Sandra Sandra CisneroCisneross

Biographical InfoBiographical Info

• Born in 1954 in Chicago, IL• Father is Mexican• Mother is Mexican-American• 6 brothers• Family frequently moved between Mexico

City & Chicago• Only minority in her college classes• Currently lives in San Antonio, TX

Writing StyleWriting Style

• Poetic style

• Often writes about identity (feeling like an outsider b/c she belongs to 2 cultures)

• Writes about race, gender & class

• Often uses Spanish words in her writing (bilingual writer)

House on Mango StreetHouse on Mango Street

• Written in 1984

• Based on Cisneros’ experiences living in a Puerto Rican neighborhood in Chicago

• Protagonist: Esperanza Cordero

• Setting: ghetto in Chicago

• Esperanza wants to escape the poverty of her neighborhood

House on Mango StreetHouse on Mango Street

• Series of vignettes: short scenes that focuses on one moment or gives an impression about a character, an idea, a setting, or object

• Themes: – Identity– Women being trapped– Concept of home