House on Mango Street Chapters 1-5

Chapter 1

1. Where did the narrator live before she moved to The House on Mango Street?
She lived on Loomis on the third floor and before that she lived on a street called Keeler 
and before that she lived on Paulina. 

2.How were her previous homes different?
Each time they moved there would be more of them. they didn't have to pay rent or share the yard 
with people downstairs, or be careful to not make too much noise, and there's not a landlord banging on the ceiling with a broom. 

3.In what kind of house would she like to live?
She would like to live in a house with stairs and running water and pipes that worked. a basement and at least 3 bathrooms. a white house with trees around it and a big yard with grass growing all around it.

Chapter 2

1. Who are the members of the narrator’s family? How is the hair of each member different?
Papa's hair is like a broom, all up in the air. her hair is lazy and doesn't cooperate with hairbands. Carlos' hair is thick and straight. Nenny's hair is slippery. Kiki's hair is like fur. and her mother's hair is like little rosettes.

2. What makes her mother’s hair special? What are the narrator’s feelings for her mother? 
Her mother's hair is like little rosettes, like little candy circles all curly and pretty because she has it pinned all day. she says it makes her feel safe and warm and it smells like fresh bread. she loves her mom a lot apparently.

3. What is it about your home and your family that provides you with a sense of security? Can you identify with the narrator and her point of view? 
i have a security system in my house so that makes me feel safe especially when my dad is on a business trip but i know my family will always be there for me no matter what and they will always love me just like the narrator and her family.

Chapter 3 

1. What does the narrator say about the relationship between boys and girls? What evidence does she provide to support this idea? 
she says that we live in our own universes. she says her brothers talk to her and Nenny outside the house but are never seen talking to girls outside the house

2. What does the narrator say about her sister? How does this impact their relationship? 
Nenny is too young to be her friend and shes just her sister. it impacts their relationship because they will never be best friends, they will just be sisters. 

3. About what does the narrator dream? What does this say about her? 
she dreams to one day have a best friend she can tell all her secrets to. shes lonely.

4. What do you think the narrator of the novel means when she says “The boys and the girls live in separate worlds?” In what way does this quote apply to your life? Do you think that that the genders in your home are treated differently? 
boys have a different mindset than girls have and their priorities are different. it applies to y=my life because im surrounded by guys all day everyday. and no the genders in my house are not treated differently, my stepmom actually rules the household.

Chapter 4

1. What does her name mean? 
her name means hope in English and sadness in Spanish

2. After whom was she named? Why does she connect her name with the records her father plays on Sunday morning? 
she was named after her great grandmother. maybe because the records her father plays on sundays are sad. 

3. What point does Esperanza make about both the Chinese and the Mexicans? Does she seem to resent this? 
they dont like their women to be strong. yes because she is strong.

4. How did her great grandmother get married? 
her great grandfather threw a sack over her head and carried her off

5. What does what happened to Esperanza’s great grandmother tell you about women’s roles in Mexican society? 
she never forgave her great grandfather and she looked out the window her whole life. she was basically forced into marriage and women had no rights.

6. Why does she want to baptize herself with a new name?
she wants a real name, a name that nobody sees.

Chapter 5

1. To whom does Cathy claim to be related? Is this true?  
she claims to be related to the queen of France. no its not true.

2. How long will Cathy be Esperanza’s friend? 
until that next tuesday.

3. Why does Cathy say her family has to move? 
because the neighborhood is getting bad

 4. How does Esperanza feel about Cathy’s family’s reason for leaving?
She has to keep moving further and further north until people like them stop moving in.