March - The House on Mango Street

The third marking period will conclude with the reading of The House on Mango Street and the completion of a creative writing assignment.  Since the vignettes in The House on Mango Street are short, most of the reading will be completed in class.  However, there will be certain vignettes which will be read at home and the creative writing assignment listed below will be completed at home. Please listen to assignment due dates in class.  UPDATE:  FINAL VIGNETTE PROJECT IS DUE ON TUESDAY, MARCH 27.  A LETTER GRADE PENALTY WILL BE GIVEN IF HANDED IN ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28.  A TWO  LETTER GRADE PENALTY WILL BE GIVEN IF HANDED IN ON THURSDAY, MARCH 29.  I WILL NOT ACCEPT THE ASSIGNMENT AFTER THAT DATE. 

The House on Mango Street Project (55 Points)                           

Sandra Cisneros uses vignettes to describe, share, and reveal various aspects of the life of Esperanza.  In doing so, she also incorporates various poetic devices and figurative language throughout these pieces to paint a vivid picture for her audience.  Using The House on Mango Street as a model, write your own vignettes by doing “copy changes.”  To “copy change” means to write your own vignettes following the structure and style of one that already exists.  It is similar to taking a song, keeping the same music, but rewriting the lyrics.  Therefore, keep the sentence structure of Cisneros, while changing the words to make it your own.  The procedure and vignette topics are listed below. 

• Each vignette will have a title.
• Each vignette will have at least two examples of figurative language (similes, metaphors, imagery, personification, etc.).
• Each example of figurative language must stand out in the typed vignette – you may bold them, underline them, put in italics, etc. (be consistent throughout)
• You may substitute an example of figurative language by including internal rhyme, end rhymes, and near rhymes sporadically throughout the different vignettes – “Lazy Poetry.”
• Each vignette will be typed – use appropriate font style, size, and color.
• Each vignette will be visually appealing – borders, watermarks, clip art, and/or own artistic abilities may be used.
• All vignettes will be placed in order and compiled into a short booklet with a visually appealing cover – The title page will include The House on [insert your street name], your name, class, and date.

House Vignette

“The House on Mango Street”

Pages 3-5

Create your own “The House on Mango Street” vignette.  It will be called “The House on [insert your street name here].”

Using the questions below, make a list of details to include in your vignette.  Focus on the importance of the details – the feelings they evoke, the stories associated with them, and their history.  Once you are satisfied with your list, you’ll be ready to write your vignette. 

What does it look like?  What colors stand out? How big or small are surrounding buildings, plants, fields, and/or yards? How wide are the streets? What is the house like inside?

How does your house make you feel? What sounds are found in your house?  Who or what makes these sounds? Any other important details?

Family Vignette

“Hairs”

Page 6

What metaphor could you use to describe your family?  Could it be the style of jeans they wear?  What about their eyes?  Pay attention to Cisneros’s style.  Who does she devote an entire paragraph to?  Why?  Who would you devote an entire paragraph to?  Write this vignette in Cisneros’s style.

Name Vignette

“My Name”

Page 10

Section 1 sets the mood with sensory details.  What does your name mean in English?   What emotion, action, and number does your name represent?  What color describes your name?  What sound?  How does it look?  What type of song or music is your name?

Section 2 is the story behind the name.  Who were you named after?  Describe this person?  If you were not named after someone, tell the story behind your chosen name?  Notice how this is the first time the name is mentioned. 

Section 3 shares a school story.  Do teachers say your name wrong?  What school activities does your name mean?  What does your name mean to your friends?  This section is to show me the type of person you are now.  You could include nicknames in this section, too.

Section 4 enables you to rename yourself.  Follow the format of the last paragraph.  What would you rather be called?  Why? 

Neighborhood Vignette

“Those Who Don’t”

Page 28

Why are people that are not from your neighborhood/hometown afraid of it?  How do you react going in a town you are not familiar with, especially in a city area?  Why do you feel safe in your neighborhood/hometown?  Try to create a short but effective neighborhood vignette mimicking Cisneros’s style.

It would be acceptable to mimic the style of a different neighbor/neighborhood vignette in place of “Those Who Don’t.”  We will discuss these other options during our class discussion on Esperanza’s neighborhood.

Dream House Vignette

“A House of My Own”

Page 108

Attempt to follow Cisneros’s style in this vignette.  She has a very short but very effective vignette.  You may simply want to take the template below to create this vignette or go on your own.  However, if you go on your own, it is not to be long and wordy.  The specific requirements will be given when we read “A House of My Own” together.

Not a ______.  Not a _______.  Not a _________.  A House all of my own.  With my ______, my _______, my _______.  My ________ and my ________.  Nobody to _______.  Nobody’s __________.

Only a house (simile) _________ as ________, a ______ for me to go, (simile) ______ as _________.