What makes Esperanza want the music box, and why is she ashamed of wanting it? How does her reaction to the box differ from Nenny’s reaction?
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At this stage of her life, what are Esperanza’s friendships based on, and what do her friends mean to her? Does she fit in with an older or younger crowd?
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What common traits does Esperanza share with Nenny, and how does she distinguish herself from Nenny?
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How do the residents of Mango Street interact with one another?
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After Louie’s cousin is arrested for stealing the yellow car, why do Esperanza and his family all wave to him as the police drive him away? Why aren’t they upset he has been arrested?
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What binds the family together in The House on Mango Street?
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In describing her house, or where she lives, what does Esperanza convey about her self-identity?
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In what way is Esperanza both disappointed in the music box Nenny finds and delighted with it? To what extent may the box be considered a metaphor for Esperanza’s neighborhood?
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Why is Cathy’s family about to move, and what does this mean to Esperanza?
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Why does Esperanza say that she has her grandmother’s name but doesn’t “want to inherit her place by the window”?
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What does Esperanza find shameful or burdensome about her name? Why might Cisneros have chosen this name for her protagonist?
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Does Marin dream of sex, romance or love, or all three? What are her goals? How does Esperanza position herself vis-á-vis Marin, and what is her opinion of Marin? Can she identify with Marin?
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