he will love her. And in the last I just want to say thank you so much professor for everthing that you have done for everyone you are the best professor of my life. And your teaching skill is also best.
A piece of work from this course that had the most meaning to me was writing my research essay. My topic was on how fairytales are beneficial to children. I enjoyed this piece so much because I enjoyed writing from my experience, and it gave me a chance to reminisce from my childhood. Another work of literature that affected me is “Salvation” by Langston Hughes.The story is about how a 13 year old Langston Hughes dropped his belief in Christ , due to a misconception of being saved.. I don’t relate to the problem, but the theme and story meant a lot to me because this was a big decision for a child and it affected him forever as well.Knowing how much people take religion seriously and how fast Hughes dropped his belief due to a misunderstanding made me feel a little sad but he’s a ordinary child.Another piece of work from this course that affected me was participating in discussion boards because I am stating my opinion and I like to hear other thoughts from peers.
To start I want to say, Thank you to Ms. Celeste Conway for being a great English teacher during the Fall semester, taking her time to answer emails, and being on top of the work needed to pass the class & mini quizzes. Love that Ms.Conewy was very clear with her assignments and always re-read with us the readings, deadlines,and outlines for papers. The work of literature that was more meaningful to me was -poetry. Poetry played a big role to me in this class because i was able to learn more deeply about it and how to read behind the sonnet of each line. Of all the different poems we read my favorite one was “How Do I Love Thee” by Elizabeth Barrett because it shows a quality of beauty and intensity of emotion regarding the characteristics in the poem.I would say overall the course was very manageable with meetings and homework. The only thing I did struggle with was doing the research paper while also having other classwork. Managing is a big deal while having to spend time with family, friends, and a job. I’m happy to say that as a classmate, I’m proud of each one of us completing this course.I wish everyone a successful and great spring semester. enjoy, the winter break guys!
The work of literature from the course that had the most meaning for me was the reading stories part. I think the was meaningful to me because I learned how the author amazingly used literary techniques, for example, the most handsome drowned men, and the use of imagery to describe the drowned man and the village. Furthermore, I like the story of King Oedipus, it has an interesting and unexpected final, he was constantly looking for the people and searching for the person who killed the other king, and all along it was him, but he didn’t know. I also liked the poetry part, how those authors described women of older generations and how tragic they were, for example, in the poem the protagonist thinks her husband has died, and she expresses her happy emotions of being free, but then the husband appears and she dies. Thank you for being my professor. I was lucky to choose this astonishing class that improved my writing, and analytics skills in literature.
A vignette from “ House on Mango Street “ by Sandra Cisnero that affected me the most is “ Born Bad “ .This vignette is about Esperanza and her friends are praying because they played a game imitating Esperanza’s sick aunt the day before she died . do out the story. Esperanza reminisces about her dead on Guadalupe. “But I think diseases have no eyes. They pick with a dizzy finger anyone, just anyone” (Cisnero ,page 59). When i was 2 my father died from a heart attack . As i grew older i always questioned to my self and god “Why it had to be my father”.Growing up it didn’t affect me but as i got older i thought of the idea of God punishing me and/or my father.
I love the story “The story of hour” by Kate Chopin The story dives into subjects of cultural assumptions, individual personality, and the intricacies of human feeling in a compact story. So anything can happen any time in life so we have to ready for everything. This story is a brief yet strong investigation of a lady’s close to home excursion. After learning of her husband’s unexpected death, Mrs. Mallard at first responds with shock yet before long finds a recently discovered feeling of opportunity and self. She embraces the possibility of existence without her better half’s presence, just to have her expectations run when he suddenly gets back. Character Mrs. Mallard in the story “The Story of an Hour” grieves by listening to her husband’s tragic accident she realized that she was now free “She said it over and over under her breath: “free, free, free!” (Chopin para10). She was filled with excitement and joy for becoming free from being merely a wife.
The vignette from The House on Mango Street that affected me the most would be “Beautiful & cruel” by Sandra Cisneros because it has a strong meaning behind its short lines. It expresses how Esperanza sees herself as young and without any growth or learning but instead wants to put herself like the love movies that she sees. “I am the ugly daughter. I am the one nobody comes for” (Cisneros, page 88). She sees that the world is impossible for her to be able to grow as an adult and time is taking too long for her. However, as a mother, her mom keeps on telling her that the time will come at the right age and you will experience the most beautiful and harsh experiences in life. This short Vignette resonates with me because since a young teenager when I was 13. I also wanted to be an adult and be able to do things older people used to do and experience. I couldn’t wait for my time to come like Esperanza, just wanted to feel loved with all the love stories and movies I used to see. “In the movies, there is always one with red red lips who is beautiful and cruel. She is the one who drives the men crazy and laughs them all away” (Cisneros, page 89). This vignette demonstrates Esperanza’s importance of being like a grown woman from the movies. Esperanza has decided not to wait around for a husband to take her away. Instead, she wants to be like the females in movies who drive the men crazy and then refuse them.
The vignette “Mango says goodbye sometimes” affected me the most. This vignette resonated with me the most because of it’s theme of loss. The narrator is expressing her craving for stability because of the transient nature of her community. She states “I write it down and Mango says goodbye sometimes. She does not hold me with both arms. She sets me free.” (Cisnaros.) To elaborate, Esperanza feels temporary to her neighborhood “Mango” and her feeling of not belonging in the community. She constantly talks about the people that live on Mango st coming and going.
One of the vignettes from “The House on Mango Street” that affected me the most was “Mango Says Goodbye Sometimes.” The quote “They will not know I have gone away to come back. For the ones I left behind. For the ones who cannot out.” Because most of the time when we clandestine to another country we leave friends or family in the other country. Even though I migrated for better opportunities and couldn’t bring them with me, I will be successful in life, and I will give them a lot of things and stay with them for a good amount of time. Also, in this vignette, she says she likes to make a story in her head for every step she makes in life and I’m also like that.
The work of Literature that has personally resonated with me the most was “Salvation” by Langston Hughes. The main premise of the story was Hughes recalling his childhood experience of attempting to rekindle his faith. He spoke about having faked his reaction to his aunt’s revival to fall in line with everyone’s expectations. What his story represents is trying to live up to other’s expectation and the pressure that’s many feel in attempting to do so. This story relates to me because I too can recall the many times that I had gone to church and yet felt as though I might have missed something or lacking understanding towards everyone else reaction. I have felt out of place, not understand why I had to go yet i was placed with responsibility every time i went, furthering my unwillingness to be there but yet doing so to appease to the expectation that I had. The story reminded me of my own experience.
“A Smart Cookie,” one of the vignettes from pages 81 through the end of The House on Mango Street, had the biggest impact on me. By sharing the experience of a role model, it emphasizes the significance of never giving up or quitting on yourself. I learned from this vignette that the people in your life who value and care about you are there to support you as you develop and accomplish your objectives. “But she doesn’t know which subway train to take to get downtown. I hold her hand very tight while we wait for the right train to arrive” (Cisneros, page 90).” This vignette demonstrates Esperanza’s importance to and concern for her mother. She is with her mother to influence her life and has strong love for her. This resonates with me since I too like to help my mother when she needs help getting someplace or doing a task, especially with all the modern technology that she is not used to.
The work of literature from the course that had the most meaning for me is “Salvation” by Langston Hughes. The story focuses on Hughes’ spiritual experience when he was 13 years old. He talks about a time when he had to pretend to be saved at his aunt’s revival just because everyone was expecting him to. His story brings light to the social exception of the society and ones personal beliefs. I relate to the author as it brings back the memory of when I was studying at a christian school which means christian dominant activities. In one such activity similar to that of Hughes. I also pretended I wanted to saved even though I have had no such feelings or any idea what it is like to be saved, I was only following the crowd. With no knowledge of Salvation outside of school. I think this writing had the most meaning to me because it brought back my own experiences growing up.
Guy de Maupassant’s “The Necklace” is a work of literature that is deeply relevant because it focuses on the influence that pride, materialism, and the quest of social status have on humans. Mathilde Loisel, a lady who is captivated by her position in society and her fortune, is the protagonist of this novel. During her voyage, she misplaced a piece of jewelry that she had borrowed, which is a representation of dishonesty and a lack of self-assurance. The narrative highlights the need of taking the time to contemplate one’s own ideals and objectives, as well as the notion that genuine happiness and contentment are not attained via monetary gain or social standing, but rather through the cultivation of acceptance and thankfulness. The presentation offered a novel viewpoint on a variety of subjects, with a particular emphasis on the significance of living within one’s means in order to satisfy the requirements of others without compromising one’s own desires for happiness.
“Born Bad” was the vignette that surprised me the most. It astounded me by contrasting childhood innocence with unintended cruelty. The children’s innocent game became insensitive as they imitated their sick Aunt Lupe. The unexpected shift from innocence to unintentional cruelty was shocking, highlighting the complexities of empathy and understanding in children. “A Smart Cookie” intrigued me deeply. It got me thinking about Esperanza’s mom and all the things she could’ve done. Her dreams and talents, they were something else. Yet, here she is, living a life that doesn’t quite match up to all she could be. But what struck me most was her encouragement for Esperanza. She’s pushing her daughter to learn, to write, maybe hoping she’ll get what she didn’t. That mix of her potential and the limitations she faces, it just made her feel so real, like someone with dreams left unexplored. The vignette that puzzled me was “Geraldo No Last Name.” What struck me was how nobody seemed to care. He’s just another immigrant, and society doesn’t even bat an eye. Marin, this girl who knew him from a dance, can’t even explain who he was. It’s like immigrants are invisible, facing this indifferent, cold world. Reading that, I couldn’t help but question how society treats people who aren’t seen as part of the ‘in’ crowd. It left me feeling pretty shaken up about how we value some lives over others.
This time I was influenced by Beautiful & Cruel. This story is made up of illustrations that tell the story of a young girl growing up in a Hispanic neighborhood in Chicago. It discusses themes of beauty, identity, and power relations from the perspective of a young girl, contrasting her feelings of inadequacy with the female empowerment she sees in her story. The words social expectations and self-awareness regarding appearance came to mind in this story, and I deeply empathized with the woman in this story who seeks power and independence as a woman. The same goes for men. People around the world say that a person’s inner feelings are more important than their appearance, but I believe that when we meet someone for the first time or see someone we have no relationship with, we unconsciously make judgments based on their appearance. felt. This may be a little off-topic, but this is also included my impression based on my experience as an Asian in America.
The vignettes from The House on Mango Street that personally affected me the most was “What Sally Said” and “Linoleum Roses.” Unlike Esperanza, who doesn’t have external problems for instance she has more loving/stable family. However, Sally in my opinion is less fortunate in that aspect. As seen in “What Sally Said” (Cisneros) she gets physically abuse by her father. “But Sally doesn’t tell about that time he hit her with his hands just like a dog, she said, like if I was an animal” (Cisneros.) In “Linoleum Roses” (Cisneros) we see that she is married at a young age; however its also revealed that she did it just to escape the abusive father. Sally even after her marriage is not save. Her husband constantly keeps her in watch and doesn’t let her go out. “She is happy, except sometimes her husband gets angry and once he broke the door where his foot went through, though most days he is okay. Except he won’t let her talk on the telephone. And he doesn’t let her look out the window. And he doesn’t like her friends, so nobody gets to visit her unless he is working”(Cisneros.) This specific vignettes affected me the most because I felt Sally didn’t deserve all of that. It was heartbreaking for me read about her.
In this course the literature work that meant the most to me was “The Necklace” ,by Guy de Maupassant. This story was a work that has resonated deeply with me. This story showed the consequences of pride ,materialism, and the pursuit of social status can impact you and causes you to make bad choices. The narrative follows the character of Mathilde Loisel, a woman who becomes consumed by her wealth and social recognition. When she borrows the necklace to wear to a high-society event and later loses it, that showed how fake some people can be , and how some people are not confident in themselves .I shows how to reflect on you own values and priorities. However ,it underscores the idea that true fulfillment and happiness cannot be found in the pursuit of material wealth and social status alone, but rather in embracing one’s circumstances with humility and gratitude .I believe you should not live beyond your means to please anyone . This lesson was an eye opener for me.
The vignette that had the biggest impact on me from The House on Mango Street is Minerva Writes Poems. In this story, Minerva, who Esperanza shares poems with, and is only just a few years older than Esperanza, is doomed to a life as a single mother, while trapped in a cycle of abuse. This story lacks a strong theme, and it is more about the feeling of being a bystander of abuse, wanting to help but having no idea how, especially as a child. The last few sentences of this story: “Minerva. I don’t know which way she’ll go. There is nothing I can do.” (Cisneros 84) Reading this story, I feel trapped and helpless. It brought me back to a time where I was also a bystander to abuse as a child. Wondering how someone so similar to myself, someone I looked up to and admired, could get themselves wrapped into a situation so despairing.
The work of literature from this course that has had the biggest impact on me is The House On Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. I don’t just say that because this would be the story easiest to reflect on from memory. I wholeheartedly enjoyed Cisneros’s writing. I was a bit disappointed when I realized I had read the very last vignette and I would never know the conclusion to Esperanza’s fate. Does she ever get the house she wanted? Does she become that fiercely independent woman she planned on becoming? Does she ever escape Mango Street? Does she come back for the ones who can not leave? So, many questions were running through my head. I also loved Cisneros’s writing style. Her writing felt like an art, very flowery and lyrical as if she were writing poetry. However, her writing doesn’t come off as pretentious. It is accessible and easy for most to understand. I love that she was able to keep the integrity and craftsmanship of her work, while also making the vignettes a breeze to read. It was very easy to place myself on mango street and see things from Esperanza’s eyes. I have grown very fond of the character. She reminds me of my younger self. I also moved around a lot as a kid. In 6th grade, I went to 4 different schools due to how often I moved. And I can say with confidence, by the age of 12 I had lived in every borough in NYC. Like Esperanza, I often feel like I have no real home at times, just places of dwelling. As a child, I also dreamed of escaping the places where I lived and having a home of my own. Not an apartment that I would rent and eventually have to […]
The vignette that surprised me was “Boys & Girls” from “The House on Mango Street” because it has a great meaning that explains how both genders are defined and seen. Its seem as boys and girl live in separate worlds, where they both mind each other’s business. However, the vignette that intrigued me was “My Name” because it is a strong and interesting story behind her name. She defines herself as not liking her name after all it came from her grandma and remembers it as a special part of her. Lastly, “Our good day” has me puzzled because I’m not sure what the narrator is trying to say, is she saying that friends can be your friends if you pay them or more like they won’t last forever?
I was surprised to learn that the family moving into Mango Street was expecting to move into the perfect home of their dreams, based on the story of “The House on Mango Street.” However, they were not expecting a dream crusher when they arrived. I found it fascinating how the narrator delicately and forcefully addressed the problems associated with moving from one house to another, particularly in situations when neither property was solid, yet the family was forced to relocate at any opportunity. The narrator portrayed the harsh realities of life. The fact that the house on the other side of town was still not what they had anticipated was one of the things that puzzled me. Every house the narrator lived in left her unhappy since something was constantly breaking. This family experiences mental and physical chaos in addition to struggling to find a place to call home.
Which vignette from “The House on Mango Street” surprised you in some way, and why? The vignette from “The House on Mango Street” that surprised me the most was Boys and Girls because it reminds me of the mindset that many people that I used to be friend’s with had. Which vignette intrigued you and why? The vignette that I found most intriguing is “The three sisters” Because it spoke of 3 sisters who grew up in a neighborhood and were able to obtain powers. Which vignette puzzled you and why? The vignette “And some more” puzzled me the most because I couldn’t comprehend the meaning. I only later understood what it meant.
Exploring the contrasts between boys and girls within a family, it diverges from Sandra Cisneros’ usual themes by delving into broader societal restrictions, eliciting a sense of empathy for the characters in the reader. The vignette “Hair” enraptured me, particularly because of my special interaction with it. I found it especially captivating as it resounded with my cherished recollections. I remember how much fun it was to style my mother’s hair and how the scent and softness made me always feel safe. Like the storyteller, I felt areas of strength for a to this encounter. The vignette “Chuckling” left me puzzled, as the storyteller communicated a hating for her different sisters because of seen contrasts in both actual appearance and outlook contrasted with herself and Nenny. She meticulously describes her sisters’ lips, recommending a potential inclination of jealousy towards their actual characteristics or the bonds they share.
The vignette that made me amazed is “The Family of Little Feet.” In the story, little Esperanza and her friends toyed around with high-heeled shoes, and what happened after can be really amazing. The surprise here, then, it emerges from the transformative power a simple pair of shoes around all social norms and expectations attached. The vignette “Alicia Who Sees Mice” is intriguing. It carries forward a character who is going through the tides of life and stashing away her education. When time gets real tough, the way in which she deals with reality is by seeing mice that aren’t there as the stress mechanism. “Elenita, Cards, Palm, Water” is a vignette that made me puzzled. This story portrays Esperanza as a young girl who comes to get her palm read by Elenita who a witch woman. Looking into this context the nature of Elenita’s predictions can be regarded as mysterious and magical that might lead readers forwards towards curiosity to think how come fate and destiny could be involved in Esperanza’s life.
Which vignette from “The House on Mango Street” surprised you in some way, and why? The vignette that surprised me the most was Boys and Girls because boys have a different mindset when it comes to friends. When I was little, my brothers were my best friend. But I didn’t tell any of my old secrets to him or any of my friends, just the new secrets that I had while they were my friends, I told them. But in the case of the girls, they want a best friend to tell them all their secrets. Which vignette intrigued you and why? The vignette that intrigued me the most was Meme Ortiz because she described the Juan dogs that have two names but never mentioned the names. Which vignette puzzled you and why? The vignette that puzzled me the most was Laughter because she explained that she didn’t like her other sisters because they were different physically and mindset from her and Nenny. She explains in very detail her lips. I think maybe she was envious of their physical features or their bonds.
In a post of at least 150 words, please discuss the work of literature from the course that had the most meaning for you. This is a personal reflection. Please do not do any research for this post or engage in an academic discussion of the work. Tell why this work had meaning for you. Please be as specific as possible in your response. If there were more than one works that affected you, feel free to discuss these, as well.
The vignette that surprised me the most was “The first job.” This surprises me because the narrator spoke about her first assault at her first job. The assault was very sudden and I felt for her because I know what it feels like to feel like you trusted the wrong person. The vignette “Hair” intrigued me the most. This vignette in particular had my attention because I related to it so much. I remember as a kid I used to love to do my moms hair because I liked to smell it and it was always so soft. The scent of her hair made me feel safe, so I related to the narrator. The vignette “And some more” puzzled me because I didn’t really understand the meaning. I understood they were naming clouds but I’m not sure how they ended up in a serious argument.
One vignette that surprised me was ” Chanclas,” in which the narrator describes her fear of her mother’s rage and the way she used her chanclas (sandals) as a disciplinary tool. This vignette surprised me because it offered a glimpse into a cultural and familial dynamic that was unfamiliar to me. It sheds light on the complexities of the narrator’s relationship with her mother and how fear and love intertwine in her upbringing. The Vignette that intrigued me was ” The Family of Little Feet,” in which the narrator and her friends try on high-heeled shoes and revel in the power and confidence they feel while wearing them. This vignette intrigued me because it highlighted the universal experience of young girls experimenting with femininity and the desire for autonomy and self-expression. One vignette that puzzled me was “Alicia Who Sees Mice,” in which the narrator describes her neighbor Alicia’s fear of mice and her determination to overcome her circumstances through education. It puzzled me because it was a juxtaposition of vulnerability and resilience that I found thought-provoking. It made me reflect on the different ways in which people confront their fears and strive for a better future.
Which vignette from “The House on Mango Street” surprised you in some way, and why? The differences between boys and girls within the same family. Unlike other works by Sandra Cisneros, it addresses the larger issue of societal restrictions and makes the reader feel a sense of empathy for the characters. Which vignette intrigued you and why? The Feelings, memories, companionship, and identity are among the subjects explored. The protagonist’s willingness to join a bike share and the fleeting connections evoke memories of carefree youth. Which vignette puzzled you and why? The “Laughter” narrative in the book, which explores the narrator’s relationship with her sister Nenny and their shared laughter, is perplexing due to the abstract connection between laughing and visual images.
Which vignette from “The House on Mango Street” surprised you in some way, and why? The vignette from “The House on Mango Street” that surprised me the most is “Marin” where a teenage girl dreams of running away with her boyfriend from Puerto Rico. Marin’s longings can be surprising yet not unexpected. Which vignette intrigued you and why? The vignette that I found most intriguing is “The Three Sisters” as it talks about the three older sisters of her neighborhood who were befit to have magical powers. Which vignette puzzled you and why? “Those Who Don’t” is one of the vignette that puzzled me the most as the author talks about different people in her neighbor hood.
Which vignette from “The House on Mango Street” surprised you in some way, and why? This time, the scene that surprised me the most in “The House on Mango Street” was “Boys & Girls”! Personally, I find this story impressive and perspective-taking in many ways. In it, this scene shows the protagonist’s sense of responsibility and the division that inherently exists between the worlds of boys and girls, even within the same family. This sense of resignation to social and familial roles is a common theme in Sandra Cisneros’s work, so it was surprising to me because it speaks to a broader theme of limitations imposed on individuals by their environment; I felt a little like empathy. Which vignette intrigued you and why? The one I was most interested in was “Our Good Day.” Personally, I felt deep empathy and nostalgia for the book’s focus on emotions and memories, and its focus on themes such as friendship, identity, and the simple joys of childhood. The protagonist’s willingness to spend his savings to join a bike share, and the idea of temporary friendships bought and lost, are reminiscent of the innocence of childhood relationships. Which vignette puzzled you and why? The story that confused me the most is “Laughter” in the book, which describes the relationship between the narrator and her sister Nenny, and explains how they have different appearances but similar laughter. It somehow reminds them of houses in Mexico.My personal philosophy is that the relationship between laughter and visual imagery has an abstract nature, so I feel a little confused about this scene.
