Surprising Vignette: “There Was an Old Woman She Had So Many Children She Didn’t Know What to Do” Honestly, this part really threw me for a loop. Here, the author talks about Rosa Vargas and her kids who are just running wild because there’s just too many of them and not enough of her to go around. I found it to be rather unexpected that they acted so unrestrainedly, while the surrounding community appeared indifferent towards their behavior. As I mull over specific situations, it dawns on me that each person’s being is singular and exceptional in character. Furthermore, this pondering leads me to question how we interact with those who may experience hardship or adversity within their lives. Intriguing Vignette: “Geraldo No Last Name” This story really caught my attention. The focus lies on a guy named Geraldo who tragically loses his life in a hit-and-run incident, leaving him shrouded in mystery as information regarding his identity remains elusive. It made me curious about how many people out there are living lives like Geraldo’s, unknown and unacknowledged. It was a depressing reminder of how many tales, particularly those of immigrants, go unreported every day. Puzzling Vignette: “Sire” What puzzles me about this vignette is the contradictory feelings the girls experience. Despite knowing that Sire is seen as bad news by the adults, there’s this pull towards understanding him, an attraction towards the danger he represents. The curiosity towards Sire, imagining what it’s like to be in Lois’s shoes, was a bit surprising. It also made me reflect on how we sometimes gravitate towards the very things we are cautioned against.
Daily Archives: May 12, 2023
The vignette that surprised me the most was “The First Job”. This vignette surprised me, and not in a good way, because the young girl was saving up to go to a Catholic high school which is why she started working. She had never worked before, so I’m sure she was nervous and the people at work around her were able to sense that. The shocking part was when she started talking the older man man who was clocking in for his shift. I’m pretty sure he lied about it being his birthday, and the fact that he grabbed her face to kiss her on the lips was shocking and disgusting because she is just a young girl. You truly cannot trust anyone, even if it’s someone you work with. The vignette that intrigued me was “Papa Who Wakes Up Tired In The Dark”. This vignette intrigued me because many of us don’t see our fathers’ emotional sides. Our fathers are always so strong, they go out and provide for us and when we finally see their emotional side, we don’t know how to take it in. I’m sure seeing her father going through these emotions, Esperanza realized that no matter what, after all, we are all human and feel things. The vignette that puzzled me was “Rafaela Who Drinks Coconut & Papaya Juice on Tuesdays”. This vignette puzzled me because Rafaela’s husband keeps her locked inside because he’s afraid she’ll run away because she’s too beautiful to look at. When I read this particular sentence, it reminded me of how where I come from, there are really men who don’t let their wives out and in my opinion, it’s sad. Rafaela should be able to go out and enjoy her life with her husband as well.
The vignette that surprised me was “Our Good Day”. After reading “Boys and Girls” and knowing Esperanza’s past, I assumed she would be a lot more reserved with the group of kids asking for money. Instead, she instantly grew a liking to them and considered them “friends” just from the first interaction. The vignette that intrigued me was “My Name”. This specific short story caught my attention because It was relatable to me. I also grew up dealing with people having issues pronouncing my name. I always get ready to repeat my name about 3 or 4 times whenever I introduce myself to someone or when a professor calls out my name for attendance. I was also named after a grandparent that lived a rough life and I find myself comparing myself to them being grateful that my story is different. Just like the narrator I spent a lot of time thinking about names I’d change to if I was brave enough. The Vignette I was puzzled by was “The First Job”.This story kind of ended abruptly and I feel like there should have been more details on what happened after the strange moment of Esperanza being forcefully kissed by an older man.
One thing that surprised me I. The story “ the house on maple street” was how she has a very highly expectation in the family and how they sold her dreams that they aren’t going to happen she was very discouraged after finding out they weren’t living in the big White House that was promised to them. Even this her family can’t afford it but being able to move to a house so they won’t have to keep moving. She reacted as if they didn’t reach her requirements for the house. One thing that intrigued me in the story of , “The house on mango street”. Is my family experiencing family activities that were done as a kid moving from one country to the other then moving twice in both places We always dreamed of living in a house but things aren’t the way we expected. Though we live in an apartment we still hope to own a house of our own. But when you get kids who experience these things tend to be antisocial or anxious about getting close to someone in the ears because tmmr or the other day they might be moved to a different area of the country and starting all over. One part that puzzled me in the story “ the house on mango street” was the boys and girls part. It is weird that brothers and sisters aren’t allowed to speak to each other while being in public. But the logic of it made sense after having more reading and looking it up on.
One vignette that surprised me was “Papa Who Wakes Up Tired in the Dark.” This vignette is about Esperanza’s father, who works hard all day and comes home late at night. Despite his exhaustion, he still wakes up early in the morning to write poetry. This vignette is surprising to me because it challenges the stereotype of a hard-working father who is only concerned with providing for his family. Instead, we see a father who is also a creative person and has his own dreams and aspirations. One vignette that intrigued me is “The Family of Little Feet.” This vignette is about a group of girls who put on high heels and walk around the neighborhood, feeling powerful and free. This vignette is intriguing because it shows how something as simple as wearing high heels can give a group of girls a sense of empowerment and confidence. One vignette that puzzled me was “Chanclas” In this vignette, Esperanza describes the relationship between her father and her younger sister, who he calls “his horse.” The vignette tells us about the father’s love for his daughter and his insistence that she wear a pair of his old chanclas. The part that puzzled me was why the father was motivating and insisting that his daughter wears the sandals.
The vignette that surprised me the most from “The House on Mango Street” was “My Name”. This vignette surprised me because the author showed a higher level of maturity and awareness of the life, she wanted to live away from Mexican culture stereotypes. For example, she was explaining how she got her name from her great grandmother but also explained the story of the original Esperanza. The author goes on to explain how her great grandmother lived a life of unhappiness after being forced to marry and she then says, “I have inherited her name, but I don’t want to inherit her place by the window” (Cisernos 11). This surprised me because the author is a child and has an understanding of gender roles and cultural stereotypes that most children don’t understand to that extent. The vignette that intrigued me was “Marin” because the author shows admiration for Marin, which is expected because she is a child and usually children idolize adults no matter how our lives are. It intrigued me because while reading the details of Marin, I took her to be a boy crazy kind of girl, but the author shows more empathy towards Marin. I was also intrigued because I wanted to know if she really got married or not, and then I was disappointed to find out she didn’t. The vignette that puzzled me was “Four Skinny Trees” because in the beginning of the story in “The House on Mango Street”, the author mentions the trees in a off-standish way because it wasn’t the extravagant backyard, she thought the family would have with the house. Now in “Four Skinny Trees”, she finds comfort in the existence of the trees in front of her house. It puzzled me because it shows her growth from when she moved […]
Surprised: The vignette “Born Bad” surprised me as it depicts a young boy who is mistreated and abused by his family due to his supposed “bad” nature. It was shocking to see how normalized this mistreatment was, and how quickly people were to judge and condemn this child. This vignette highlighted the damaging impact of societal labels and the need for compassion and understanding towards those who may be struggling. Intrigued: The vignette “Meme Ortiz” intrigued me as it depicts a boy who has a strange fascination with keys and eventually becomes known as “the key man.” This vignette spoke to the power of symbols and the ways in which they can shape our identities and perceptions of the world. It also highlighted the importance of finding meaning and purpose in our lives, no matter how unconventional it may seem to others. Puzzled: The vignette titled “Four Skinny Trees” left me puzzled as it depicted Esperanza’s connection to a row of skinny trees outside her house. It was unclear what these trees symbolized or what significance they held for Esperanza. Perhaps they represented resilience in the face of adversity, or the longing for connection and community. This vignette highlighted the power of nature and the ways in which it can provide comfort and inspiration in times of struggle.
Surprise: One of the sketches in The Shack on Mango Street that surprised me was “The First Job”. In this sketch, Esperanza accepts a job as a nanny for a wealthy family. She soon realizes that the job isn’t what she thought it would be because she has to clean the whole house, in addition to watching the kids. This surprised me because it highlights the exploitation and injustice that many low-income workers face, and it was unexpected to explore this issue in a book aimed at a younger audience. Confused: The vignette that confused me was “The Hips”. In this vignette, Esperanza reflects on the ways in which women are objectified and sexualized in society. While I appreciated the message of the sketch, I was confused by Esperanza’s seeming implication that all women with curvy hips are somehow connected to their own objectification. This seems to reinforce harmful stereotypes and could be interpreted as victim-blaming.
When I hear or read the word vignette, I think of short stories that are not related to each other, like the vignettes in the movie “Paris, je t’aime” where the only thing tying the stories together is the city itself. Reading “The House on Mango Street” broadened my perception of vignettes. The ending to “The First Job” surprised me. How bold of that man to kiss Esperanza! That was the last thing I was expecting to read after she recounts her mediocre first day at a new job. I was intrigued by “Elenita, Cards, Palm, Water.” Elenita represents a very specific and mysterious aspect of Latino culture I have always been curious about- brujeria. I remember my religious Grandmother from Honduras walking very quickly past Botanicas because she deemed the products in those stores evil. I like how Cisneros portrays Elenita as a witch and a mother cleaning up after her child spills kool-aid, giving her realistic and mystical qualities simultaneously. I was initially puzzled by “Geraldo, No Last Name.” This story of a hit and run came unexpectedly and I found myself almost disoriented when I started to read it the first time. I had to go back in the story to remind myself who Marin is in order to make a connection between this story and Esperanza’s community. I am a bit perplexed as to why Cisneros uses racist terminology in this vignette, and it is written in the style of a rushed conversation. I wonder if this is coming from Esperanza’s perspective or someone else’s perspective.
The part in the story “The House on Mango Street”, surprised me when, Ezperanza desperations to make her and her family live in a nice big house. Even though with the family being able to move into an another house than before, she still haven’t reached her requirements for herself. It didn’t up to part rooms or bathrooms but, the family did make the house into a home and that’s what’s family is about. The part that intrigued me was, “The house on mango street”. This is because, I remember my family and I going from place to place at a young age and not even remembering half the places we even been since young. Most kids, when this is happening try to stay distant from the people in there own household but, in this story, they use the house to not only go through things as a family, but make memories to last them a life time. The part that puzzled me was, boys and girls part. For the males not being able to speak to their sisters outside confused me a bit. But further more reading and understanding the time period of this then lead me to understand it more.
“Darius & the Clouds” on page 34 was the vignette that surprised me the most. Darius seems like a bully but with a soft spot. He chases little girls around with a stick and thinks he’s tough, but one day he looks up and notices how beautiful the sky and clouds are. He points at one and says, “You all see that cloud, that fat one there?…See that. That’s God”. Even. though he seems like a kid with a tough exterior, this quote demonstrates he believes in God and that things that are beautiful are his or made from him. “The Family of Little Feet” on page 39 intrigued me the most. The girl’s all had a new found confidence with their “new look” when they had their heels on. But then, things took a turn. On page 41, the girl’s start to get nervous when a homeless man tries to kiss one of them and she doesn’t seem to see the danger in it. The girls all try to get away and instantly want to go back to their “old looks” because they don’t want to attract this type of attention anymore. “And Some More” puzzled me the most because Rachel, a little girl, starts to call Esperanza, the narrator, names for no reason. She calls her fat and ugly, and then talks about her mom. This seemed like she was projecting because she was making fun of Esperanza for no reason and she started it.
I was surprised by the girl’s perception of the surrounding reality, in many of the vignette. But a start was made in the vignette “My name” In particular, her perception of her grandmother, who was born in the year of the horse. Surprised beyond her years by adult awareness of the problem of a woman’s place in the world. And with a clear goal that she definitely does not want to inherit a window seat. It can be seen that from an early age, the protagonist of the story wants to become a strong woman with her own rights. Very strangely, I was intrigued by a moment not really related to the main actions, but with the music box in “Girl’s furniture bought and sold”. The place itself and the seller are described rather gloomy and mysterious. It’s a dark place, with one dirty window, where the owner won’t even turn on the lamp until he’s sure you have money. The place was like a labyrinth with narrow passages where it was easy to get lost. The seller was uncommunicative. And in the middle of all this, they find a strange object, the owner says that it is an old music box. The description of the music it plays also captivates my imagination as much as possible. In the end, the old man says that it is not for sale, making me fantasize about what kind of box it is and what kind of story it has. I was puzzled by vignette “Those who don’t” which tells us about the feelings of people from outside who got to the protagonist’s neighbourhood. They were afraid of it. But it’s not a surprise because I can imagine how does it look like, especially those times, and knowing the treatment to such kind […]
