Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Questioning House on Mango Street

Before our next Socratic Discussion, each of you must prepare questions about the text to stimulate a scintillating discussion. Looking back through the text and your compostion notebook, what are three "higher-level" questions you have about House on Mango Street so far?

After you post three questions (please number them), add another comment by answering one of the questions posted by another class member. If you are the first person to comment, simply wait until you see another comment. Do not answer a question if another classmate has already responded to that question.

57 comments:

  1. Some questions I have are:
    1. Why does Esperanza think that she needs a new house?
    2. Why is Esperanza ashamed of were she lives?
    3. What will Esperanza do to get the new house she wants?

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  2. 1. Why does Esperanza want her fortune told?

    2. Why is Esperanza afraid of showing her home and community to the world?

    3. Why does Earl not live with his wife?

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  3. 1. Why didn't Geraldo mean anything to Marine?
    2. What is a babushka?
    3. Why would Rachel consider kissing the Hobo for money?

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  5. 1.Why is Esperanza explaining about her life? What is the point of it?

    2.Who is Esperanza?

    3.Why does Earl not live with his wife?

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  8. My first question has to do with the vignette, “Geraldo Last Name”.
    1.What happened to Geraldo that put him in the hospital?
    My second question is about the vignette, “And Some More”.
    2.Why does Nenny name all of the clouds?
    My third question is about the vignette, “Edna's Ruthie”.
    3.Is Ruthie mentally challenged?

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  9. 1.How are any of these vignettes related to the story?

    2.Why are the kids not allowed to eat at school?

    3.Why would a pregnant woman own a duck???

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  10. A babushka is a type of scarf worn under the chin.

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  11. To John N:
    2. Esperanza is ashamed of where she lives because she would be stereotyped into a cast she doesn't want. This is why Esperanza is ashamed of where she lives.

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  12. My First question:I was wondering about the importance of Earl to the story. Why is it that the author put in a vignette about a man named Earl that lives in Edna's basement? To me this makes no sense.

    Question Two: Also in the beginning of the book I began to wonder, why does Esperanza pay people to be her friend?

    Question Three: My last question is, why does the author make all the chapters kind of random?

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  13. 1.Why did Darius say the cloud was god?

    2.Why would Rachel even considered kissing a hobo for a dollar?

    3.Why would Ruthie keep telling Esperanza that her husband was coming back for her when he didn't?

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  14. My questions!

    1. Who is Elenita to Esperanza? (Is she family?)

    2. Is the man that asked Rachael for a kiss in “The Family of Little Feet” the same guy that kissed Esperanza in The First Job” ?

    3. Why does Earl the guy that lives next door not live with his wife?

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  15. Three questions that I had were:

    1.In the vignette The Family of Little Feet I was wondering why at the end of the story why are the girls not upset when the shoes that they seem to love so much get thrown away?

    2.Another question I had was why is Esperanza so interested in finding out about houses when she goes to the fortune teller in Elenita, Cards, Palm, Water?

    3. Another question I had was why does Earl always hide his wife whenever she come to visit him in The Earl of Tennessee?

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  16. Esperanza in the protagonist of the story!

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  17. 1.My first question is from the chapter “And Some More”. “Why does Rachel and Lucy have bad proper English?”
    2.My second question is from the chapter “Geraldo No Last Name ”. “Who is Esparanza talking about at the beginning of this chapter?”
    3. My last question is from the chapter “Elenita, Cards, Palm, Water” “What is a Voodoo Hand?”

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  18. My three questions are:
    1.In the vignette “Darius & the Clouds,” why would Darius say that a cloud looked like God?
    2.In “Geraldo No Last Name” what are Marin's feelings for Geraldo? Why would his disappearance disturb her so much?
    3.What happens to Ruthie in “Edna's Ruthie” that would cause her to move back in with her mother?

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  19. John N's Question # 2: Why is Esperanza ashamed of where she lives?

    Because it's not the house that she wants to live in so she doesn't like it.

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  20. 1.Is religion and God not important to Esperanza or is she just questioning the idea of a cloud being God?
    2.Were the 30 names in the vignette supposed to be names for Esperanza?
    3.Why did the little girl consider taking the dollar from the homeless man?

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  21. 1.There is a chapter titled “Darius and the Clouds” and in this chapter there is a boy named Darius. Why is it such a sad place where Darius lives, a place where it is so sad it seems as if there is not enough sky?
    2.Is Nenny a fast learner for her age? Can she comprehend more than most children for her age?
    3.Does Esperanza have a deprived life because she seems so excited to when she is aloud to try on new shows, when this is just an everyday thing for most Americans.

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  22. 1.)In the book house on mango street, is it describing Sandra Cisneros life or her feeling of what she has been through.

    2.)In the vingnette laughter, why is Sandra talking about Mexico and why do they laugh about it so much.

    3.)The Red clowns story, why is she talking about the clown kissing her?

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  23. A pregnant women might own a duck because it is her pet.

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  24. To Megan C.

    Ruthie is at least a little mentally challenged. She is always asking her mom what to do in situations and can't do things for herself. Like how Esperanza and the other girls have to go into the stores without her, and she gives them money to buy her candy. Also when her moms friends invite her to go play bingo she has to ask her mom what to do, and her mom doesn't care what she does. But she can't decide what she should do, so she stands there. So Ruthie has to be mentally challenged.

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  25. I'm answering Melissa's 3rd question. I think that Rachel considered kissing the hobo for money because they're so poor in their neighborhood that money is very valuable. I think they would almost do anything for a little more money to spend on food or other things they don't have.

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  26. Does Esperanza wish that her family would just conform like every other normal family ?

    Do you think that Esperanza would be more happy with another family ?

    Do you think Esperanza would be more happy in a high class neighborhood ?

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  27. 1.) In the vignette “Elenita, Cards, Palm, Water,” why did Esperanza pay five dollars for a bunch of baloney?

    2.) In the vignette “Geraldo No Last Name,” why did Marin pursue Geraldo so determinedly?

    3.) In the vignette “The Earl of Tennessee,” why did Earl work nights if he was a jukebox repair man?

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  28. In answer to Kate's question, I would say, the little girl thought about taking the dollar because a dollar is a lot of money to a poor community. She probably doesn't have her own money, so to own a dollar would be a big deal for her.

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  29. Responding to Emily's question I don't think that any of these vignettes are really related to each other in any way. I think that they are just little bits of Esperanza's life that she remembers really well that help describe her life.

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  30. 1.)Why Does Esperanza want her fortune told?
    2.)Is Earl's wife a prostitute?
    3.)Are all these vignettes related to the story?

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  31. I think Earl does not really have a wife. He just says he does, so that no one will ask, why he has a ton of women over. I what else could explain how each time some sees “Her” shes a different person?? Hm?

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  32. 3.Why would Ruthie keep telling Esperanza that her husband was coming back for her when he didn't?- Kristi S.

    I think she says this because she has hope that one he will come back and get her. She has become attached like Mary Maloney did in Lamb to the Slaughter. I know that when some one becomes attached they do anything say anything to keep the hope alive that the person they are attached to will come back or stay.

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  33. To answer Abbeys question. "why would Darius say that a cloud looked like God?" I think this is because he's trying to find something to look up at for hope and the feeling that someones looking over him.

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  34. 1.Why is beauty, especially sky, so scarce where Esperanza lives?

    2.Why are Nenny, Esperanza, and Rachel arguing about the amount of names for Eskimos, snow, and clouds?

    3.Why did Esperanza and Lucy not complain when Lucy's mother trashed their beautiful shoes?

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  35. Laurens M #3. Esperanza does life a very deprived life, she lives in an old congested part of town. I'm sure for a little Hispanic girl the small things in life excite her and bring her joy.

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  36. John,
    Esperanza is ashamed of where she lives because it isn't the pretty house her parents promised they would have. It's falling apart and small. They have no yard to play in, little room for all her siblings to play. She wishes she had the pretty house her parents said they would get.

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  37. 1. what is babushka?

    2. why would the girl want to take a dollar from the homeless guy?

    3. why did Darius think the cloud was god?

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  38. 1.In vignettes like “A Rice Sandwich” when she mentions the fancy kids eating in a certain place, is she getting these snapshot images from school or walking around town or through the neighborhood?
    2.Is Esperanza defensive or does she just stand up for her family and what they believe in?
    3.Does Esperanza really believe that she deserves to go to hell?

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  39. The first question I have about House On Mango Street is, why is the family speaking a different language all the time? My second question is, do the family members work? My last question is, why are there so many themes and vignettes in the book?

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  40. To Nikki G
    Earl's wife is a prostitute

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  41. Does Esperanza wish that her family would just conform like every other normal family ?

    Do you think that Esperanza would be more happy with another family ?

    Do you think Esperanza would be more happy in a high class neighborhood ?

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  42. I liked Kevin's third question. The answer i said was, Esperanza wanted to have more fame and attention like the clowns.

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  43. 1.Why does Esperanza want a new house?

    2.Why doesn't Earl live with his wife?

    3.Why does Esperanza move so much?

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  44. Spencer's 1st question, Esperanza wants to conform because she dosn't like being different.

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  45. Natasha Barrringer

    .1. In the vignette, Alicia sees mice, Why is Alicia so frightened by her father?





    2.When Alicia's mother died why did she have to take the mother's place when Alicia is just a child?







    3.In the vignettee, Boys and Girls, why doesn't Carlos and Kiki talk to their sisters Esperansa and Nenny?

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  46. Responding to Spencer's question, “Do you think that Esperanza would be more happy with another family?”

    Esperanza would not be happier with another family, because of her love for her current family, especially her father, for she expressed how deeply his tears affected her. They would not of affected her unless she adored him.

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  47. Why would Rachel consider kissing a Hobo for money? She would do this because they are very poor and could use some money.

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  48. Three questions from the House on Mango Street:

    1.In the vignette, Geraldo No Last Name, is the reason that she could only remember what he was wearing and what his first name is because she might have been drunk? What were so significant about his outfit and his name for her to remember?
    2.In the vignette, Edna's Ruthie, why does Ruthie want to live a non luxurious when she can?
    3.In the vignette, A Rice Sandwich, are the “special” kids mentally challenged?

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  49. In response to Spencer's third question, Esperanza has given us an image of the house that she was promised and its her dream house. Esperanza would give a lot to have the house she wants, but just to be in a house that she can be proud of. A new house might make the family happier, but they would be fine with the lifestyle they have because they have each other.

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  50. Three questions I have from the book The House On Mango Street are:

    1.Why does Darius think that cloud next to the one that looks like popcorn is god.
    2.Why is nenny so interested in that magical box at gils furniture store.
    3.Why did esperanza parents give her a name that means sadness and the number nine.

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  51. I am answering Sam F.'s question

    Why Does Esperanza want her fortune told?

    Esperanza wants her fortune told because she wants to know if she will move into a house. The fortune teller only tells Esperanza that she has a home in her own heart. What Esperanza was looking for from the Fortune Tellling she did not find.

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  52. To answer Cameo's first question, she probably see's it more at school rather than around town and such.

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  53. Why is nenny so struck by the magical box at Gils furniture store?

    Do you think Esperanza would be more happy in a safer, more fortunate neighborhood?

    What's a babushka and what do you usually wear it for?

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  54. 1.Does Alica really see mice or is her father right about there being no mice?
    2.What is the relationship between Alicia and her father?
    3.Why does the school not let the children eat lunch at school? It doesn't make sense to me.

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  55. To answer Spencer's question “Do you think Esperanza would be more happy in a high class neighborhood ?” I think that Esperanza would probably prefer living somewhere nice and not having to be ashamed of where she lives.

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  56. 1. In, "The First Job", Why does Esperanza trust the oriental man even though she doesn't know him?

    2. In, "Papa Who Wakes Up Tired in the Dark", other than being the oldest child in the family, Why does Esperanza have to tell the other kids what has happened?

    3. In, "Born Bad", Why doesn't anyone try to help Aunt Lupe?

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  57. The question I am Answering is,

    Does Alica really see mice or is her father right about there being no mice?

    I think that the mice Alica sees aren't real, but that she might have a mental problem and that her fathers beats her for thinking that she sees mice that aren't there.

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