Esperanza never really liked Mango Street or her house there. Though she has friends, she never really feels like she belongs. She ages through the book, but doesn't lose her hopes of being different and less of a stereotypical weak, dependent woman. In the end, “the three sisters”, aunts of Esperanza’s neighbors, tell her that she will need to come back some day, to make a full circle of her life. In the last chapter, she asks who will change Mango Street and leaves the reader wondering if it will be Esperanza herself.
Create a storyboard that shows how Esperanza changes over the course of the book. Include her physical changes as she ages, her views about life, and how she sees the people in her life.
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard depicting Esperanza's evolution through the course of the book.
Clarify what you want students to demonstrate in their storyboards before starting. Specific goals help students focus on Esperanza's physical, emotional, and social growth throughout the novel.
Divide Esperanza’s journey into beginning, middle, and end stages. This structure makes it easier for students to analyze and visualize her character development as they work.
Show students a simple example storyboard using a different character or book. Visual examples help students understand expectations and spark creative ideas for their own work.
Encourage students to include short quotes or page references in their storyboard frames. This practice strengthens text analysis skills and backs up their visual choices with evidence.
Organize a gallery walk or partner share so students can give feedback on each other’s storyboards. Discussion helps deepen understanding of Esperanza’s evolution and builds classroom community.
Esperanza matures from a self-conscious girl who feels out of place on Mango Street into a determined young woman with hopes for a better future. Her perspective shifts as she recognizes her potential to break stereotypes and possibly create positive change in her community.
Key moments include Esperanza's realization that she wants more from life than her surroundings offer, her interactions with the three sisters who challenge her to return and help her community, and her final reflections on the need for change on Mango Street.
Students can create a storyboard by dividing Esperanza's journey into the beginning, middle, and end. For each stage, they illustrate her feelings, relationships, and changes using characters, settings, and objects that reflect her development.
Physically, Esperanza grows from a child into a teenager. Emotionally, she becomes more confident and independent, shifting from feeling like an outsider to embracing her unique identity and ambitions.
Studying Esperanza’s journey helps students understand personal growth, the impact of environment on identity, and the importance of resilience and hope. It encourages critical thinking about stereotypes and the power of self-determination.