Finding Home: The House on Mango Street

Lesson 15
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ELA

Unit 4

7th Grade

Lesson 15 of 22

Objective


Explain how Cisneros uses figurative language and symbolism to develop meaning in the vignette, "The Monkey Garden."

Readings and Materials


  • Book: The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros  pp. 92 – 102

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A Note for Teachers


  • Note that the vignette "Red Clowns," on pages 99–100, includes Esperanza's description of a sexual assault and is not included in this unit. As always, use your knowledge of your own students and community to decide whether you want to read and discuss these chapters as a class.
  • The pages that are included in this lesson include themes of child abuse and child marriage. If you did not review it for Lesson 14, as part of intellectual preparation, teachers may wish to access the resource "Tips for Talking to Children About Child Abuse" to prepare for the content of this lesson. Also, read "Why child marriage is still legal in 80% of the U.S. states" to learn more about state laws around child marriage. You may wish to let a school counselor, administrator, or other support staff know you are teaching about these topics. 

Target Task


Discussion & Writing Prompt

What does the monkey garden symbolize? Why does Cisneros include the detail that Esperanza never went back to the monkey garden at the end of the vignette? 

Sample Response

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Key Questions


  • How does Cisneros use imagery and figurative language to develop the mood of the garden? Cite evidence from the text to support your answer. 

  • How does the setting of the monkey garden impact the events in the vignette? Cite evidence from the text to support your answer. 

  • What does Esperanza realize about the situation between Sally and the boys? How is Esperanza affected by these events? 

  • How is Sally's life at home and at school shaped by gender roles and sexism? Cite evidence from the text to support your answer. 

  • How is Sally's future impacted by gender roles and expectations that others establish for her? Cite evidence from the text to support your answer. 

Vocabulary


There aren't any new text-based vocabulary words in today's lesson.

Literary Terms

allusion

an indirect (implied) reference to something/someone from literature, history, or culture

Homework


To ensure that students are prepared for the next lesson, have students complete the following reading for homework. Use guidance from the next lesson to identify any additional language or background support students may need while independently engaging with the text.

  • Book: The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros  pp. 103 – 110

  • Essay: “Dear Woke Brown Girl” by Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodriguez 

While reading, answer the following questions.

  • What does Esperanza hope for her future? (The House on Mango Street)

  • What do other people hope for Esperanza? (The House on Mango Street)

  • How do Esperanza's aspirations for her future reveal her growth as a character? (The House on Mango Street)

  • Who is the intended audience of this piece? ("Dear Woke Brown Girl")

  • How does Mojica Rodriguez hope that the audience of the essay will feel after reading it? ("Dear Woke Brown Girl")

  • What is Mojica Rodriguez's purpose in writing this essay? ("Dear Woke Brown Girl")

Notes for Teachers

"Dear Woke Brown Girl" contains profanity. Mojica Rodriguez uses the f-word in the third paragraph. 

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Common Core Standards


  • RL.7.2 — Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
  • RL.7.3 — Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot).
  • RL.7.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama.

Supporting Standards

L.7.6
RL.7.1
RL.7.2
RL.7.4
RL.7.10
SL.7.1
SL.7.6
W.7.1
W.7.1.a
W.7.1.b
W.7.4
W.7.9
W.7.9.a
W.7.10

Next

Analyze how word choice and tone convey the perspectives of Mojica Rodriguez and Esperanza.

Lesson 16
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